Stored grain has to be both cool and dry to minimize the risk of spoilage.

Drying grain may become the norm as harvests trend later

Natural air drying with supplemental heat hasn’t caught on in Alberta yet, but it soon could

Reading Time: 5 minutes Alberta farmers may need to get used to leaving grain in the field at harvest. “Harvest might be starting earlier, but poor weather during the harvest season is slowing down that last little bit of harvest, and there’s more and more crop being left in the field in October,” said Joy Agnew, program manager at […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

December StatsCan report could vary from years past

CNS Canada — After this fall’s long, drawn-out harvest, some analysts predict Statistics Canada’s final Production of Principal Field Crops numbers could vary from the usual pattern. StatsCan’s report, due out Thursday, is a “very uncertain” report “because that was probably one of the most bizarre falls we’ve ever had on the Prairies,” said Ken […] Read more






After horrible weather in September and early October, producers across the province were given a reprieve 
from Mother Nature and took full advantage — including this operation east of Carstairs, shown on the evening of 
Oct. 21.

In a year of extremes, soil moisture rebound a bright spot

The rain, snow, and cold in early fall had one upside — it recharged soil moisture reserves in much of the province

Reading Time: 4 minutes This year’s harvest was tough, but there is one good thing about it: Soil moisture and subsoil moisture are at almost normal levels in most of the province. “The soil moisture is looking better than it was at the end of August,” said Harry Brook, a crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “It’s closer […] Read more


CBOT January 2019 soybeans, with 20-day moving average. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans higher on slow harvest pace

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose on Wednesday on a slower-than-expected harvest pace and news of fresh export sales, although plentiful global supplies kept a lid on the market, analysts said. Wheat futures fell on sluggish export demand while corn futures ended narrowly mixed. Chicago Board of Trade January soybean futures settled up […] Read more

Photo: iStock

Fair weather welcome for harvest wrap-up in Sask.

CNS Canada – Thanks to good weather during the last half of October 99 per cent of Saskatchewan’s crop has been harvested according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s final Crop Report of 2018. However, snow and rain in early November has delayed the harvest of the remaining crops such as flax and oats, but producers hope to […] Read more