Winnipeg has long been a centre of the Prairie grain trade, having hosted the headquarters of past and present grain handlers and traders and the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange (now ICE Futures Canada). (Canadian Wheat Board photo)

China’s COFCO Agri hiring grain traders, opening Winnipeg office

Winnipeg | Reuters –– Chinese state-owned agricultural trader COFCO Agri is opening a trading office in the Canadian grain hub of Winnipeg, adding to the aggressive expansion of its North American agriculture business. COFCO Agri is hiring three grain traders and an operations manager to expand export and domestic trading, according to the company’s postings […] Read more

Warm week provides excellent crop growth

Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending June 6

Seeding has essentially wrapped up in the province with 98 per cent of the 2016 crop in the ground, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. The five-year (2011-2015) average for this time of year is 89 per cent seeded. Many producers have completed seeding operations and are working on in-crop herbicide applications. Topsoil moisture […] Read more


Luc Jobin. (CN.ca)

CN promotes CFO as CEO resigns

Canadian National Railway’s (CN) chief financial officer Luc Jobin will become its chief executive on July 1, as incumbent CEO Claude Mongeau steps down for health reasons. Mongeau announced Tuesday he will resign as CN’s CEO at the end of June, after leading the railway company for six and a half years. “I was filled […] Read more

Crop emergence has generally been good in the northwest, local ag retailers report.

Guenther: Sask. farmers near end of seeding, optimism abounds

Saskatchewan Crop Report rates crops as good to excellent overall

As Saskatchewan farmers wrap up the last bit of seeding, there’s abundant optimism for this year’s crop. “Our moisture conditions are good right now,” said Dave Shepherd, location manager for AgriTeam in Glaslyn, in north-western Saskatchewan. The crops, he added, are “looking really good.” West of Glaslyn, things are progressing nicely, said Ian Weber, sales […] Read more


Emerging crops good to excellent condition, some insect damage, local flooding

Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending May 30

Seeding of the 2016 crop is almost complete. Ninety four per cent of the crop is now seeded, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. Cooler temperatures and rain during the past week have slowed field operations in some areas of the province; however, seeding progress is still ahead of the five-year (2011-2015) average of […] Read more

Emerging cereal crop in a field between Mervin and Glaslyn.

Sask. farmers nearing the finish line for seeding

Emerging crops see threat of flea beetles, cutworms

Farmers across Saskatchewan are wrapping up seeding earlier than normal. As of May 23, 81 per cent of acres were seeded, compared to the five-year average of 59 per cent, according to the latest Saskatchewan Crop Report. Farmers in the northwest had 84 per cent of the acres seeded. In the Turtleford and Glaslyn areas, […] Read more


Seeding progress takes a leap forward, rainfall seen mixed

Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending May 23

Saskatchewan Agriculture – Great strides were made this past week, as 81 per cent of the crop is now seeded, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. Warm and dry weather has allowed producers to remain well ahead of the five-year (2011-2015) seeding average of 59 per cent. Many producers have completed seeding operations and […] Read more



Growers should only use an insecticide when an economic threshold for a pest is reached.

Don’t jump the gun on pest control

It’s never a good idea to overreact when you see insects on your crops because jumping the gun, and spraying if it’s not really necessary, can do more harm than good. “Seldom, if ever, do preventative insecticides actually pay us,” says Scott Meers, insect specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “When we spray just to […] Read more