File photo of a pea crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: Strong demand supporting pea prices

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — There has continued to be a strong demand for peas, as demonstrated by data from the Canadian Grain Commission. And that has been supporting price increases, according to Marlene Boersch of Mercantile Consulting Venture Inc. in Winnipeg. “The overall demand has been very, very good,” she said. In the most recent export data […] Read more



A freighter is loaded with grain from a terminal at Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet. (Maxvis/iStock/Getty Images)

Grain, oilseed exports running ahead of average

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Canadian grain and oilseed exports have left the country at a rapid pace during the first 10 weeks of the 2020-21 crop year, with canola, wheat,and barley movement-to-date all up substantially on the year. Total exports of Canada’s major grains and oilseeds as of Sunday came in at 9.57 million tonnes, according to […] Read more

ICE November 2020 canola (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (yellow line) and CBOT August 2020 soyoil (green line). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola under pressure at midweek

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Canola contracts have received considerable pressure from outside sources, but held above $480 per tonne this week. Ken Ball of P.I. Financial in Winnipeg expected canola to be down by $6-$10, but nearby contracts closed lower by about a dollar at $483.60 per tonne. Ball referred to weakness in Chicago soyoil, along with […] Read more


(Twitter)

Help wanted: CGC seeks new leadership

Two top slots are open at the federal agency

Reading Time: 2 minutes If you want to be a Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) commissioner, or chief commissioner, now’s your chance. The Canadian government is advertising both positions on the CGC’s website and Twitter. Applicants must apply online for the positions, which are cabinet appointments. The deadline is Tuesday (June 30). The jobs involve lots of travel in and […] Read more



The Canadian Grain Commission building on Main Street in Winnipeg. (File photo)

Grain Commission’s chief announces retirement

AAFC's review of Grain Act, and of CGC's future, continues

Reading Time: 3 minutes The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is seeking a new chief commissioner. Patti Miller, who has held the position for three years, announced Tuesday to CGC staff that she will retire June 26. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) “will be launching an open, transparent and merit-based process to find a new commissioner as soon as possible,” […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canaryseed Development Commission of Saskatchewan)

Canary seed one step closer to ‘official’ status

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Canary seed may still be a relatively minor special crop in Western Canada, but the grain is one step closer to gaining official status. Producers at the Canary Seed Development Commission of Saskatchewan annual general meeting on Monday in Saskatoon voted in favour of formally requesting canary seed’s inclusion under the Canada Grains […] Read more


ILTA Grain opened its processing plant at Belle Plaine, east of Moose Jaw, in 2017. (ILTAGrain.com)

ILTA Grain security payout to be CGC’s biggest ever

Reading Time: 4 minutes An insurance policy set up for demised Prairie pulse exporter ILTA Grain will pay, in full, what’s owed to over 200 growers who supplied the company, according to the Canadian Grain Commission. The CGC announced Monday that 222 eligible unpaid growers will receive a total of $11.146 million covered by the security ILTA posted before […] Read more

(File photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Visible canola supplies largest in three years

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Solid farmer deliveries into the commercial pipeline saw visible Canadian canola supplies hit their highest level in three years, according to the latest Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) data for the week ended Sunday. Total visible supplies of the oilseed came in at 1.584 million tonnes, which was the highest of the marketing year-to-date […] Read more