Forecast probability of above- or below-normal temperatures for the period from May 29 to June 26, 2023. Map issued May 25, 2023. (Map: Environment Canada)

A hot, dry Prairie June ahead

El Nino pattern could arrive

MarketsFarm — June is expected to see a continuation of the hot and dry weather most of the Canadian Prairies has experienced in May, according to Scott Kehler, chief scientist for Weatherlogics. “It looks like late spring/early summer is pretty hot across almost all of Western Canada. The Prairies are all above normal [temperature-wise],” Kehler […] Read more

CBOT July 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20- and 50-day moving averages, MGEX July 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. July 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat, corn, soy fall on uncertain demand, weather

Sagging equities, crude oil also bearish on grains

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat, corn and soybean futures tumbled on Tuesday, pressured by macroeconomic worries, strong competition for global grain export business and some forecasts for beneficial Midwest rains next month that could bolster production prospects, analysts said. “The wetter outlook removed the one factor providing stability for the grain and oilseed markets, […] Read more


Ag Minister Nate Horner speaks at the Harmony Beef plant at Balzac, Alta. on Feb. 7, 2023. (Government of Alberta video screengrab via YouTube)

Alberta ag minister, ag critic hang onto seats in election

Governing UCP retains smaller majority

Alberta’s incumbent agriculture minister and official opposition ag critic both appear set to return to the legislature as Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservatives (UCP) are expected to form a majority government. At about 1 a.m. Alberta time on Tuesday, Smith’s UCP was elected or leading in 49 of 87 constituencies; all remaining 38 went to […] Read more

(Viterra.ca)

April grain deliveries see increases all around

Barley deliveries up sharply

MarketsFarm –– Producer deliveries of major grains last month were up nearly 40 per cent when compared to April 2022, according to Statistics Canada (StatCan). In April 2023 more than 3.44 million tonnes of grain were delivered, versus 2.46 million a year ago. The uptick in deliveries continued to demonstrate the sizeable harvest farmers reaped […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Net farm income down in 2022 despite high commodity prices: StatCan

Hike in farm fuel, fertilizer and feed costs is the largest in nearly 50 years

Farmers’ realized net income dropped by over eight per cent in 2022 as expenses outpaced the rise in cash receipts, a new Statistics Canada report says. Realized net income is the difference between cash receipts and operating expenses, minus depreciation and plus income in kind. When cannabis is included, realized net income dropped by nearly […] Read more

Smoke rises from a wildfire southeast of Fort Nelson in northeastern B.C. on May 27, 2023. (Photo: B.C. Wildfire Service/Handout via Reuters)

Prairie Forecast Update: A few small tweaks

Forecast issued May 28, covering the period from May 29 to 31

The weather regime across southern and central Canada is currently being dominated by a large sprawling surface high over eastern regions with a slowly digging trough of low pressure over the West Coast. The flows around these two features have been producing warm summer-like conditions across the eastern Prairies with slightly cooler conditions as you […] Read more


Liberia-flagged bulker K Sukret, carrying grain under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, waits for inspection in the southern anchorage of Istanbul on May 17, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Mehmet Emin Caliskan)

Black Sea grain deal slow to get moving after extension

Ukraine says Russia has effectively frozen out one port

United Nations | Reuters — A deal allowing the safe wartime export of grain and fertilizer from Ukrainian Black Sea ports has not yet resumed full operations, the United Nations said on Friday, having come to a halt before Russia’s decision last week to extend it. The pact called the Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Elections Alberta)

Pre-election reports analyze Alberta’s ag issues

Three reports focus on party histories, ag sector concerns, current platforms

Alberta farmers’ concerns with provincial policy, and the two major parties’ stances on those concerns, are the subjects of a three-part analysis leading up to a provincial election on Monday. The Simpson Centre for Food and Agricultural Policy, a think tank operating out of the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, says its three […] Read more


CBOT July 2023 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn hits one-month high on weather worries

Soybean, wheat futures also advance

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn futures reached a one-month high on Friday as forecasts for dry weather in the U.S. Midwest kept attention on early risks to this year’s crop. Soybean and wheat futures also rose, with the agricultural markets posting weekly gains following recent declines to multi-month lows. Traders added […] Read more

CBOT July 2023 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Weak export demand, rising U.S. dollar pressure soy, corn

Markets consolidate before U.S. holiday weekend

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soybean and grain futures eased on Thursday as a strong U.S. dollar added to concerns about lacklustre export demand, traders said. The dollar rose for a fourth straight session to a two-month high, making U.S. commodities look less attractive to importers. Favourable weather for planting of U.S. […] Read more