(USDA.gov via Flickr)

U.S. projects wheat acres at record lows, increases for soy, corn

Grain stocks as of March 1 down on year

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — As with last year, total wheat acres in the United States are projected to remain at all-time lows, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The department issued its prospective plantings estimates Tuesday. MarketsFarm director of markets and weather Bruce Burnett called USDA’s wheat and soybean estimates positive, while he said its […] Read more

(AHPhotoswpg/iStock/Getty Images)

Burnett on Markets: Home flour use soars during pandemic

That's led to increased demand for milling wheat -- at least temporarily

Reading Time: 2 minutes It is hard to miss the lack of flour in the grocery aisles lately as consumers stock up on the “essentials.” A number of stores are just rolling out the pallets of flour into the store and they are picked clean by the end of the day. The increased domestic use of flour does not […] Read more


East coast ag has plenty of room for more

East coast ag has plenty of room for more

Opportunities are growing on Canada’s east coast, based on affordable land and some pretty sharp farm business concepts

Reading Time: 8 minutes The agri-food industry has been losing farmers for decades, yet that doesn’t distract most producers from doing the job they do, in spite of what federal Census of Agriculture numbers indicate. The fact is agriculture continues to drive excellence in quality, in volume and in encouraging investment in infrastructure and technology, even if the number […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Canola dockage agreement with China expires, but limited exports to continue

Most remaining shipments meet Beijing's requirement

Reading Time: 2 minutes Exports of Canadian canola seed exports to China will continue, at the same reduced pace seen since March last year — but only if it contains less than one per cent dockage. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two countries allowing higher dockage ends Tuesday (March 31), a Canadian government official said in an […] Read more


(File photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

China to resume imports of Canadian canola, sources report

Reading Time: 2 minutes Beijing | Reuters — China has agreed to allow imports of Canadian canola to resume, two sources briefed on the matter told Reuters on Tuesday, lifting a ban in place since March 2019 that had halted US$2 billion worth of trade. The agreement was reached during a call held by China’s customs administration and Canada’s […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Saskatchewan crop insurance deadline pushed to mid-April

Governments offer farmers 'flexibility'

Reading Time: < 1 minute The month-end deadline for Saskatchewan farmers to finalize contracts with the provincial Crown crop insurance agency for 2020 has been moved to April 13. Provincial Agriculture Minister David Marit and federal Ag Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Monday announced the extension on farmers’ deadline to “apply, reinstate, cancel or make changes” to crop insurance contracts. “We […] Read more


CBOT May 2020 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn slumps as ethanol makers feel coronavirus constraints

Market awaits USDA plantings, quarterly stocks data

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures fell more than one per cent on Monday on slowing grain demand from ethanol makers, as tightening coronavirus pandemic travel restrictions limited demand for the biofuel. Soybeans ended mixed, with nearby contracts lifted by firm soymeal prices and concerns coronavirus restrictions may impede South American soy shipments. Wheat […] Read more

Bulk wheat being loaded on a ship in a Russian port. (YGrek/iStock/Getty Images)

Global grain production to increase, IGC predicts

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — The International Grains Council (IGC) issued projections Thursday calling for a slight increase in total global grain production for the current marketing year and for 2020-21. The U.K.-based council forecast world production at 2.175 billion tonnes, which would be an increase of three million tonnes from its February report. The IGC said that’s […] Read more


(PortOfThunderBay.com)

Port of Thunder Bay resumes shipping grain

Welland Canal portion of St. Lawrence Seaway also open for season

Reading Time: 2 minutes The Port of Thunder Bay has reopened for the season and is already shipping products including grain. The 2020 navigation season officially began Thursday with the arrival of the tug Sharon M1 and barge Huron Spirit. The vessel combination came abeam of the Mission Pier entrance at 9:30 p.m. local time, port officials said in […] Read more

A field sample of wild oat screened with three chemical families within the Group 1 mode of action by the Tardif lab. Note there is resistance observed when Puma (a “fop”) was applied, moderate resistance when Achieve (a “dim”) was applied and moderate susceptibility when Axial (a “den”) was applied.

Pest Patrol: Herbicide-resistant wild oats in spring cereals

#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA

Reading Time: 4 minutes Q. Are there any solutions to control herbicide resistant wild oats in spring cereals? A. Wild oats have been an undesirable weed in spring cereal crops for many years, and its control has been limited to a handful of herbicides within the same mode of action (specifically, WSSA herbicide Group 1). Until recently, there have […] Read more