MarketsFarm — After 2021’s historic drought on the Prairies caused crop production to fall to historic lows, the 2022 harvest has mostly bounced back to pre-drought levels, according to Statistics Canada. StatCan on Monday released its July 2022 satellite image-based principal field crop production estimates, which confirmed analysts’ expectations that this year’s crop production would […] Read more
Canadian crop production bounces back, StatCan reports
Wheat at higher end of trade projections
Greater crop production estimated prior to StatCan report
Extended time lag between survey, data's release criticized
MarketsFarm — Analysts are expecting Canadian crop production totals for the 2022-23 marketing year to be substantially higher compared to drought-stricken 2021-22, but still not enough to fully replenish supplies. Statistics Canada (StatCan) will publish its first satellite image model-based yield and production estimates for principal field crops on Monday. Traders and analysts are interested […] Read more
Acute food insecurity now touching 345 million worldwide
Baghdad | Reuters — The number of people facing acute food insecurity worldwide has more than doubled to 345 million since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict and climate change, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday. Before the coronavirus crisis, 135 million suffered from acute hunger worldwide, Corinne Fleischer, the WFP’s regional […] Read more
Red sky at night? Maybe. But snow from fog in August?
Our weather columnist analyzes some common sayings, and would like to hear some more
Reading Time: 4 minutes This summer I have crisscrossed this great country of ours. I started in early July heading east into the Muskoka region of Ontario to compete in an Ironman 70.3 triathlon. After spending a couple of weeks there, I returned home and did some quick gardening before heading west to Canmore for a wedding. What a […] Read more
China’s farmers struggle to save crops as heatwave, drought drag on
Chongqing | Reuters — As the tinder-dry countryside along China’s Yangtze river basin withers under a heatwave that has lasted more than two months, veteran farmer Chen Xiaohua recalled the last severe drought to hit his crops more than 60 years ago. “This year is drier than 1960,” said Chen, 68, from his plot of […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans steady
U.S. Midwest rain, Ukraine sea exports add pressure
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybeans inched higher on Wednesday, bouncing from two days of declines, though the recovery was limited by rain improving weather forecasts in the U.S. Midwest. Wheat prices fell, pressured by increased export activity from Ukraine, while corn traded near even. The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Chickpea harvest approaches amid low worldwide supplies
MarketsFarm — The harvest for Western Canada’s chickpea crop is about to begin and it comes at a time when worldwide supplies of the pulse are at a low point. Colin Young, manager of Mid-West Grain Ltd. at Moose Jaw, Sask., said there are varying chickpea yields in the western Prairie region, where most of […] Read more
Iqaluit declares state of emergency over water shortage
Ottawa | Reuters — The northern Canadian city of Iqaluit declared a state of emergency on Friday after scarce rain this year left water levels in the local Apex River at a four-decade low. Iqaluit warned it may not have enough water in its reservoir to sustain its population of about 7,800 when a freeze-up […] Read more
La Nina conditions to continue, but odds lower into winter
Reuters — Chances for La Niña are expected to gradually decrease from 86 per cent in the coming season to 60 per cent during December to February in 2022-23, a U.S. government weather forecaster said on Thursday. The La Niña weather pattern is characterized by unusually cold temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. According to […] Read more
Insurance available for lightning and fire damage
Annual crop or hay fields insured under Straight Hail Insurance have the same spot-loss coverage as Hail Endorsement
Reading Time: < 1 minute It’s summertime in Alberta, and with the season comes an increased potential for volatile storm activity. Depending on your insurance coverage with Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), you may have protection against losses related to lightning strikes and accidental fires. “Agriculture is filled with unpredictable events, including the weather,” said Ken Handford, senior product co-ordinator. […] Read more