Figure 1: A weed seed’s perspective of having to germinate in the spring under a thick winter wheat canopy, which reduces the amount and quality of two key components for that weed to germinate: sunlight and heat.

Pest Patrol: Why growing cereal crops is bad for weeds

#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA

Reading Time: 3 minutes The benefits of growing winter wheat in a crop rotation have been well established. Long-term research at the University of Guelph has shown a 10 bu./ac. increase in corn yields and a five bu./ac. increase in soybean yields when winter wheat is grown. Other benefits, such as increased soil organic matter when cereals are grown, […] Read more

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U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans, wheat plunge as economic worries rise

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – U.S. corn, wheat and soybean futures plummeted on Thursday, as investor fears of an economic downturn and improved sentiment over U.S. crops shifted attention from war disruption to Black Sea exports. Wheat futures Wv1 sank to their lowest level since March 1, soybeans Sv1 hit their lowest since May 11 and corn Cv1 hit its lowest since […] Read more


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Prairie cash wheat: Bids firm as loonie falls

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Spring wheat bids in Western Canada moved higher during the week ended Thursday, as heavy losses in the Canadian dollar more than countered the bearish influence of weakening U.S. futures. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were up by $4.50-$7.40 per tonne during the week ended Thursday, […] Read more

CBOT July 2022 soft red wheat (candlesticks) with 50-day moving average (black line), MGEX July 2022 spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. July 2022 hard red wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat eases on harvest pressure

Nearby corn firms, July soybeans also lower

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures ended lower on Wednesday, led by K.C. hard red winter wheat, as the harvest progressed and forecasts signalled continued dry weather for combines rolling in the southern Plains, traders said. Corn futures closed mixed, with strong domestic cash markets supporting nearby July futures on the Chicago Board of […] Read more


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Prairie cash wheat: Spring wheat up, durum pulls back

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Wheat prices on the Canadian Prairies were mixed during the week ended Thursday. Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheats incurred moderate gains, as Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) fell back. Good upticks in the U.S. wheat complex fueled price increases in Western Canada, along with a weaker […] Read more

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Prairie cash wheat: Talk of Black Sea corridor weighs on week’s bids

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — The prospect of Russia allowing food shipments to leave Ukraine — albeit with a few concessions — was the key factor in declining bids for western Canadian wheat during the week ended Thursday. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko on Wednesday said his country is ready to provide a humanitarian corridor in the […] Read more



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Prairie cash wheat: Bids climb higher

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — A rally in U.S. wheat futures together with a downturn in the Canadian dollar combined to take Prairie wheat bids sharply higher during the second week of May. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were up by $40.80-$45 per tonne during the week ended May 12, according […] Read more


CBOT July 2022 soft red wheat (candlesticks) with MGEX July 2022 spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. July 2022 hard red wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: CBOT wheat, corn ease off rally on supply concerns

Export outlook, crude oil support soybeans

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade wheat and corn futures weakened on Friday, a day after rising on U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts that indicated tightening global supplies. Traders took some profits ahead of the weekend and on expectations that U.S. farmers are advancing corn plantings thanks to improved Midwest crop weather, analysts […] Read more

Corn seedlings in southern Ontario in 2021. (Farmtario photo by John Greig)

Spring planting well underway in Ontario

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Farmers are well into seeding their crops for 2022, according to Wednesday’s crop report from Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). The report noted planting of corn, soybeans and spring cereals started late last week — the exception being where there are heavier soils. OMAFRA projected planting could be 80 […] Read more