“There’s even a question of would harvest equipment be available for 2023. There will be some equipment available, but will it be what you want and [what] fits your needs?” – Bill Campbell, Keystone Agricultural Producers.  Photo: iStock/Getty Images

Manitoba crop report: dry week helps advance harvest

Cattle producers move herds to hay fields to graze regrowth

MarketsFarm – Dry conditions across crop-growing areas in Manitoba helped the province’s annual harvest get off to a good start during the week ended Aug. 20. Much of the eastern, southern and central regions received two millimetres of precipitation at most during the week with several locations receiving no rainfall at all. The northwest region […] Read more

CME October 2023 live cattle with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle ease, heat impacts in focus

Seasonal hog supplies pressure futures

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures eased on Tuesday after two sessions higher, as traders watch to see the impact of sweltering temperatures on slaughter-ready cattle, analysts said. “The heat does hurt the weights. That’s been an issue for a lot of the south, for a lot of the summer,” said […] Read more



“On some of our hay land, they ate the alfalfa down to where it’s gone completely.” Shawn Kramer.

Prairie pest offers ‘a tough battle’

Strychnine may no longer be an option for swelling ground squirrel populations, but other effective tactics are available

Richardson’s ground squirrels, which are sometimes referred to as gophers, can cause major problems for farmers and ranchers. In high enough numbers, they can decimate crops and forages and pockmark pasture land, making it hazardous for livestock. Persistent drought conditions have contributed to high ground squirrel populations in some parts of the Prairies in recent […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Subway reportedly nears sale to Arby’s owner

Chain's parent firm considering sale since February

Reuters — Roark Capital, which owns restaurant chains Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings, is nearing a deal to buy sandwich chain Subway for about US$9.6 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. A deal could be finalized this week, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. “Subway does not intend to make any […] Read more

(Geralyn Wichers photo)

Klassen: Feedlots aggressively secure ownership

StatCan cattle inventory report due out soon

Compared to last week, yearlings straight off grass sold $3-$5 higher on average. In certain cases, larger groups of higher quality genetics traded $8-$12 above week-ago levels. Auction markets had larger volumes this past week and there was strong demand across all weight categories. It’s that time of year when major operations are stepping forward […] Read more


Saskatchewan front-loads AgriRecovery funding

Saskatchewan front-loads AgriRecovery funding

Joint federal-provincial program development still underway

The Saskatchewan government says it will put up to $70 million toward “immediate measures” to support livestock producers, ahead of an expected federal-provincial AgriRecovery program for that purpose. Application forms are expected to be available via Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. (SCIC) “in the coming days” for funding “to help offset extraordinary costs of feeding livestock […] Read more

Close-up from the federal government’s initial assessment map for the livestock tax deferral provision for the 2023 tax year as of Aug. 10. (AAFC map)

Livestock tax deferral list begins in West for 2023

AgriRecovery work 'progressing,' feds say

The level of drought in parts of Western Canada so far this year has given the federal government a head start in drafting its list of jurisdictions where producers can get in on the livestock tax deferral provision. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay on Monday announced an initial list of designated regions for the provision for […] Read more


CME October 2023 live cattle with 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle climb on fewer feedlot placements

Lean hog futures down with cash prices

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed for a second session on Monday, supported by a bigger-than-expected drop in cattle placements in July, reported after market close on Friday. “In terms of slaughter ready cattle, we’re still relatively tight,” said Austin Schroeder, analyst at Brugler Marketing. In the U.S. Department of […] Read more

Floodwaters flow into Gower Gulch near Zabriskie Point, about 190 km west of Las Vegas, in California’s Death Valley National Park on Aug. 20, 2023. The U.S. National Park Service closed the park effective that afternoon due to moderate to heavy rainfall and flash flooding from Tropical Storm Hilary. (Death Valley National Park/National Park Service video screengrab via Facebook)

Prairie Forecast Update: Southern areas may get Hilary’s leftovers

Issued Aug. 20, covering Aug. 20-23

An interesting weather pattern is currently in place across western North America with Tropical Storm Hilary taking an unusual northerly track as it comes in off the Pacific Ocean south of California. Tropical storms or hurricanes in that region normally do one of two things: they either recurve back out into the Pacific, or move […] Read more