Marie-Claude Bibeau, Dave Epp, Yves Perron and Alistair MacGregor laid out their parties’ positions in an agriculture leaders’ debate on Sept. 9, 2021. (Video screengrab from Canadian Federation of Agriculture via YouTube)

Federal support for farmers focus of ag leaders’ debate

AgriStability, carbon levy exemptions, supply management among topics

An agricultural debate ahead of the federal election gave representatives from political parties an opportunity to pitch their ideas to producers, resulting in debate over how best to support farmers. Thursday evening’s debate, hosted by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, had plenty of discussion about climate change and how best to support producers in a […] Read more

Louis Dreyfus’ oilseed processing plant at Yorkton, Sask. (LDC.com)

Louis Dreyfus completes stake sale to ADQ

Deal includes long-term supply line to UAE

Paris | Reuters — Louis Dreyfus Co. (LDC) said on Friday it had completed the sale of a 45 per cent indirect stake to Abu Dhabi holding firm ADQ, marking the arrival of the first non-family shareholder in the agricultural commodity group’s 170-year history. The overall value of the deal was not disclosed but LDC […] Read more


AAFC’s Drought Monitor map as of Aug. 31, 2021.

Drought maps show little change at end of August

MarketsFarm — Much of Western Canada remained in some state of drought at the end of August despite widespread rains late in the month, according to updated maps compiled by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The area mapped out as dealing with ‘exceptional drought’ in south-central Manitoba’s agricultural regions contracted slightly compared to the previous month […] Read more



CBOT November 2021 soybeans (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans firm, fail to erase earlier losses

Wheat around seven-week low as world supply concerns ease

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures firmed on Friday, following the U.S. Agriculture Department’s monthly supply and demand report showing a drop in harvested U.S. acres, though much of the reports findings had been anticipated by earlier trading. Corn traded near even, while wheat edged lower after touching a new seven-week low, pressured by […] Read more

EU flags in front of the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels. (Jorisvo/iStock/Getty Images)

EU parliament committee approves farm subsidy reforms

Brussels | Reuters — The European Parliament’s agriculture committee on Thursday approved a deal to overhaul the European Union’s huge farming subsidies, including new measures aimed at making agriculture greener. The committee approved three pieces of legislation, which from 2023 will govern spending from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) — a scheme that will […] Read more


CBOT December 2021 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soybean, wheat fall ahead of USDA report

StatsCan stocks report dragged on wheat

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures fell to their lowest in 7-1/2 months on Thursday, under pressure from expectations that the U.S. government will raise its domestic production forecast, traders said. Wheat futures sank 2.4 per cent to their lowest in more than a month on follow-through technical selling after a Canadian report on […] Read more

(Alfio Manciagli/iStock/Getty Images)

Canola ending stocks down on year, but beat expectations

StatsCan pegs barley ending stocks at record low

MarketsFarm — Canadian canola ending stocks were down sharply at the end of 2020-21 compared to the previous marketing year, but still came out well ahead of trade expectations. Many other crops also saw larger-than-expected carryout numbers in Statistics Canada’s principal field crop stocks report as of July 31, 2021, released Wednesday. According to MarketsFarm […] Read more


MGEX December 2021 spring wheat (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat futures fall, soybeans rise, corn flat

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell on Wednesday, dragged lower by a firmer dollar that threatened to make U.S. supplies less competitive on the export market, traders said. Corn futures steadied after sinking to their lowest in two months early in the day, with bearish harvest expectations limiting any rally attempts. “Corn recovered […] Read more

Phosphate being applied with anhydrous ammonia in a dual placement banding on a Manitoba farm last fall. Manitoba Agriculture soil fertility extension specialist John Heard maintains this is an effective application method because it places phosphorus within the soil away from potential runoff losses and the acidifying nature of anhydrous ammonia tends to increase the availability of the phosphorus to next year’s crop.

Your fall fertility primer

Get a head start on next year’s crops with these fertility guidelines, options and pro tips

Many Prairie farmers choose to apply fertilizers to their fields in the fall to save time in the spring — a strategy Farmers Edge agronomist Thom Weir believes makes good sense for a couple of reasons. “There’s lots of data that shows seeding early has a significant benefit to yield,” he says, adding that for […] Read more