Producer Jay Schultz found that despite a tough 2019 harvest with slow-maturing crops and tough moisture conditions, early-seeded wheat came off earlier than normal and graded No. 1 CW.

Pushing the wheat seeding envelope

Good seed treatments are recommended, but research at Lethbridge suggests you should start the drill when the soil is at 2 C

Reading Time: 4 minutes Statistically, early seeding equals higher yield, at least over the long term. But how early can you seed without having a wreck due to cold spring conditions? Earlier than you might think, apparently. Last spring, Jay Schultz started seeding his CWRS wheat (mainly Brandon, with some Eli and Viewfield) on April 15 — the earliest […] Read more

ICE May 2020 canola with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola market floating headline to headline

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The ICE Futures canola market moved lower during the week ended Wednesday, but activity was choppy as futures reacted to broad swings in global financial markets. While the looming growing season should be starting to garner some attention, the COVID-19 pandemic “has grabbed all of the headlines and all of the oxygen out […] Read more


Fresh snowfall in Winnipeg’s Fort Rouge area on April 8, 2020. (GFM Staff)

Cold spring weather expected for Prairies

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Temperatures in the Prairie provinces are expected to be colder than average this spring. “There’s no indication that temperatures will be above normal,” said Bruce Burnett, director of markets and weather for MarketsFarm in Winnipeg. Low temperatures will likely cause issues for seeding in areas of the Prairies that have received late-spring snowstorms. […] Read more

Barley. (Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Strong demand supports prices

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Feed grain prices on the Prairies have been stronger, and well supported by strong demand. Nelson Neumann of Agfinity in Lethbridge said strong feed barley prices were due to an uptick in exports from the Prairie provinces. “That provided a nice support to the price floor,” he said, noting market participants had previously […] Read more


Green lentils. (Savany/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Prices mostly steady ahead of seeding

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — As farmers decide what to plant in 2020, Dale McManus of Johnston’s Grain at Welwyn, Sask. hasn’t seen any significant deviation from what producers normally buy for pulse seed. “Red lentils, green lentils, green and yellow peas,” McManus cited among the pulses being purchased. Also, he noted, prices have remained quite steady in […] Read more

A barley crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on July 30, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Feed weekly outlook: Spring rally unlikely

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Feed grain bids in Western Canada have held relatively steady over the past month despite large moves in many outside markets. However, a number of factors may weigh on values heading into the spring. Feed barley is trading in the $4-$4.95 per bushel area in Alberta, according to Prairie Ag Hotwire data. Prices […] Read more


(Alexey Rezvykh/iStock/Getty Images)

No delays expected in fertilizer distribution

National fertilizer association doesn't expect any disruptions to deliveries

Reading Time: 2 minutes Should farmers expect delays to fertilizer deliveries heading into spring seeding? “Not if we can help it,” Fertilizer Canada CEO Garth Whyte said Thursday.”We’ve weathered all the rail system disruptions that we had over the last six months, and now, with COVID-19, we’re doing OK. “We’ve put contingency plans in at our manufacturing plants, at […] Read more

File photo of fields during monsoon in India. (Shubham Singh/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: India’s monsoons catch up, but crops still at risk

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Heavy rains in recent weeks have brought India’s monsoon rainfall back to normal levels after a slow, dry start to the season, according to reports out of the country. However, flooding and uneven distribution of moisture could still hurt crop production. A normal monsoon is defined as 96-104 per cent of the 50-year […] Read more


ICE July 2019 canola (candlestick chart) compared to CBOT July 2019 corn (line). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: All eyes on King Corn

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts trended lower over the past two weeks and could have some more room to the downside before eventually returning higher with summer weather markets and expected strength in Chicago corn futures. The November canola contract settled at $450.40 per tonne on Wednesday. The contract could have another $5-$10 to […] Read more