Canada Malting’s processing plant in Montreal. (CanadaMalting.com)

Canada Malting to join GrainCorp’s global malting spinoff

The Australian owner of Canada’s biggest malt company plans to spin it off, along with its other worldwide malting assets, into a new stand-alone malt industry player. Sydney-based GrainCorp announced Thursday it plans to “demerge” its global malting business from its grains and edible oils business, forming two separate ASX-listed companies: MaltCo and “New GrainCorp.” […] Read more

Holding an Earthworm in Hand

Don’t underestimate the power of soil bugs

Save money, increase profits by getting billions of little creatures working for you

There’s that message again — learning to farm without inputs. It is a pretty compelling concept: being able to grow a crop without $200 or $300 per acre invested in added fertilizer and crop protection products. Is it a myth? Does it work? What are these guys trying to sell me? Kevin Elmy says it works. […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Rising diesel prices coming

MarketsFarm — Higher diesel prices are on the horizon for Canada and the U.S. in 2019. GasBuddy.com senior petroleum analyst Dan McTeague pointed to an increase in overall demand, combined with a slowdown in heavy oil production and the federal carbon tax as well as pending IMO 2020 regulations — that is, the International Marine […] Read more

This almost-robot looking device is the John Deere Field Connects weather station that collects a wide range of environmental data such as rainfall, solar intensity and wind speed. The weather station also ties into the moisture probe which is installed near the steel post at right.

Are you leaving water on the table?

New app and service gives producers a better handle on moisture

Since technology so far can’t make it start or stop raining on dryland farms, it is obviously important to make the most efficient use of moisture that is available during the growing season. But how much moisture do or will you have for that crop? Depending on the year and location, spring seedbed soil moisture can range from […] Read more






(Dave Bedard photo)

Grain handler G3 to further expand Alberta footprint

Having started 2018 with zero grain elevators in the Alberta market, grain handler G3 expects to soon have five in progress. The Winnipeg company announced Wednesday it plans to start construction by this summer, pending regulatory approvals, on a pair of 42,000-tonne capacity elevators in the province, near Stettler and Irricana, for completion in 2020. […] Read more


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

Grain trade regional tie-ups seen more likely over mega-deals

Paris | Reuters — The agricultural trading industry can expect more consolidation at a regional level in an effort to improve margins, but big deals between global merchants are becoming more difficult, Louis Dreyfus’ CEO said. Merchants have been grappling with lower profits from sourcing and shipping commodities such as grain and oilseeds, prompting cutbacks […] Read more

Pinto beans. (Vergani_Fotografia/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Edible beans on move

MarketsFarm — Following a lengthy 2018 harvest, Manitoba’s edible bean farmers are optimistic about the 2019 growing season. According to an outlook report published in late December by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, pulse farmers are expected to plant approximately the same amount of acreage as seen in 2018. However, after strong yields in 2018, Manitoba […] Read more