MarketsFarm — There were very few surprises in Statistics Canada’s latest principal field crop production estimates released Friday — the first in 2021-22 to use a survey of producers. Nevertheless, they quantified just how severe last summer’s drought was in Western Canada. Canola production for the 2021-22 marketing year was estimated to be 12.595 million […] Read more

Canola declines, durum drops in new StatsCan estimates
Soybean, oats estimates raised

Smaller crops likely in StatsCan survey-based report
MarketsFarm — Mindful of the summer drought conditions that seriously cut into crop production across the Prairies, average trade estimates call for downward revisions to Statistics Canada’s already-small forecasts for most crops when the it releases its first survey-based estimates of the marketing year on Friday. While prior reports, in September and August, were compiled […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: Feed peas in short supply
Some feeders substituting soymeal
MarketsFarm — Hot and dry growing conditions cut into Canada’s pea production in 2021-22 — but the quality was relatively good, which means feed peas are in even shorter supply. “Yields were low across the harvest this year, but I’d say quality was quite good on yellow and green peas,” said a feed pea merchant. […] Read more

The province’s ‘historic’ irrigation expansion has got even bigger
Two new districts join in and now nearly a quarter of a million more acres will be irrigated
Reading Time: 2 minutes It was a low-key announcement with some very sizable numbers. A historic expansion of Alberta’s irrigation network is getting bigger — another 30,000 acres are being added at a cost of $118 million. The expansion was announced earlier this month by Premier Jason Kenney without the fanfare of the original announcement a year ago, which […] Read more

Second round of emergency drought aid program opens in January
Applications only being taken until Jan. 31, producers who didn’t get first payment are eligible
Reading Time: 2 minutes Applications for Phase 2 of the emergency drought relief program for livestock producers will be out in early January — but applicants will need to get them in quickly. Producers hit by drought were eligible for a payment of $94 per breeding cow in the first round. In the second phase, they can apply for […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: Lentil prices steady to lower despite supply cuts
Lentil crop smallest in almost a decade
MarketsFarm — Just like many other crops in Western Canada, lentil production was cut sharply due to this year’s drought. Canada’s lentil crop was reduced by 37.2 per cent to 1.802 million tonnes for the 2021-22 marketing year, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) principal crop estimates from Friday. The total represents Canada’s lowest […] Read more

Alberta looks for feed, Ottawa promises cash for B.C.
Alberta to help with veterinary testing after B.C.'s lab flooded, Alberta ag minister says
Even though supplies are low because of drought, Alberta is looking for feed to send to B.C. livestock producers, while Ottawa will provide emergency financial assistance to farmers dealing with flooding and closed roads in the hard-hit province. “We’ve been working with the B.C. department of agriculture,” Alberta Agriculture Minister Nate Horner said during a […] Read more

Feed weekly outlook: Record imports of U.S. corn likely
Feeders will need to scale back barley usage
MarketsFarm — Canadian imports of corn from the United States are picking up and could hit a record this year, given the tight supply situation across the Prairies. The most recent export sales data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed Canada as the country’s largest corn customer during the week ended Nov. 11, accounting […] Read more
Thousands in B.C. still stranded by flood waters
'We are not out of this by a long shot'
Abbotsford | Reuters — Rescuers and workers in British Columbia were still trying to reach 18,000 people stranded on Thursday after floods and mudslides destroyed roads, houses and bridges in what could be the costliest natural disaster in the country’s history. Receding flood waters were helping rescue efforts, but the downpour blocked off entire towns […] Read more

Grain flow uncertain as floods halt B.C. rail, road traffic
MarketsFarm — It’s too early yet to determine the effect of massive floods in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland on grain movement, according to the company monitoring Canada’s grain handling and transportation system. Up to 200 millimetres of rain earlier this week have triggered mudslides and cut access to rail lines and highways east of Vancouver. […] Read more