This photo illustration from the British website for the Yield Enhancement Network shows, in a simple way, the idea of using data to achieve a field’s potential yield.

Yield contest aims to make every grower a winner

Ontario and two American states launch their version of Yield Enhancement Network

Reading Time: 4 minutes A wheat-growing competition that started in the U.K. has crossed the Atlantic with the promise of helping farmers increase their yields. Started by a British agricultural consultancy a decade ago, a Yield Enhancement Network — or YEN — uses an annual competition as a learning tool by having participating farmers share field data. Computer modelling […] Read more

CBOT January 2022 soybeans (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, dark green and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy, corn set multi-month highs

South American crop uncertainty, chart-based buying are factors

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures closed higher on Friday, hitting a 2-1/2 month top on worries about South American crop weather coupled with chart-based buying, traders said. Corn futures set a four-month high near $6 a bushel and wheat followed the firm trend (all figures US$). Chicago Board of Trade January soybeans settled […] Read more


winter wheat

Recent rains boost winter wheat prospects

Even if their ground is still dry, some growers may seed winter wheat and cross their fingers

Reading Time: 4 minutes Recent rainfall across Alberta may have more producers considering winter wheat this year. “With the rains we’ve had lately, there are people who are still optimistic about putting in some winter wheat this year,” Gary Stanford said on Aug. 25, following a week that brought about an inch and a half of moisture to his […] Read more

CBOT September 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: CBOT wheat snaps winning streak

Chicago corn, soybeans also fall

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soft red winter wheat futures plunged 2.6 per cent on Thursday, snapping a six-session streak of gains as traders locked in profits from the rally. Soybean futures were down two per cent, with the latest weather forecasts showing that some timely rains will arrive in key growing […] Read more


CBOT December 2021 corn (candlesticks) with MGEX, CBOT and K.C. September 2021 wheats (green, yellow and orange lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy fall as Midwest rains seen boosting crop health

CBOT September wheat down, MGEX September wheat up

Chicago | Reuters — Forecasts for rain in the U.S. Midwest pushed corn and soybean futures lower on Tuesday, traders said. New-crop December corn, which tracks the crop that farmers will harvest in the fall, notched the biggest decline. The contract sagged 3.2 per cent as the storms are expected to provide a much-needed boost […] Read more

CBOT July 2021 corn (candlesticks) with CBOT, MGEX and K.C. July 2021 wheat (orange, green and yellow lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy sag as crop weather outlook improves

Moisture stress remains in parts of Corn Belt

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures fell by almost four per cent on Monday on forecasts for improving crop weather in the Midwest, including cooler temperatures and beneficial rains late this week, analysts said. Soybeans fell more than two per cent and wheat followed the weaker trend as the U.S. winter wheat harvest got […] Read more


CBOT July 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with MGEX July 2021 wheat (orange open/high/low/close) and K.C. July 2021 wheat (yellow OHLC). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat hits one-month low, soybeans three-week low

Chicago corn down on profit-taking

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell on Friday, touching a one-month low on improving prospects for the crop in the U.S. Plains, traders said. Corn futures fell on a round of profit-taking after rising in three of the previous four sessions. Soybeans also closed lower, with concerns about demand outweighing a bargain-buying attempt […] Read more

CBOT May 2021 wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Profit taking pressures wheat, corn, soybeans

Warmer spell also drags on winter wheat futures

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures slid 2.8 per cent on Friday, their second straight day of declines, on a profit-taking setback as warming weather in the U.S. reduced the threat of damage to the dormant crop, traders said. Corn and soybean futures also were weaker but closed well above session […] Read more


CBOT March 2021 wheat with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat retreats after cold-weather rally

Corn, soy futures consolidate

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell two per cent on Wednesday, retreating from a two-week high set in early moves, as concerns eased about cold-weather damage following a frigid weekend in the U.S. Plains, analysts said. Corn futures firmed slightly, consolidating below multi-year highs established last week, and soybean futures closed mixed. A […] Read more

CBOT March 2021 wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat climbs to one-week high on frigid U.S. weather

Corn, soy futures follow firm trend

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures climbed to a one-week high on Tuesday, rising more than three per cent on fears that frigid temperatures in the bread basket of the U.S. Plains may have damaged winter wheat, analysts said. Corn and soybean futures followed the firm trend, with a strong U.S. soy-crushing pace and […] Read more