Reading Time: < 1 minute Government aid for drought-hit Alberta producers has put more than one-third of a billion dollars in their hands. The first round of the Canada-Alberta Livestock Feed Assistance Initiative paid out more than $180 million on 14,000 applications for more than 2.1 million animals. It paid a flat rate of $94 per breeding cow, the federal […] Read more
Drought aid tops $350-million
Drought monitor drills down into the very dry conditions
Conditions in the southern part of the province approaching a state seen only once in a half-century
Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s no surprise to anyone farming in southern Alberta, but drought conditions continue to worsen in the region after yet another very dry month. AgCanada’s Drought Monitor expanded the areas classified as being in extreme drought (a D3 rating) or severe drought (D2) after the south received only 40 per cent of normal precipitation in […] Read more
Eastern Prairies’ wet conditions may curb insect pest risk
Late-seeded crops may germinate more quickly in warmer soils
MarketsFarm — If there could be one benefit to the excessive moisture across much of southern Manitoba and the Interlake region, that would be a potentially reduced risk for insect pests, according to John Gavloski, entomologist for Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Resource Development. For example, Gavloski cited flea beetles, which could damage canola. “If [canola] […] Read more
Dust storm, hurricane-force winds tear across U.S. upper Midwest
Chicago | Reuters — Hurricane-force winds tore across the U.S. upper Midwest Thursday evening, sending walls of dust across cities and rural towns, causing widespread property damage and killing at least two people. Straight-line winds up to 170 km/h reached from Kansas to Wisconsin, pushing waves of farmland topsoil across the horizon and plunging communities […] Read more
World could see 1.5 C of warming in next five years, WMO reports
London | Reuters — The world faces a 50 per cent chance of warming of 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels, if only briefly, by 2026, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Monday. That does not mean the world would be crossing the long-term warming threshold of 1.5 C (2.7 F), which scientists have set […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: U.S. spring wheat seeding near standstill
MarketsFarm — A succession of weather events has pretty much brought spring planting in North Dakota and Minnesota to a standstill, according to analyst Tom Lilja of Progressive Ag at Fargo, N.D. The weekly crop progress report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated nationwide planting of spring wheat at 19 per cent complete […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Wet weather delays southern Manitoba seeding
Soybeans could take yield hit if planted in June
MarketsFarm — Another blast of heavy precipitation across southern Manitoba, the third in as many weeks, has already delayed seeding for pulses, according to a production specialist. Laura Schmidt, a production specialist for Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, said the 40 to 50 millimetres of rain across the region on April 29-30 all but guaranteed […] Read more
Heat wave threatens India’s wheat output, export plans
Thin supplies, rising prices indicate lower output
New Delhi | Reuters — India’s wheat output looks likely to fall in 2022 after five consecutive years of record harvests, as a sharp, sudden rise in temperatures in mid-March cut crop yields in the world’s second-biggest producer of the grain. The drop could curb Indian exports of the staple. Cashing in on a rally […] Read more
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
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
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
