A drone’s-eye view of crews repairing a levee, north of the Cosumnes River, after it was breached by heavy rains and flooded Sacramento County roads and properties near Wilton, just southeast of Sacramento, on Jan. 2, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Fred Greaves)

Another ‘atmospheric river’ storm renews flood threat in California

Reading Time: 2 minutes Sacramento | Reuters — Emergency crews braced for the next bout of high winds and torrential rains forecast to sweep California starting on Wednesday, renewing the threat of power outages and flooding that struck parts of the state over the New Year’s weekend. The latest “atmospheric river” — an airborne current of dense moisture flowing […] Read more

File photo of wheat south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2022. (Dave Bedard photo)

Prairies’ high-pressure ridge should give way by mid-month

Brisk harvest pace expected meanwhile

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — While there’s not one specific cause of the hot September the Canadian Prairies has generally been having so far, Weatherlogics chief scientist Scott Kehler notes one particular shorter-term factor. “There is a fairly strong upper-level ridge of high pressure across the Prairies right now,” he explained, adding it should dissipate by mid-month. The […] Read more


CBOT November 2022 soybeans (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, green and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans steady

U.S. Midwest rain, Ukraine sea exports add pressure

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybeans inched higher on Wednesday, bouncing from two days of declines, though the recovery was limited by rain improving weather forecasts in the U.S. Midwest. Wheat prices fell, pressured by increased export activity from Ukraine, while corn traded near even. The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade […] Read more



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

Pulse weekly outlook: Peas, lentils faring well but threats remain

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Growing conditions for peas and lentils in Saskatchewan during the spring can be described as variable. While western parts of the province continued to endure dry conditions carried over from last year’s drought, regions in the east were drenched with near-continuous rainfall to go along with below-normal temperatures. Lionel Ector, president of Diefenbaker […] Read more

(Lightguard/E+/Getty Images)

Feed weekly outlook: Rains forecast for southern Alberta

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — The prospect of rain over drought-stricken southern Alberta, with Calgary and Lethbridge possibly seeing at least 30 millimetres from June 4 to 7, would seem to be a godsend for growers. However, recent history suggests the moisture may not matter in the long term, according to Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities Ltd. at […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

Saskatchewan forage rainfall insurance to adjust for hot spells

SCIC also expanding crop roster for contract price option

Reading Time: 2 minutes Saskatchewan forage and corn growers whose crops are insured against below-normal rainfall can expect a beneficial bump starting this year if those crops get cooked in high heat. The Saskatchewan and federal governments on Tuesday announced details for their 2022 crop insurance program — under which average coverage is expected to reach $405 per acre, […] Read more


ICE November 2021 canola (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (yellow line) and CBOT December 2021 soyoil (green line, left column). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Swings ahead for canola

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — If anything is certain for canola values, it’s that they are going to be swingy for the next while, according to Ken Ball of PI Financial in Winnipeg. Canola bids, especially new-crop, have been on the downswing lately, largely due to precipitation the Prairies recently received. While the resulting moisture won’t rectify the […] Read more