(Dave Bedard photo)

Canadian flax prices, exports going up

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — High demand and an accompanying increase in overseas exports have resulted in reduced domestic supply for Canadian flaxseed, helping drive prices for the crop to highs unseen in years. Marlene Boersch, owner of Mercantile Consulting Venture in Winnipeg, said the amount of flax from Canada going to the U.S. and European Union is […] Read more

ICE March 2021 canola (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2) and 100-day moving average (green line). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola entering uncharted waters

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts climbed sharply higher in the front months during the week ended Wednesday, hitting their highest levels since 2008. The March contract settled Wednesday at $717.80 per tonne, marking the first close above the $700 per tonne level since March 2008. “Everybody is long, and everybody won’t make a profit […] Read more



CBOT March 2021 wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat down on profit-taking

Corn pares gains off seven-year high

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell about one per cent on Wednesday on profit-taking as the dollar firmed and Wall Street equity markets sagged, analysts said. But worries about tightening global inventories underpinned the grains, keeping wheat, corn and soybean futures near multi-year highs set this month. Chicago Board of Trade March wheat […] Read more


Chickpeas. (CalypsoArt/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Adversity bolsters chickpea bids

'Other crops just pencil in better'

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Canadian chickpea prices have either stayed firm or slightly went up as the pulse runs into more than its fair share of adversity. Limited supply, reduced demand and environmental factors have all affected the long-term prospects of the crop at home and abroad, according to Colin Young of MidWest Grain in Moose Jaw. […] Read more

CBOT March 2021 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn soars four per cent on fresh sales to China

Chicago soy, wheat also climb

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures surged four per cent on Tuesday as news of fresh export sales to China re-ignited concerns about tightening U.S. and global grain supplies, analysts said. Soybeans followed corn higher, with worries about a slow start to the Brazilian soy harvest lending support. Wheat firmed on supply concerns and […] Read more


Getting ready for the season’s research plots.

The challenge of even crop emergence

It’s a frequent subject but it’s also a source of conflict for many corn growers

Reading Time: 6 minutes In the days before the COVID-19 pandemic, talk during winter meetings and even well into spring centred on three key discussion points with corn: plant when the ground is fit, plant to moisture and pay attention to the critical weed-free period. Each comes under the heading of “giving your corn crop the best start,” because […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Feds predict three per cent increase in canola acres

Stocks nevertheless expected to tighten

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Canadian farmers will seed more canola in the upcoming 2021-22 crop year, but solid demand will still cause ending stocks to tighten, according to the first new-crop supply/demand projections from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), released Monday. The department forecast seeded canola area in the spring of 2021 at 21.37 million acres, up […] Read more


CBOT March 2021 corn with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy up on bargain-buying after Friday’s slump

Chicago wheat also climbs

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures rallied on Monday as commercial and technical buyers stepped in to take advantage of Friday’s steep declines, analysts said. Wheat futures firmed on bargain-buying after a four-session slide and improving export prospects. Chicago Board of Trade March corn settled up 11 cents at $5.11-1/2 per bushel, […] Read more

A field on the Van Arkel farm being readied for next year’s Living Labs (AAFC) trials.

On-farm science

There’s undeniable value in collaborative on-farm research, with gains for both growers and researchers

Reading Time: 8 minutes Laurent “Woody” Van Arkel won’t deny it — he wants to know more about his soils, his crops and the interactions with fertilizers and manure and cover crops. And he tries hard to keep learning, working not only with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) but also with a master’s student […] Read more