Reading Time: 3 minutes Further risk to people is believed to be low after a person in central Alberta was confirmed to have caught a variant of H1N2 swine flu, in the first case of its kind in Canada. The virus was spotted in mid-October after a patient sought medical care with “influenza-like symptoms,” provincial chief medical officer Dr. […] Read more
Swine flu strain makes first jump to person in Canada
Alberta reports 'one isolated case' in central region
Prairie cash wheat: Durum springs forward, red spring falls back
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Bids in Western Canada were weaker for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheats for the week ended Thursday, while there were increases for Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD). Double-digit losses in U.S. wheat markets weighed on values and a drop in the Canadian dollar provided support. Average […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Prices plateauing
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — While prices for feed grains have risen over the last month along with several other commodities, they’ve now declined a little bit, according to Erin Harakal, senior trader with Agfinity in Stony Plain, Alta. “For short-term movement like November-December we’ve seen them come off the most compared to the late-January/early-March time frame,” she […] Read more
Prairie cash wheat: Bids mixed
Durum steady to lower
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Wheat bids in Western Canada were mixed during the week ended Friday, with gains observed in Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat and losses in Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR). Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD), meanwhile, was steady to lower. Average CWRS (13.5 per cent) wheat prices were up by $2-$7 per tonne, […] Read more
Klassen: Weather, COVID, feed grains pressure feeder market
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were $2-$4 lower on average; calves traded $2 to as much as $6 below week-ago levels. Southern Alberta received its first snowfall of the season last week, which hindered demand for fresh replacements. Feedlots always incorporate a risk discount when the first snowfall of the year materializes, […] Read more
Alberta gives oil and gas drillers municipal tax break
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Struggling oil and gas companies in Alberta will get a three-year break on municipal property taxes for land where they are drilling wells or building pipelines, the provincial government said on Monday. The Alberta government said it would also lower property tax assessments on less-productive wells and eliminate a provincial tax on drills. […] Read more
Prairie cash wheat: Prices up on sharp rises in U.S. wheat
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Wheat bids in Western Canada were higher for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS), Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) and Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) wheats for the week ended Thursday. Support came from double-digit increases in Chicago, Minneapolis and Kansas City wheat futures. Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar was relatively steady. Average CWRS (13.5 […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market digests rising COVID-19 cases
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were relatively unchanged while calves traded steady to $2 lower on average. The grain harvest is in its final stages and buying interest was noted from the farmer/backgrounding operator. The buying frenzy over yearlings has eased and finishing feedlots were active on all weight categories. Feather-light calves […] Read more
Federal fund, Alberta government back irrigation upgrades
Infrastructure Bank lends cash for system improvements
Reading Time: 2 minutes Eight irrigation districts in Alberta are set to tap into the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s new $1.5 billion pool of funding earmarked for irrigation, to receive loans worth about $407.5 million. The Alberta and federal governments on Friday announced a total investment of $815 million — including repayable CIB funds, provincial support and irrigation district contributions […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Above-average year for yellow, green peas
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — It was a pretty good year for yellow and green peas, according to Allan Johnston of Johnston Grains at Welwyn, Sask. “The weather was so good and the harvest was so good. Everybody got their crops off in excellent shape,” he said. The most recent weekly crop reports from Manitoba and Saskatchewan indicated […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
