Reading Time: < 1 minute It was indeed a dry winter, says the province’s latest soil moisture update, but it also says spring and summer precipitation is what really counts. The March 17 update shows three large areas in the North West, North East, and west part of the Southern regions hit one-in-25-year precipitation lows from mid-September to mid-March. “For […] Read more
Not many snow days this past winter
U.S. grains: Wheat down on forecasts for Plains moisture
CBOT soybeans and corn both end higher
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell to a one-month low on Thursday, pressured by forecasts for welcome moisture in the southern U.S. Plains crop belt that should boost wheat production prospects, traders said. But soybean and corn futures ended higher, supported by South American supply worries and soaring global vegetable oil prices. Chicago […] Read more
Seasonal forecast calls for more snow
MarketsFarm — Most of Canada should see above-normal snowfall over the next three months, according to updated seasonal forecasts released Monday from Environment Canada. Weather maps show a 40 to 60 per cent probability of more precipitation than normal across much of the country from December through February, with the heaviest accumulations expected in Quebec. […] Read more
Most of Prairies already covered in snow
MarketsFarm — Most of the Canadian Prairies were already blanked in snow by late November, with the deepest snowpack in Alberta and Saskatchewan, according to data compiled by Environment Canada and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Aside from the Rocky Mountains and some areas around the Great Lakes, the U.S. was largely […] Read more
Big Two railways release plans for winter
Snow-clearing equipment among investments at CN, CP
Canada’s major railways have filed their winter contingency plans, as they are now required by law to do. Since updates to the Canada Transportation Act in 2018, Canada’s major rail companies have been required to publish winter plans and can be forced to pay up if they fail to deliver on certain promises of railcars. […] Read more
Cold spring weather expected for Prairies
MarketsFarm — Temperatures in the Prairie provinces are expected to be colder than average this spring. “There’s no indication that temperatures will be above normal,” said Bruce Burnett, director of markets and weather for MarketsFarm in Winnipeg. Low temperatures will likely cause issues for seeding in areas of the Prairies that have received late-spring snowstorms. […] Read more
Variable Prairie weather makes for uncertain spring ahead
If nothing else, a rainy harvest season helped replenish topsoil moisture
MarketsFarm — Late-season rains wreaked havoc on the 2019 harvest season but were helpful in restoring topsoil moisture to key growing regions in the Prairies. Since snow coverage has been variable across the Prairies so far in 2020, however, the growing season may get off to a rocky start. “If we take a look at […] Read more
Demand is good for canola — if you can get it off the field
China still isn’t buying but crushers are, and there are seed export opportunities, too
Reading Time: 2 minutes Worries about China’s ban and other market woes have taken a back seat to weather issues for the province’s canola growers. The biggest challenge for many is getting the crop off before snow permanently covers their fields, said Alberta Canola general manager Ward Toma. “They can handle snow coming and going, but snow setting in […] Read more
Manitoba’s sunflower crop under threat from weather
MarketsFarm — Manitoba’s sunflower crop has been compromised by the snow that fell over Thanksgiving weekend, but it’s not yet clear what percentage of the crop will be impacted. Before the snow fell, windy and rainy weather took a toll on the sunflower crop. The soil was oversaturated to the point that sunflower roots couldn’t […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Early snow hurts edible bean prospects
MarketsFarm — An early snow storm hit key edible bean growing regions of Manitoba and the northern U.S. hard, with a large portion of the crop in the region now facing an uncertain future. “It is unprecedented what’s happened at this point,” said Tim Courneya, executive vice-president of the Northarvest Bean Growers Association, which represents […] Read more