MarketsFarm — With spring officially underway, don’t expect a lot of major changes in the current weather patterns across the Canadian Prairies and the U.S. northern Plains, according to Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. at Overland Park, Kansas. “For the rest of March, it’s status quo, it will stay cold. We’re not going to […] Read more
No big changes in current weather patterns
Potential for some precipitation in early April
USDA’s Indonesia desk predicts increased palm oil production
An El Nino event could weigh on that outlook
MarketsFarm — Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of palm oil, is forecast to see a three per cent rise in production in 2023-24, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service post in Jakarta. The country’s USDA post anticipates 46 million tonnes of palm oil production, which would be up from 44.7 during […] Read more
No end in sight for deadly drought
Reading Time: < 1 minute An “unprecedented” three-year drought in the Horn of Africa is affecting tens of millions of people and the region will take years to recover, says the World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations and a host of aid organizations. But the latest forecast is for another poor rainy season. “If below-average rains do materialize, the Horn […] Read more
B.C. farmers granted late entry for AgriStability
Avian flu, 'extreme weather' events considered
With bird flu outbreaks and last spring’s weather woes in mind, farmers and ranchers in British Columbia are now spotted until the end of June to enrol in AgriStability. The province and the federal ag department on Tuesday announced they’ve agreed on a late participation option for the 2022 program year. In this case, the […] Read more
Argentina soybeans go from ‘worse to worser,’ expert says
Heatwave now crisping early-planted crops
MarketsFarm — Extreme heat and drought throughout most of Argentina have taken a huge toll on that country’s soybean crop. Dr. Michael Cordonnier of Soybean and Corn Advisor said the forthcoming soybean harvest is now likely to produce 25 million to 30 million tonnes, a far cry from the 40 million to 45 million tonnes […] Read more
Spring road bans loom across Prairies
Mid-March weight limits pending for heavy trucks
MarketsFarm — The looming spring melt across Western Canada will likely disrupt some grain and livestock movement over the next few weeks, as seasonal spring road restrictions come into effect across the Prairies. Spring road restrictions set axle weight limits for vehicles moving on certain roads to reduce the damage heavier loads can cause during […] Read more
U.S. grains: Chicago corn dampened by prediction of El Nino rain
Black Sea export deal hopes drag wheat to 18-month low
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures hit their lowest price since August on Thursday on expectations that the El Nino climate phenomenon could boost U.S. crops and concerns about rising interest rates. La Nina has ended, the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center said on Thursday, and El Niño could possibly form during summer […] Read more
Crop, livestock prices offset reduced marketings in 2022
StatCan data on farm cash receipts tracks recovery off 2021 drought
New full-year data on Canada’s farm cash receipts in calendar 2022 show how increased commodity prices last year more than offset the drop in quantities sold. Statistics Canada on Tuesday released figures showing Canadian farm cash receipts in 2022 at $94.9 billion, up 14.1 per cent from 2021, including crop receipts of $53.9 billion (also […] Read more
‘Normal’ spring ahead for most of the Prairies
Below-normal rains expected for southern Alberta, western Saskatchewan
MarketsFarm — Canada’s Prairies are looking at normal temperatures over the next month to three months, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The federal department on Tuesday issued its temperature and precipitation probabilistic forecasts, which also called for normal precipitation for most of the region. “The forecast is really neutral for the Prairies, […] Read more
Nova Scotia to bridge Fiona funding gap for farmers
Provincial program offering up to $400K per farm
Nova Scotia farmers who didn’t qualify for federal disaster financial assistance (DFA) in the wake of Hurricane Fiona last September may be able to get in on a new provincial program instead. The province on Thursday announced $3 million for what it calls the Fiona Agriculture Response Gap Funding program, offering up to $400,000 for […] Read more
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