Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures fell more than one per cent and neared a four-month low Thursday on improving crop prospects in Brazil that could curb demand for U.S. soy exports, traders said. Corn and wheat futures also declined in thin trade between the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays. Chicago Board of […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans fall to four-month low

Manitoba forages fight past winterkill, pest issues
CNS Canada — The first hay cut is well underway in several parts of Manitoba as favourable weather conditions set the stage for what could be a decent forage season. “Generally speaking they’re (forages) all doing well,” said Pamela Iwanchysko, farm production extension specialist with the provincial government in Dauphin. “The rains were timely.” What […] Read more

State of Prairie winter wheat still unknown
CNS Canada — Snow cover is rapidly disappearing across Western Canada, but it will still be a few weeks until the extent of any damage to winter wheat across the Prairies is fully known. “It’s still wait-and-see,” said analyst Bruce Burnett of Winnipeg grain firm CWB. The crop won’t start re-growing until the overnight temperatures […] Read more
Arctic blast hits U.S. Midwest, some wheat at risk of winterkill
Chicago | Reuters –– An arctic blast hitting the heart of the U.S. Midwest soft red winter wheat belt this week will put 10 to 15 per cent of the dormant crop at risk of winterkill damage, agricultural meteorologists said Tuesday. While most of the northern Midwest wheat crop is protected by snow from frigid […] Read more

Winter wheat uptake low despite big efforts to convince producers
The Western Winter Wheat Initiative wants to boost seeding to two million acres — but 2014 plantings were just a third of that
Reading Time: 3 minutes The goal is ambitious — convince Prairie farmers to plant two million acres of winter wheat by 2019 — but the backers of the Western Winter Wheat Initiative admit they have a steep hill to climb. Even though winter wheat yields were 32 per cent better than those for spring wheat in 2012 and offered […] Read more
Annual honeybee winterkill survey underway
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture is once again conducting its annual honeybee winterkill and management survey. “The honeybee winterkill and management survey is an important component in developing Alberta Apiculture surveillance system and best management practices,” says Medhat Nasr, provincial apiculturist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Results are also used to justify any emergency registration of new […] Read more

Prairie winter wheat seen safe under a blanket of snow
The crop was generally well established in many areas ahead of winter freeze-up
Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canada may be in the midst of a deep freeze, but winter wheat crops are none the wiser. “The crop sure is protected, there’s lots of snow,” said Jake Davidson, executive director of Winter Cereals Canada. “I would say that snow cover is more than adequate in most places.” The ample amount of snow […] Read more