First-quarter revenue from grain handling is up at both Canadian Pacific (CP) and Canadian National (CN) Railways as the two companies both reported higher overall quarterly profit. CP on Tuesday booked overall first-quarter net income of $254 million on revenues of $1.509 billion for the period ending March 31 — the company’s best-ever Q1 result, […]
Category Archives Crops
Barclays joins retreat from commodities as new rules bite — April 22, 2014
London | Reuters – Barclays will quit most of its commodities trading businesses, joining a broader retreat by banks as profits tumble in the face of tougher regulation. The British bank’s exit means three of the top five banks in commodities have significantly reduced or shuttered their natural resource trading arms since last summer, with […]
CME Group overhauls daily grain price limits — April 22, 2014
Chicago | Reuters – CME Group Inc., the world’s largest futures market operator, said Tuesday it will overhaul the system for setting daily price limits for U.S. grain and oilseed futures to reflect fluctuations in crop prices. Starting on May 1, CME, owner of the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) and other exchanges, will apply […]
U.S. grains: Corn rises on planting delays; soybeans sink — April 22, 2014
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures jumped on Tuesday as concerns about slow planting progress helped fuel a rebound from sharp losses the previous session, while soybean futures tumbled on increased imports into the U.S. Weather took centre stage for the corn market as traders worried rains may prevent farmers from making progress in […]
The power to help Africa
Where Canada once based its aid programs on high-capacity, Canadian-built machinery, new industry-led plans work better
In the February 4 edition of Country Guide, you read about Canada’s latest $13 million in agricultural development aid being invested in Ukraine to create a new generation of farm co-operatives under the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). While the Ukraine project represents a significant financial investment, CIDA has funded much larger agricultural development programs […]
Less wheat, more canola expected in Canada — April 21, 2014
CNS Canada – Canadian farmers are expected to seed less wheat and more canola in 2014, according to average trade guesses ahead of Statistics Canada’s planting intentions report due out Thursday. “Compared to last year, we’ll see less wheat,” said Jon Driedger of FarmLink Marketing in Winnipeg, estimating spring wheat area could be down by […]
CWRS wheat prices down as basis widens — April 21, 2014
CNS Canada – Cash bids for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat eased during the week ended Monday, as U.S. wheat futures were weaker and basis levels widened. Average spot bids on Monday for CWRS (13.5 per cent protein) across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta came in at around $192 per tonne, or $5.32 per bushel, […]
U.S. grains: Markets sink on improved weather, fund selling — April 21, 2014
Chicago | Reuters – U.S. wheat futures fell the most in more than a year on Monday as rains expected in the drought-stricken U.S. Plains raised hopes for the upcoming harvest. Improved weather also pressured corn and soybean futures amid projections for accelerated plantings in the U.S. Midwest. Technical and fund selling helped drive losses […]
Disease geometry
If all three sides of the disease triangle are present, you could have trouble on your hands in the coming growing season
It’s pretty much impossible to say in advance exactly what crop diseases are going to be present in your fields this coming season — but you can still have a solid idea of what to look for when the time comes. That’s because crop diseases are greatly influenced by weather and history, and when these […]
Corn, soybeans seen expanding on Prairies — April 21, 2014
Winnipeg | CNS Canada – Corn and soybean acres have expanded in Western Canada in the last 10 years and should continue to do so, according to Monsanto Canada’s vice-president. “When we think about our corporate vision and the potential to deliver on 110-bushel-per-acre corn, 40 bu./ac. soybeans, and 52 bu./ac. of canola, we believe […]