Prairie frost coming, but little crop damage expected

Freezing temperatures look to arrive this week across parts of Western Canada, but steady harvest progress has left few of farmers' crops vulnerable to damage, industry officials say. The first significant frost often hits the Prairie provinces by mid-September, but temperatures have only dipped slightly below freezing overnight so far, in isolated areas. Colder air[...]

BMO pledges drought relief for farm clients

BMO Financial Group said last week it will offer Canadian and U.S. farmer customers financial drought relief to help them get through one of the worst droughts to hit North America in more than 50 years. Toronto-based BMO said it is providing drought-hit farmers more access to capital, fee concessions, working lines of credit and,[...]


Alta. harvest work seen picking up steam

Favourable weather and the quick maturation of crops have producers in Alberta preparing harvest equipment, according to a provincial crop specialist. "Swathing of some canola, wheat and barley crops is now underway in the province, while combining of lentils, peas and chickpeas was well underway and nearing completion in select areas," said Harry Brook, a[...]

'Excellent' crop development seen in Alta.

A combination of warm temperatures and timely precipitation has resulted in some excellent looking grain and oilseed crops in Alberta, according to a provincial crop specialist. "Rain over the past couple of days combined with the heat seen last week has helped with development and has improved yield potential for the various crops," said Harry[...]


Feeding Texas Longhorns? Canadian farmers cash in on U.S. drought

After spring floods drowned his seeding plans two years straight, Walter Finlay is harvesting what looks to be an average or slightly better crop of wheat and canola. "Average" will do just fine this year. The worst drought in a half century in the U.S. Midwest has scorched corn and soybean crops, igniting grain and[...]

Early Alta. seeding stalled by moisture

Recent precipitation across a large portion of Alberta will help improve moisture levels in the province, as seeding operations are set to get underway for the year. Some barley and spring wheat was already seeded in southern Alberta over the past week, before precipitation and colder temperatures halted that activity, said crop specialist Harry Brook[...]


Precipitation slows seeding in Alberta

Varying amounts of precipitation prevented producers in Alberta from getting on fields and actively preparing for spring seeding during the week ended May 2, according to a provincial crop specialist. "Some seeding in the province has been completed, however," said Harry Brook with the Alberta Ag-Info Centre at Stettler.In more southerly regions of Alberta, seeding[...]

Prairie seeding still a month away

Warm and dry weather conditions seen across Western Canada this winter may be leading to some talk of an earlier-than-normal start to spring seeding. However, crop specialists in the three Prairie provinces say weather over the next month will play a key role in determining when producers actually get out on their fields. The lack[...]


CropWatch: Armyworm counts near thresholds

Prairie canola growers should be scouting their fields "immediately" as populations of bertha armyworm are nearing economic thresholds to spray, the Canola Council of Canada warns in Grainews' CropWatch. Hot, dry weather has been "favourable" to the insect's numbers, the council said, noting some growers in Manitoba, eastern Saskatchewan and the Peace region have already[...]

Seeding virtually complete in Alberta: AARD

Seeding operations in Alberta are generally complete with the only exceptions in the south, where less than five per cent of the intended crop still needs to be put into the ground, according to a provincial crop specialist. "That area has been extremely wet and has prevented producers from seeding the last of the crops,"[...]