Smoke billows during a fire in an area of the Amazon rainforest near Humaita, Amazonas State, Brazil on Aug. 14, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino)

South America fires could disrupt its farm belt’s rainfall

Reading Time: 2 minutes Santa Cruz | Reuters — Forest fires that swept across Bolivia and Brazil this year could disrupt rainfall distribution across South America’s grains-and-beef producing regions in unpredictable ways for years to come, a scientist and meteorologist said. Recent rains in both countries have helped put out the wildfires, which were likely started by farmers and […] Read more

File photo of a durum wheat field in Idaho. (Craig Morris photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Late North American durum faces quality downgrades

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Cool and wet conditions delaying harvest operations across North America’s durum-growing regions are cutting into the quality of the crop in both the U.S. and Canada, with widening price spreads likely going forward. “It’s been a challenging harvest,” said Erica Olson, marketing specialist with the North Dakota Wheat Commission. “We did have some […] Read more


CBOT December 2019 wheat with 20-, 50- and 200-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat, corn, soy rally after finding technical support

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn, soybean and wheat futures rose on Tuesday, rebounding from weakness in the overnight session after finding technical support, traders said. Wheat notched the biggest gain, with the benchmark Chicago Board of Trade soft red winter wheat contract rising 2.3 per cent. The contract rebounded from early weakness after finding […] Read more

The Chicago Board of Trade building on May 28, 2018. (Harmantasdc/iStock Editorial/Getty Images)

U.S. grains: Corn firm ahead of USDA report, frosty weather

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures inched higher on Monday on position-squaring ahead of a key monthly U.S. government crop report later this week and worries about forecasts for a freeze looming for the northwestern Corn Belt, traders said. Soybeans and wheat closed lower after a choppy session. Chicago Board of Trade December corn […] Read more


File photo of a snow-topped field in Alberta. (Don White/iStock/Getty Images)

Snow, cold grind Alberta harvest to virtual standstill

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Last weekend’s dump of snow coupled with cold temperatures brought the Alberta harvest to a complete halt, according to the province’s latest crop report. For the week ended Oct. 1, the province-wide harvest managed to improve to 33.7 per cent from 28.1 per cent the previous week. This year’s pace was slightly above […] Read more

File photo of a snow-topped field in Alberta. (Don White/iStock/Getty Images)

Feed weekly outlook: Snowfall boosts spot barley bids

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Spot barley prices have received support from last weekend’s snows in southern Alberta, but the major barley-growing regions were mostly spared. While the cold and wet weather has delayed harvest activity, a promising forecast should allow for harvest to resume in the Red Deer area, where most of the barley crop is located. […] Read more


ICE Futures November 2019 canola, with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Upside limited for canola’s snow boost

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — An unwelcomed early winter storm sent ICE Futures canola contracts higher during the week ended Wednesday, but it will take outside support to sustain a rally, according to industry participants. Snow in Alberta and Saskatchewan and cool and wet conditions in Manitoba slowed harvest operations during the week, with about 60 per cent […] Read more

A 2017 study maps out predictions for changes to the “water footprint” of rain-fed barley grown in agricultural Alberta. (Science of the Total Environment, March 2018)

University’s ‘Beefier Barley’ billboard binned

Reading Time: 3 minutes A billboard about Alberta barley’s prospects under climate change in the University of Alberta’s ‘Truth Matters’ promotion — a series of ads meant to spark discussion about its researchers’ work — has been winnowed out of the campaign. Jacqui Tam, the Edmonton-based U of A’s vice-president for university relations, announced Sunday it would withdraw the […] Read more


(JohnnyMad/Getty Images)

Late Canadian mustard crop facing quality downgrades

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — An early blast of snow and cold across the Prairies has delayed harvest operations for a mustard crop already running behind normal, with quality downgrades expected for any mustard still in the field. “It has to be absolutely flattened,” said mustard buyer Walter Dyck of Olds Products at Lethbridge on the effect of […] Read more

Alberta snow further delays canola harvest, boosts prices

Alberta snow further delays canola harvest, boosts prices

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Canola futures finished up at Monday’s close, boosted by a weather premium after a low-pressure system brought considerable snowfall to parts of Alberta over the weekend. Snow was mostly concentrated in the southern region of the province. Calgary and surrounding areas received around 30 centimetres of snow, according to preliminary results from Environment […] Read more


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