MarketsFarm — While there’s not one specific cause of the hot September the Canadian Prairies has generally been having so far, Weatherlogics chief scientist Scott Kehler notes one particular shorter-term factor. “There is a fairly strong upper-level ridge of high pressure across the Prairies right now,” he explained, adding it should dissipate by mid-month. The […] Read more

Prairies’ high-pressure ridge should give way by mid-month
Brisk harvest pace expected meanwhile

Initial drought list ready for 2022 livestock tax deferrals
Much of Manitoba, southern Alberta designated for 2022
Many of the Prairie livestock producers forced by drought to make “difficult herd management decisions” in the 2022 income tax year are now eligible to defer the taxable income from those decisions. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Tuesday released the initial list of designated regions in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan where livestock tax deferral […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: StatCan shows big jump in pea, lentil production
MarketsFarm –– The Canadian pulse harvest appears to be making a comeback after production struggled with a historic drought in Western Canada last year. Statistics Canada (StatCan) released its July satellite image-based principal field crop production estimates on Monday, projecting sharp increases in production for most of Canada’s crops, including pulses. Canada’s dry pea harvest […] Read more

Canadian crop production bounces back, StatCan reports
Wheat at higher end of trade projections
MarketsFarm — After 2021’s historic drought on the Prairies caused crop production to fall to historic lows, the 2022 harvest has mostly bounced back to pre-drought levels, according to Statistics Canada. StatCan on Monday released its July 2022 satellite image-based principal field crop production estimates, which confirmed analysts’ expectations that this year’s crop production would […] Read more

Greater crop production estimated prior to StatCan report
Extended time lag between survey, data's release criticized
MarketsFarm — Analysts are expecting Canadian crop production totals for the 2022-23 marketing year to be substantially higher compared to drought-stricken 2021-22, but still not enough to fully replenish supplies. Statistics Canada (StatCan) will publish its first satellite image model-based yield and production estimates for principal field crops on Monday. Traders and analysts are interested […] Read more

China’s farmers struggle to save crops as heatwave, drought drag on
Chongqing | Reuters — As the tinder-dry countryside along China’s Yangtze river basin withers under a heatwave that has lasted more than two months, veteran farmer Chen Xiaohua recalled the last severe drought to hit his crops more than 60 years ago. “This year is drier than 1960,” said Chen, 68, from his plot of […] Read more

Iqaluit declares state of emergency over water shortage
Ottawa | Reuters — The northern Canadian city of Iqaluit declared a state of emergency on Friday after scarce rain this year left water levels in the local Apex River at a four-decade low. Iqaluit warned it may not have enough water in its reservoir to sustain its population of about 7,800 when a freeze-up […] Read more

Prairie drought spurs record imports via Trois-Rivieres
G3 terminal reports record incoming grain handle
Agrifood firms unable to source enough grain domestically due to last year’s drought have imported a record amount through a major St. Lawrence River grain terminal this year. Winnipeg grain handler G3, whose grain terminal at Trois-Rivieres, Que. has storage capacity for 109,000 tonnes, reported Wednesday the terminal has so far unloaded over 160,000 tonnes […] Read more

Feed weekly outlook: Prices lower despite mixed growing conditions
MarketsFarm — While not as widespread as last year’s historic drought, some parts of Alberta are still struggling with hot and dry conditions. Suzanne Leclerc, owner of Market Master Ltd. in Edmonton, said growing conditions for feed grains across the province are varied. “As usual for the last couple of years, such a mixed review,” […] Read more

Optimism has returned with the rains for the cattle sector
Producers still dealing with drought fallout, but looking ahead to better days
Reading Time: 4 minutes Cattle producers are feeling cautiously hopeful, thanks to June and July rains. “It’s a sigh of huge relief, as least what I experienced in this area — it’s just a burden of worry lifted,” said Fred Lozeman, who farms with his cousin, runs two herds and operates a 2,000-head feedlot west of Claresholm. “There were […] Read more