Chicago | Reuters — Canada’s Nutrien, the world’s largest fertilizer company, is weighing further increases to potash production as sanctions continue to limit shipments from Russia and Belarus, interim CEO Ken Seitz said on Tuesday. Prices of crop nutrients such as potash have skyrocketed as sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine have disrupted […] Read more

Nutrien may further raise potash output as sanctions curb other supplies

Nutrien bolsters profit forecast on surging fertilizer prices
Fertilizer sector set for biggest profits in years
Reuters — Nutrien Ltd. on Monday raised its full-year earnings forecast well above estimates after posting a more than 10-fold jump in first-quarter profit, as the world’s largest fertilizer company benefits strongly from soaring prices of crop nutrients. Prices of essential crop nutrients such as potash and phosphate skyrocketed in the quarter, touching near-record levels, […] Read more

Flood warnings raised in Manitoba, southeastern Saskatchewan
Flows could reach 2009 levels in Manitoba
MarketsFarm — Spring flooding in Manitoba’s Red River Valley could approach levels last seen in 2009, the highest water level since 1997’s “Flood of the Century,” according to the latest update from the provincial Hydrologic Forecast Centre. The centre is monitoring a precipitation system forecast for the April 29-May 1 weekend that is expected to […] Read more

Elevator declarations changing Aug. 1
CGC says the move won't harm Canada's grain quality assurance system
The declarations of eligibility western Canadian farmers sign before delivering to elevators, effective Aug. 1, will no longer include crops that don’t require end-use quality assessment as part of the variety registration process. “It’s not a big change,” Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) spokesman Remi Gosselin said in an interview Thursday. Wade Sobkowich, executive director of […] Read more

EU crops to face some challenges in 2022-23
MarketsFarm — Total grain production in the European Union is expected to decrease overall by 2.4 per cent in 2022-23, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture attachés throughout the multi-nation bloc. For the coming crop year, they forecast production to be 286.02 million tonnes of wheat, corn, barley, rye, oats, mixed grains and others. One […] Read more

Ground truthing: Are on-farm trials for you?
Testing something on the farm isn’t the same as a scientifically valid field-scale trial
Reading Time: 3 minutes We’re hearing more and more about producers conducting their own on-farm trials to sharpen their management decisions. And it makes sense. Before committing to a practice, product, or variety, many growers want to see results on their own land. But on-farm trials demand time, resources, and determination. “You have to keep in mind that what’s […] Read more

Indonesia’s palm oil export ban seen short-lived on limited storage
Jakarta/Mumbai | Reuters — Indonesia’s ban on palm oil exports is unlikely to last more than a month as Jakarta has limited infrastructure to store the surplus oil and the country faces mounting pressure from buyers to resume shipments, industry officials said. The world’s top palm oil exporter announced plans to ban exports on Friday, […] Read more

EU’s oilseed yields expected to decline in 2022-23
USDA's attaches predict uptick in EU's oilseed acres
MarketsFarm — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) attachés in Europe have projected oilseed production in the 27-member European Union to increase just slightly in 2022-23. The 18 attachés involved in the report expect about 31.07 million tonnes in total, for a 0.4 per cent bump in total oilseed output from 2021-22. The oilseeds included […] Read more

Indonesia bans palm oil exports as global food inflation spikes
Government under pressure to control cooking oil prices
Jakarta | Reuters — Indonesia, the world’s top palm oil producer, announced plans to ban exports of the most widely used vegetable oil on Friday, in a shock move that could further inflame surging global food inflation. The halting of shipments of the cooking oil and its raw material, widely used in products ranging from […] Read more

Are cover crops a fit for Alberta conditions?
There are producers making it work here but they warn it’s not easy and comes with lots of unknowns
Reading Time: 5 minutes A decade ago, Brady Valgardson knew he had to do something about wind erosion on his farm. Cover cropping was the solution. “As we started doing that, I just read more and more about the benefits to the soil from those same cover crops, how they can hold on to your nutrients and improve water filtration,” […] Read more