Photo: File

Plenty of upside for falling flax prices

MarketsFarm – One of the most expensive crops grown in the Prairies is losing some of its value. While flaxseed prices in Western Canada are still at or above those from last year, they have come down by at least 15 per cent since last month. The high-delivered bid for flax in Saskatchewan is C$28 […] Read more

Canola plants in flower in a field north of Lorette, Man. on July 20, 2022. (Dave Bedard photo)

Good ratings seen for Manitoba’s spring wheat, canola

MarketsFarm — Crops in Manitoba remain in good shape, according to the latest weekly report from the province’s agriculture ministry. In particular, Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development (MARD) found spring wheat across the province rated 85 per cent good to excellent — but with crops not doing as well in the province’s Interlake region. While […] Read more


Alberta cereal crops lead the way in terms of favourable development in the latest provincial crop report.  Photo: File

Crop conditions in Alberta see remarkable turnaround

MarketsFarm – As the heydays of summer approach, Alberta reported that its crops were in good shape. The crop report placed all crops in the province at 75 per cent good to excellent, slightly above the five-year average. The rains throughout June were credited with the turnaround, but overall growth and development remained somewhat behind […] Read more

Photo: File

Wet weather affecting acreage numbers: analysts

MarketsFarm – With some parts of Western Canada experiencing delayed seeding due to wet weather, many analysts believe the conditions have caused a ripple effect on acreage totals for the 2022-23 marketing year. Statistics Canada (StatCan) will release its second survey-based acreage report for the 2022-23 marketing year on July 5. Traders and analysts are […] Read more





Tim Nerbas of NRG Farms in northwest Saskatchewan, says he usually does a bit of both pre- and post-harvest
treatments on about 4,000 acres of crops, which include wheat, oats, barley, canola, flax and faba beans.

The best fit for pre- or post-harvest treatments

With erratic growing season conditions producers need to be flexible with fall weed control plans

Farmers Owen Orsak and Tim Nerbas hadn’t got the 2022 crop in the ground yet when they were asked in early May about their fall weed control plans, but the Manitoba and Saskatchewan producers, respectively, say they will apply desiccation and weed control measures on their farms this year depending on weed growth and harvest […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Drought fears, fertilizer may affect Canadian acreage estimates

MarketsFarm — Traders and analysts awaiting Statistics Canada’s first survey-based acreage report for the 2022-23 crop year on Tuesday believe competition amongst crops — as well as their dependence on fertilizer, and the possibility of another drought this summer — will be determining factors. Canola stands as the best representation of traders’ concerns. Despite reaching […] Read more


The Bell Farm. Oil on canvas painted in 1985 by Fran Henry (1942-1988).

Les Henry: Big farms are not a new idea

There have been winners and losers over the years

There has been much ink spilled this winter talking about big farms and the problem of too few medium-sized farms to pick up the equipment trade-ins from big farms. Part of the problem is the electronic bells and whistles that dust out when the mechanical parts have much useful service left. Bells start ringing and […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

AAFC warns of uncertainty in latest crop outlook

MarketsFarm — The supply/demand balance sheets for Canada’s major crops were largely left unchanged in the latest outlook Friday from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. While the March report only saw minor revisions, the government agency cautioned that “the economic outlook, for the world and Canadian grain markets, is particularly uncertain due to the Russian invasion […] Read more