A new federal ministerial order calls for Canada’s big two railways to significantly cut their train speeds in any areas deemed to be at an “extreme” fire risk. “With extreme weather events occurring more severely and frequently in Canada due to climate change, it is important to have an adaptive regulatory system that responds to […] Read more
CN, CP trains ordered to slow down against fire risk
Ministerial order in effect until Oct. 31
Anthrax kills southeastern Saskatchewan sheep
Spores forced up by changes in soil moisture
Dramatic shifts in soil moisture are again bringing anthrax spores to the surface on the Prairies, this time in a southeastern Saskatchewan sheep pasture. Lab results on Wednesday confirmed anthrax as the cause of death of one animal in a flock of sheep in the R.M. of South Qu’Appelle, about 50 km east of Regina, […] Read more
U.S. grains: Rain pushes corn to 12 per cent weekly drop
Soybeans, wheat hesitant as dry northern U.S. still a concern
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures dipped on Friday, losing 12 per cent for the week as rain and moderate temperatures were expected to boost U.S. Midwest crops. Wheat followed lower, but was propped up by drier conditions across the northern U.S. Plains, while soybeans inched higher on long-term forecasts returning to hot, dry […] Read more
Feds halt CN, CP trains through B.C. wildfire area for two days
'Extended recovery' expected for westbound grain traffic
Updated — A federal ministerial order has been issued halting Canadian National and Canadian Pacific rail movement through the Kamloops area of British Columbia for 48 hours from midnight Friday. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced the order late Thursday, ahead of an authorized tour Friday by evacuated residents to the largely-destroyed village of Lytton, about […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans, corn fall on cool, wet forecast
Wheat supported by dryness in northern Plains
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures ended lower on Thursday, pressured by cool, rainy forecasts across the U.S. growing belt, though dryness in the upper Midwest continues to threaten developing crops. Corn eased as beneficial rains aided crops entering pollination, while wheat firmed as sparse moisture reached drought-hit spring wheat regions. The most-active soybean […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Expensive canola required
MarketsFarm — Canada’s coming canola harvest, if lower than projected, would add tremendous pressure to prices as supplies could become much tighter than they have, according to trader Ken Ball with PI Financial in Winnipeg. Ball believes the 2021-22 canola harvest could be as low as 16 million to 17 million tonnes, well below the […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: U.S. Midwest weather in focus for soy, corn
MarketsFarm — Soybean and corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade have seen some wide price moves over the first trading week of July, as a surprisingly bullish acreage report at the end of June was quickly superseded by the weather. “Right now it’s weather; the weather has trumped the bullishness of the June […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soy futures rebound on declining crop condition
Forecast rain has eased U.S. corn yield fears
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures rose on Wednesday, recouping a portion of heavy losses from a day earlier, as a lower-than-expected U.S. crop rating tempered hopes that rain will improve field conditions. Rains from Friday into next week will offer timely moisture for corn that will be in the key […] Read more
Hot weather cuts into Canadian mustard crop
Price increases already noted
MarketsFarm — Canada is looking at another small mustard crop in 2021, which should keep prices well supported for any unpriced crop, as recent heat stress cut into yields. “That was a very rough week,” said Walter Dyck, the Alberta-based general manager with Wisconsin mustard-processor Olds Products, on the late June/early July heat wave that […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Saskatchewan crops fight off record heat
MarketsFarm — The “heat dome” which enveloped Western Canada last week delivered a blow to Saskatchewan’s pulse crops. Thirty-four temperature records were shattered on Friday, including those at Regina, Prince Albert, Swift Current, Weyburn and Yorkton. Saskatoon and Lucky Lake, northeast of Swift Current, were the province’s hot spots that day at 40 C. Nine […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
