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
Flood warnings raised in Manitoba, southeastern Saskatchewan
Flows could reach 2009 levels in Manitoba
U.S. EPA allows temporary summer sales of higher-ethanol fuel
Waiver seen as score for corn growers
New York | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued an emergency waiver for a higher-ethanol gasoline blend on Friday, allowing summertime sales of the fuel in an attempt to help lower gasoline prices at the pump. The move represents a temporary win for the biofuels industry and corn farmers, as it will likely […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat futures fall after rains
Chicago soybeans, corn flat
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell to three-week lows on Friday, led by hard red winter wheat contracts after showers in key growing parts of the U.S. Plains provided a much needed boost to soil moisture, traders said. Corn futures ended unchanged after spiking to their highest in nearly 10 years for the […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: ‘Confluence of events’ keeps corn, soy supported
MarketsFarm — Corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade hit fresh contract highs on Wednesday, while soybeans also remain well supported with a number of factors likely to keep the grains and oilseeds underpinned going forward. “It’s never just one thing, a confluence of events have taken us up,” said Sean Lusk of Walsh […] Read more
Not warm enough yet for accurate read on Ontario winter crops
MarketsFarm –– The crop report on Wednesday from Ontario’s ministry of agriculture, food and rural affairs (OMAFRA) notes a lack of temperatures warm enough to accurately assess winter crops and/or to begin spring planting. OMAFRA determined winter wheat that was seeded on time looks healthier than what was planted later in the fall. Also, water […] Read more
Brazil’s changing conditions threaten corn crop
MarketsFarm — Over the last three to four weeks growing conditions in Brazil have pulled a complete reversal — and that poses a serious threat to the country’s corn crop, according to Dr. Michael Cordonnier of Soybean and Corn Advisor Inc. The southern half of the country is now faced with wet conditions, while the […] Read more
Food, farming, forestry must be transformed to curb global warming, UN says
Earlier draft of panel report called for reduced intake of meat
Reuters — Protecting forests, changing diets, and altering farming methods could contribute around a quarter of the greenhouse gas cuts needed to avert the worst impacts of climate change, according to the United Nations’ climate panel. But the changes are unlikely to happen unless governments act to spur them along, the report from the Intergovernmental […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Saskatchewan growers wait for rain
MarketsFarm — As the snow melts on the Prairies, pulse growers are making their final preparations before seeding, while at the same time hoping not to see a repeat of last year’s historic drought. In Saskatchewan, snow cover has varied in pulse-growing areas, making some growers nervous. “There’s still a lot of concern about dryness […] Read more
Premiums soar after crop insurer hit by $2.7-billion loss
Higher crop prices are driving a big part of the 37 per cent (or higher) hike, but drought hit hard, too
Reading Time: 4 minutes The cost of annual crop insurance is soaring by an average of more than 37 per cent this year — and many farmers could be facing an even higher bill. “An average 1,500-acre Alberta farm growing a mixture of crops will see increased premium costs of approximately 54 per cent for annual insurance and hail […] Read more
U.N. to roll out global early-warning systems for extreme weather
London | Reuters –– With climate change fueling dangerous weather worldwide, the United Nations is pledging that early-warning weather monitoring will cover everyone on the planet in five years. “Half of humanity is already in the danger zone,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said earlier this week. And yet, “one-third of the world’s people, mainly in […] Read more
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