In a 150-acre quarter, the grower losses are $24,300. That’s a loss of 24 cows.

Why should you rotate your crops?

Practical Research: Consider these consequences

Why do we recommend crop rotations in temperate climates? As you may know, many crops like sugar cane can be grown for two to three years and even up to 10 harvests. Alfalfa crops last five to 10 years. In the southern Prairies, the standard crop rotation used to be wheat, fallow, wheat. Now with […] Read more

Jesse Meyer says winter cereals have been a big part of his family’s Peace River region farming operation for about 30 years. Winter cereals help spread out the workload, are an important part of risk management and are sought after in the marketplace.

Crop rotation built around winter cereals

For more than 30 years fall-seeded crops have been a key part of this Peace River region farm business plan

Growing winter cereals is anything but an afterthought on the Meyer farm in the central Alberta Peace River region. For the past 30 years, the family farm at Woking, which is about 45 minutes north of Grande Prairie, has included winter cereals in the rotation, and particularly over the past 10 years, winter crops have […] Read more


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Prairie cash wheat: Russia-Ukraine conflict fuels price rallies

U.S. wheat futures way up on week

MarketsFarm — Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine has not only sparked a conflict between two of the world’s major wheat exporters, but also limit-up price rallies for wheat futures during the week ended Thursday. As sanctions grow against Russia, as well as uncertainty over access to Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, fears of a […] Read more

Germination and vigour have been affected by damage to pulse crop seeds. Extremely dry conditions during the growing season and at harvest and a period of extremely cold conditions for a few weeks in early winter contributed to increased levels of seed cracking as shown in the yellow peas above.

Seed quality, seed supply and management tips for 2022

Deal with reputable seed suppliers and make sure all seed batches are tested ahead of the seeding season

Not that it is a major news blast, but if they haven’t done so already western Canadian farmers need to be thinking now about getting seed sources lined up for the 2022 growing season. Also, if they’re planning to use farm-saved seed, make sure it is properly tested for germination and vigour. The 2021 growing […] Read more


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Prairie cash wheat: Spring wheat bids higher, activity choppy

MarketsFarm — Spring wheat bids across Western Canada moved higher during the week ended Thursday as gains in U.S. futures and a weaker tone in the Canadian dollar provided support. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine contributed to gains in wheat futures, but the volatile situation led to large price swings in the markets with values backing […] Read more

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Prairie cash wheat: Red spring up, durum pulls back

U.S. wheat futures up on week

MarketsFarm — Wheat prices on the Prairies during the week ended Thursday saw increases for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) and declines for durum (CWAD). The Russia-Ukraine border crisis spurred a good part of the increases in U.S. wheat markets. The ongoing threat of war could harm wheat production […] Read more


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Prairie cash wheat: Bids rally on tightening supplies, drought

U.S. March wheat futures gain on week

MarketsFarm — New supply data from both sides of the Canada/U.S. border, as well as ongoing drought in wheat growing regions, have supported western Canadian wheat bids for the week ended Thursday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its monthly supply/demand estimates on Wednesday and cut its projected global wheat supply estimate for the 2021-22 […] Read more

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Prairie cash wheat: Bids mixed amid conflicting influences

MarketsFarm — Wheat bids across Western Canada were mixed during the week ended Thursday, as losses in U.S. futures were countered by the supportive influence of a weaker Canadian dollar. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were down by $7.60-$11.60 per tonne, according to price quotes from a cross-section […] Read more


With dry conditions in southwest Manitoba in 2021, Bill Nicholson harvested a crop that was about a half to two-thirds of a normal yield. He’s expecting it to be another dry growing season in 2022.

Growers tailor their farm plans for 2022

Farmer Panel: Most are gearing up for dry growing conditions with average yields

After a dry 2021 growing season in most, but not all, parts of Western Canada, farmer panel members for our Jan. 18, 2022, issue of Grainews say they aren’t planning any crazy moves for the coming growing season. However, they will be making some adjustments in fertilizer application rates and crop rotations for 2022, while […] Read more

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Prairie cash wheat: Stronger crop prospects, loonie lower bids

MGEX, K.C. wheat down on week

MarketsFarm — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s projected increases for domestic and worldwide wheat ending stocks, along with a strengthening Canadian dollar, brought pressure onto western Canadian wheat bids for the week ended Thursday. In its monthly world agricultural supply and demand estimates (WASDE) report on Wednesday, USDA showed a projected 1.78 million-tonne rise in […] Read more