Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian farmers are harvesting a spring wheat crop that looks to be well above average in protein content, but they are unlikely to command much of the usual premium this autumn due to abundant supplies, analysts say. After two years of flooding, Western Canada is set to produce its second-biggest all-wheat crop in 16 […] Read more
Prairie wheat high in protein, but supplies plentiful
China buys big Canadian canola volume despite barriers
Reading Time: 2 minutes China imported its largest volume of Canadian canola in three years during the most recent crop year, despite its trade restrictions, as its domestic production fell short. China imported nearly 2.7 million tonnes of Canadian canola in 2011-12, nearly three times the previous year’s purchases, and just behind volume of almost 2.9 million tonnes in […] Read more
Satellites see canola yields slip on heat, disease
Reading Time: 2 minutes A slew of midsummer crop threats including heat, hail and bugs trimmed the potential of Canada’s record-large 2012/13 canola crop, preventing farmers from fully cashing in on high prices, industry analysts say. On Monday, Statistics Canada lowered its unofficial canola crop yield estimate based on an experimental program that analyzes low-resolution satellite data. The Crop […] Read more
BHP may double Sask. potash mine’s first-phase output
Reading Time: 2 minutes BHP Billiton is making plans to double the first phase of production on its proposed Saskatchewan potash mine to four million tonnes, even as a decision on proceeding with the project is delayed, a company spokesman said on Wednesday. Earlier in the day the company said that no major projects, including the Jansen, Sask. potash […] Read more
U.S. grains slip as crop tour offers better results
Reading Time: 3 minutes U.S. corn and soybean futures eased Wednesday after reports of some better-than-expected yield prospects encouraged profit-taking from early week highs that stemmed from the country’s worst drought in 56 years. Wheat snapped a five-session streak of increases with additional pressure from prospects for a big Canadian crop, while corn and soy exerted spillover pressure. "The […] Read more
Sask. sees BHP potash mine proceeding, Vale plan stalls
Reading Time: 2 minutes A cabinet minister in potash-rich Saskatchewan expects major miner BHP Billiton to proceed with construction of its potash mine, and an announcement may come within days. Bill Boyd, Saskatchewan’s minister of the economy, said Friday he does not expect BHP to delay the project as Brazil’s Vale SA did with its own Saskatchewan project on […] Read more
Agrium refuses investor demand to spin off retail
Reading Time: 3 minutes Fertilizer and ag retail firm Agrium said Tuesday it would not take the “substantial risk” of spinning off its retail operations, as the company sought to fend off pressure from activist investor Jana Partners. Jana, a New York City hedge fund, disclosed in a filing on Tuesday that it had bought more than 6.5 million […] Read more
U.S. drought may create winners, losers on Bay Street
Reading Time: 3 minutes While U.S. crops of corn and soybeans wilt in the worst U.S. drought in a half century, winners and losers are emerging in the agriculture sector of the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), even if investors are playing it cautious so far. The drought in the key Midwest growing region has severely curtailed crop yields and […] Read more
Disease, heat take toll on Canada’s canola, wheat
Reading Time: 2 minutes Crop disease has taken some of the upside off what may still be a record-large Canadian canola crop, while prospects for spring wheat are promising, as Western Canada looks to be a global farm bright spot in a year marked by severe drought. Western Canadian crops survived intense summer heat thanks mainly to spring rains […] Read more
Feeding Texas Longhorns? Canadian farmers cash in on U.S. drought
Reading Time: 4 minutes 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 […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
