The thumbnail test is one of the visual examples in the Pre-Harvest Glyphosate Staging Guide from Keep it Clean.

Tools for farmers from Keep it Clean

These three tools can help protect the marketability of your crops

Canadian farmers are getting ready for harvest, with grain destined for consumers around the world who are relying on Canada to help address global food security concerns. As part of its commitment to providing safe, high-quality canola, cereals and pulses from Canadian farmers to our international customers, Keep it Clean has developed a number of […] Read more

File photo of a docked grain vessel at a Black Sea port in Turkey. (Bfk92/E+/Getty Images)

U.N., Moscow discuss Russian grain, fertilizer exports

Grain not getting to poorer countries, Putin alleges

United Nations | Reuters — Senior U.N. and Russian officials met in Geneva on Wednesday to discuss Russian complaints that Western sanctions were impeding its grain and fertilizer exports despite a U.N.-brokered deal to boost Russian and Ukrainian shipments of the commodities. The United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia agreed on July 22 on what […] Read more


File photo of a field pea crop in western New South Wales, Australia. (Alfio Manciagli/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Australia’s winter pulse production mixed

MarketsFarm — Australia’s 2022 winter pulse crop will see its ups and downs, according to a quarterly crop report released Tuesday by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES). Chickpeas saw the largest projected production decline, dropping 41.5 per cent from the 2021-22 marketing year to 621,000 tonnes this year, Australia’s […] Read more

File photo of wheat south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2022. (Dave Bedard photo)

Prairies’ high-pressure ridge should give way by mid-month

Brisk harvest pace expected meanwhile

MarketsFarm — While there’s not one specific cause of the hot September the Canadian Prairies has generally been having so far, Weatherlogics chief scientist Scott Kehler notes one particular shorter-term factor. “There is a fairly strong upper-level ridge of high pressure across the Prairies right now,” he explained, adding it should dissipate by mid-month. The […] Read more


File photo of a pea crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: StatCan shows big jump in pea, lentil production

MarketsFarm –– The Canadian pulse harvest appears to be making a comeback after production struggled with a historic drought in Western Canada last year. Statistics Canada (StatCan) released its July satellite image-based principal field crop production estimates on Monday, projecting sharp increases in production for most of Canada’s crops, including pulses. Canada’s dry pea harvest […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Canadian crop production bounces back, StatCan reports

Wheat at higher end of trade projections

MarketsFarm — After 2021’s historic drought on the Prairies caused crop production to fall to historic lows, the 2022 harvest has mostly bounced back to pre-drought levels, according to Statistics Canada. StatCan on Monday released its July 2022 satellite image-based principal field crop production estimates, which confirmed analysts’ expectations that this year’s crop production would […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Greater crop production estimated prior to StatCan report

Extended time lag between survey, data's release criticized

MarketsFarm — Analysts are expecting Canadian crop production totals for the 2022-23 marketing year to be substantially higher compared to drought-stricken 2021-22, but still not enough to fully replenish supplies. Statistics Canada (StatCan) will publish its first satellite image model-based yield and production estimates for principal field crops on Monday. Traders and analysts are interested […] Read more

Stuart Chutter, product coordinator for Alberta’s Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), says research has shown the leading factor to reducing the risk of yield loss on the farm is high soil organic matter. One day, crop insurance rates may reflect that.

What’s the relationship between soil organic matter and crop insurance?

Adjusting insurance premiums based on soil quality factors is an idea now being discussed

This is all just in the thinking stage right now, but the day may come when farms that can demonstrate production practices that maintain high levels of soil organic matter may qualify for reduced crop insurance premiums. It is a concept being pondered right now by Alberta’s crop insurance agency, the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation […] Read more