The Mosaic Co. potash mine at Colonsay, Sask., southeast of Saskatoon. (MosaicInCanada.com)

Mosaic to throttle back Saskatchewan potash mine

Demand increasing, but 'slower than expected'

Reading Time: < 1 minute Demand for potash is coming back after “a year of reduced applications” — but not quickly enough that U.S. fertilizer giant Mosaic Co. plans to keep all its Saskatchewan mines running at their current pace. Florida-based Mosaic said Tuesday it has now “temporarily curtailed” production at its potash mine at Colonsay, about 65 km southeast […] Read more

File photo of a BNSF grain train crossing the Gassman Coulee trestle near Minot, North Dakota. (Photo courtesy BNSF Railway)

Biden asks Congress to avert U.S. rail strike

U.S. president warns of dire economic impact

Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday called on Congress to intervene to avert a potential rail strike that could occur as early as Dec. 9, warning of a catastrophic economic impact if railroad service ground to a halt. Biden asked lawmakers to adopt the tentative deal announced in September “without any […] Read more


Manitoba growers are prepared to try advanced 4R techniques but wary of risks.

Farmers open to new 4R practices, but have concerns

About half of western Canadian wheat and canola acres are already officially managed with 4R

Reading Time: 4 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Manitoba farmers say they are open to trying new 4R techniques and building upon current practices but have an eye on cost and risks. It’s important to be challenged by the question, “what more can we do to reduce our emissions… while running a farm properly?” said Dean Harder, who farms near […] Read more

Grain ships carrying Ukrainian grain are seen in the Black Sea, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, near Ukrainian port of Odesa, Ukraine Oct. 30, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Serhii Smolientsev)

Black Sea grain export deal extended

Deal's terms unchanged; Moscow to still seek removal of obstacles to grain, fertilizer exports

Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters — A deal aimed at easing global food shortages by helping Ukraine export its agricultural products from Black Sea ports was extended for four months on Thursday, though Russia said its own demands were yet to be fully addressed. The agreement, initially reached in July, created a protected transit corridor and was designed to […] Read more


Cargo ship Despina V, carrying Ukrainian grain, is seen in the Black Sea off Kilyos near Istanbul, Turkey on Nov. 2, 2022.  (Photo: Reuters/Umit Bektas)

Reasons for optimism seen on renewal for Ukraine grain deal

Deal set to roll over on Saturday

Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — A United Nations source on Wednesday said they have reasons to be “cautiously optimistic” on the renewal of a Black Sea grains export agreement, which is set to roll over on Saturday unless there are objections. The U.N.-backed agreement on July 22 allowed grain shipments to resume from certain Ukrainian ports on the […] Read more

(PortOfThunderBay.com)

Thunder Bay grain shipments up in October

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The Port of Thunder Bay saw an increase in its grain handle in October 2022, moving 840,000 tonnes during the month. The grain exports were up by 33 per cent from September and up by eight per cent from October 2021, according to a news release. The increase was seen as a return […] Read more


Photo: iStock/Getty Images Plus

Nutrien cuts 2022 profit forecast again on lower potash prices

Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters – Nutrien Ltd NTR.TO on Wednesday cut its full-year adjusted earnings forecast for the second time this year as potash prices decline, sending the shares of the world’s biggest fertilizer maker down nearly 5 per cent in extended trading. The company also missed third-quarter profit estimates, hurt by cooling prices of crop nutrients as farmers cut fertilizer application […] Read more

Nutrient uptake and partitioning in soybeans can occur at R1 or R2, with the plant taking up 70 to 80 per cent of boron.

Boron. An oft-forgotten (micro) nutrient for soybeans

Compared to other nutrients, soybeans need only a little, but how little is enough?

Reading Time: 5 minutes When it comes to fertilizer, many stick to the ABCs of N, P and K, perhaps with the addition of S (sulphur). But there is a growing recognition of the need for micronutrients such as boron in plant health and performance, especially for soybeans.  Boron aids cell formation, cell wall and vascular tissue formation, node […] Read more


At 11 on-farm locations across Manitoba in 2020, only four sites showed a statistically significant yield difference.

Split N fertilizer application a good option

Manitoba corn trials suggest it’s not a yield booster, but it can be a yield maintainer

Reading Time: 6 minutes The verdict is out on split nitrogen applications in Manitoba corn. After years of small-plot and on-farm field-scale trials, it appears that split N can provide some flexibility for farmers to adapt to conditions as the season unfolds but, generally, they should only expect the practice to maintain yield, not increase it.  “For many people, […] Read more

Despite late-season symptoms of K deficiency, there was no yield difference between treated and untreated plots.

Manitoba soys are K-reluctant 

Soybeans use a lot of potassium, but getting them to use it from added fertilizer is a bit of a challenge

Reading Time: 5 minutes Soybeans are now a regular crop in a Manitoba rotation, and since they use a lot of potassium, you’d think that it would make sense to provide them with enough to keep them happy. But a study funded by the Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers and Western Grains Research Foundation found little response to added […] Read more