AAFC’s Drought Monitor map at April 30, 2022. (Agriculture.canada.ca)

Drought gone in Manitoba but worsening in Alberta, AAFC reports

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Record-breaking precipitation in southern Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan helped improve moisture conditions in the region in April, taking much of the area out of the drought classification, according to the latest Drought Monitor report from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) for the period ended April 30. Two separate Colorado lows brought significant snow, […] Read more

AAFC’s Drought Monitor map for the period ending March 31, 2022. (Agriculture.canada.ca)

Drought severity easing across much of Prairies, AAFC reports

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Drought conditions persisted across much of the Prairies during the month of March, although the extent and severity of the dryness was reduced in many areas, according to the latest Drought Monitor report from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). “While there have been substantial improvements to drought conditions across Western Canada since last […] Read more


Drought conditions in Canada at Feb. 28, 2022. (Map courtesy Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Most of Prairies still very dry, but recovery possible

Southern Manitoba considered out of drought

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Despite the Prairies receiving above-normal amounts of precipitation during February, the great majority of the region remained highly vulnerable to more dryness going into spring, according to the Canadian Drought Monitor. The monitor’s latest report showed those areas of the Prairies tackling extreme drought to have retracted somewhat. As of Feb. 28, that […] Read more

Accumulated precipitation in Western Canada from Nov. 1 to Feb. 15. (AAFC)

Expect Prairie temperatures below normal until month’s end

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The Prairie weather outlook for the rest of February is likely to remain below normal, according to Scott Kehler, chief scientist for Weatherlogics in Winnipeg. “[But] not as cold as it has been for most of the winter,” he added. Much of January and February have been highlighted by temperatures well below normal. […] Read more


Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies in degrees Celsius for the week centred on Nov. 24, 2021. Cooler-than-neutral sea surface temperatures at the equator are known to set up a La Nina event. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

Prairie winter weather a sign of La Nina repeat

Full effects won't be seen for a while yet

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — December marks the start of what meteorologists call “meteorological winter” — and this winter, the Pacific Ocean phenomenon known as La Nina may be rearing its head once again. La Nina (Spanish for “little girl”) is a climate pattern detected over the Pacific every few years where cooler water pools at the equator […] Read more

(Lentils.ca)

Pulse weekly outlook: Lentils up on lower production, stronger demand

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — As with so many other crops on the Prairies, production of lentils will be lower this year due to the drought. However, MarketsFarm Pro senior analyst Mike Jubinville said the lentil crop likely fared a bit better than cereals or oilseeds. Earlier this year, Statistics Canada projected lentil production to come at about […] Read more


CBOT December 2021 oats (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

Oat crop across Western Canada ‘not stellar’

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — As with most other crops on the Prairies, conditions are “not stellar” for oats, according to Shawna Mathieson, executive director for the Prairie Oat Growers Association. POGA directors from across the region who participated in a recent board meeting had a rather grim outlook on the coming harvest, she said. “Not a single […] Read more

File photo of an Alberta wheat field. (ImagineGolf/E+/Getty Images)

Feed weekly outlook: Alberta feed prices rising

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Higher-than-normal temperatures and continued demand for feed have caused prices for Alberta feed barley and feed wheat to increase over the past few weeks. However, that demand has pulled back somewhat. According to Prairie Ag Hotwire data from Wednesday, high-delivered bids for Alberta feed barley were at $7.84 per bushel, 48 cents higher […] Read more