(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: U.S. corn filling Canadian feed shortages

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm – As winter approaches, corn is making up a greater appearance in feed channels, supplanting barley and wheat in the process. “In Western Canada, the yields were significantly lower than average. So we’re importing a lot of feed into Western Canada, mostly corn and corn with DDGs (dried distillers’ grains),” said Allen Pirness, manager […] Read more


Early-spring condition of fall-seeded AC Barrie (centre foreground) with cold-tolerant spring wheat (directly behind AC Barrie) and surrounded by winter wheat experimental lines.

A fall start to spring seeding?

‘Dormant seeding’ wheat in the fall may be risky now, but another option is on the horizon

Reading Time: 4 minutes Suppose that it’s the end of October and it’s starting to freeze, but the soil is still bone dry and can still be worked. Is it time to bring out the seeder? It’s risky, but has been tried, at least in the northern U.S. It’s called “dormant seeding” — planting long before soil temperatures and/or […] Read more



The Co-op Ethanol Complex at Belle Plaine, Sask. (FCL.crs)

Co-op to capture carbon at ethanol plant, refinery

FCL, Whitecap sign agreement to sequester fuel plants' CO2

Reading Time: 2 minutes A major Prairie ethanol and fuel producer is posed to spend just over half a billion dollars on a system to capture and sequester carbon dioxide from its operations in Saskatchewan. Federated Co-operatives announced Thursday it had signed a memo of understanding with Calgary-based ‘clean energy’ company Whitecap Resources, in which the latter company will […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Canada’s small, high-protein malt barley crop poses challenges

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — The hot and dry 2021 growing season cut significantly into Canada’s barley production, with the weather also leading to higher protein levels for what was harvested. “It will be an extremely tight and difficult year for the malt processors and ultimately for the brewers as well,” said Peter Watts, managing director of the […] Read more


Minneapolis (MGEX) December 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

Prairie cash wheat: CWRS bids up with U.S. futures

However, a strong loonie applies pressure

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Minneapolis spring wheat futures climbed to contract highs during the week ended Thursday, which provided spillover support for Canadian cash bids. However, strength in the Canadian dollar was a bearish influence, tempering the upside in the cash market. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were up by […] Read more

(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Bids rise with U.S. futures

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Cash wheat bids across Western Canada moved higher during the week ended Thursday in sympathy with U.S. futures markets. The strength came despite a firmer tone in the Canadian dollar. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were up by $11.40-$14.90 per tonne, according to price quotes from […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Shortages leading to price increases

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Prices for feed grains are swinging higher because of shortages, according to Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities Ltd. in Lethbridge. “One thing we are sure of is we are running out of inventory, barley for sure, and we’re 11 months away from new crop,” he said. This year’s severe drought and excessive heat […] Read more

(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Bids mixed as harvest comes to close

U.S. December wheat futures up on week

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — The spring wheat harvest coming to a close in the Prairie provinces and cuts in production estimates south of the border have caused mixed bids in Western Canada for the week ended Thursday. All three Prairie provinces have either completed or have nearly completed spring wheat combining, bringing harvest pressure to prices. Meanwhile, […] Read more