Biomass pellets burn in a boiler furnace chamber. Nova Scotia’s COMFIT program offered 17.5 cents/kWh for electricity generated from local-level biomass plants. (Matt Myers photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

N.S. halts local-level biomass, wind power plan

Reading Time: 2 minutes Nova Scotia is ending its feed-in tariff program that pays local-level groups to generate power from biomass, wind and other renewable sources. Energy Minister Michel Samson said Thursday a provincial review of the community feed-in tariff (COMFIT) program shows it’s “at a point where the program could begin to have a negative impact on power […] Read more



Sask. crops get soaked, but may take yield hit

Sask. crops get soaked, but may take yield hit

Reading Time: 2 minutes (Reuters) – Two days of rainstorms in Saskatchewan, Canada’s biggest wheat- and canola-growing province, may have done more harm to crops than good, even though farms were parched, a Saskatchewan government official said on Wednesday. Much of the province received rain on Monday and Tuesday, with the capital, Regina, collecting about 90 millimetres (3.5 inches), […] Read more

This WeatherFarm map shows the heavy rainfall in southern Saskatchewan July 27

Three-hour tornado & Regina’s wettest day ever

Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — A tornado spun for several hours through southwestern Manitoba late Monday in a fierce Canadian Prairie storm that caused flash flooding and shredded part of a highway. No injuries or major damage was reported, according to a statement by Environment Canada, federal weather forecaster. “What was just shocking was the duration on the […] Read more


Central Alberta receives weekend rainfall

Up to two inches in some areas will help fill crops

Reading Time: 2 minutes Commodity News Service Canada — Many regions of central Alberta saw some beneficial rainfall going into the weekend, which provided some relief to dry fields and aided crops as they head into the filling stage. “What it’s basically going to do is help fill the crops. In some places they had up to two inches of rain […] Read more



Dry weather reducing Prairie wheat midge problems

Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — Wheat midge hasn’t been causing as many problems as first anticipated in Western Canada this year, as a dry spring hindered the pests’ emergence. The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s wheat midge forecast, released earlier this year, initially showed high risk levels for the insect, but the dryness is hampering their effects on […] Read more

Sask. grain handler cancels share buyback in dry spell

Reading Time: < 1 minute An independent grain terminal in parched northwestern Saskatchewan has called off a planned share repurchase, to conserve cash against a possible drop in its grain handle. North West Terminal, which operates a grain terminal and ethanol plant just east of Unity, about 90 km southwest of North Battleford, said Thursday it won’t go ahead with […] Read more


Red lentils. (Pulse Canada photo)

Early Sask. lentil, pea harvests likely to support prices

Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada –– Saskatchewan’s dryness could likely mean an earlier harvest and smaller yield for pea and lentil crops this year, according to a regional crop specialist. That means new-crop prices will be supported, said Chuck Penner, president at LeftField Commodity Research. Old crops are disappearing, he said, and the market will become active as […] Read more

Prairie durum prices rising as farmers aren’t selling

Prairie durum prices rising as farmers aren’t selling

Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — Prices for durum in the Prairie cash market have been on the rise recently, but there are very few actual transactions being made as farmers aren’t selling. “The companies know that, generally speaking, farmers aren’t in the mood to sell, so they’re probably trying to maybe encourage deliveries of last year’s durum, […] Read more


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