Reading Time: 5 minutes Weather always gets talked about, but usually there are other issues that mark the year gone by. But this was a year when the rain gauge and thermometer were front and central from spring to harvest. Or rather, what passed for harvest. With about 1.6 million acres of crops still in the field, the story […] Read more
A normal crop year went out the window in 2019
It seems pretty much everyone had severe weather challenges this year, but they came in many forms
Bad doesn’t begin to describe situation of unharvested fields
Reading Time: < 1 minute “Cleaning up the acres left out in the spring will be no small task.” So reads the provincial Ag Ministry’s final crop report of 2019. It estimates 10.4 per cent of crops are still in the field — on par with the dismal 2016 season (when 10.3 per cent was unharvested). But that number doesn’t […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: Trade awaits solid details on ‘Phase One’
MarketsFarm — While optimism towards the ‘Phase One’ trade deal between the U.S. and China has continued, its initial impact on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) has diminished, according to one trader. “I think the biggest thing is everyone is on hold wondering, is it real? The actual terms of this [agreement] are still […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Balance sheet tightening
MarketsFarm — Canadian pea and lentil production failed to live up to earlier projections, according to the latest survey data from Statistics Canada. While both crops are still forecast to be above their year-ago levels, the tightening supply expectations should underpin prices. Canada’s 2019-20 lentil crop was pegged at 2.17 million tonnes in the government […] Read more
Ask first — snowmobile later
In some parts of the province, there’s a 50-50 chance there’s an unharvested crop beneath the snow
Reading Time: 3 minutes With winter firmly in place and 40 to 60 per cent of crops still in the fields, the County of Grande Prairie has a message for winter recreation enthusiasts: If you’re going to snowmobile on farmers’ property, ask first. The county is issuing up to five free signs per farm urging people to get the […] Read more
StatsCan report puts canola production at lowest since 2015
MarketsFarm — Data from Statistics Canada’s production of principal field crops report, released Friday morning, will likely be supportive of canola values, put pressure on barley, and keep wheat prices steady. In the report, canola production across Canada decreased by 8.3 per cent nationally to 18.6 million tonnes, compared to 2018 production volumes. The decreased […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola steady, awaits news
MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts moved lower during the week ended Wednesday, but remain rangebound overall awaiting some fresh market-moving news. Some direction could come from the U.S. soybean complex, as the ongoing back-and-forth of trade talks with China could see some actual movement ahead of a Dec. 15 deadline that will see the […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat futures drop sharply
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soft red winter wheat futures sagged 1.8 per cent on Tuesday, the biggest percentage loss for the most-active contract in two months, on a round of profit-taking and technical selling, traders said. U.S. corn futures closed narrowly mixed, with nearby contracts weighed down by the drop in […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: Impeachment process stifles markets
MarketsFarm — U.S. President Donald Trump’s impeachment hearings have dominated headlines and stalled progress in numerous trade developments, leaving the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) starved of meaningful news. The Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) has yet to be ratified by the U.S. House of Representatives. The trade pact, meant to replace the North American Free Trade […] Read more
Knowing your wheat’s falling number critical this year
[UPDATED: Nov. 22, 2019] The ‘harvest from hell’ has resulted in one of the worst years in recent memory for sprout damage. That’s pushed down falling numbers and — since grain buyers have different approaches to handling this issue — increased the need for farmers to know the falling numbers for their wheat. But if […] Read more
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