Mature winter wheat. (Allan Dawson photo)

Manitoba’s crops continue to hold up 

Hay yields generally below average; pasture conditions were deteriorating due to dryness

MarketsFarm – Timely rains in Manitoba have kept the province’s crops in relatively good shape, according to the latest crop report. Manitoba Agriculture said precipitation as of Aug. 1 amounted to as much as 73 millimeters around Zhoda in the southeast to 13 mm at The Pas in the north. Although several locales throughout the […] Read more

(Omersukrugoksu/iStock/Getty Images)

Russia strikes Ukraine’s Danube port, sending global grain prices higher

Port hit on Danube opposite NATO-member Romania; Kyiv says aim is to intimidate shippers considering return

Kyiv | Reuters – Russia attacked Ukraine’s main inland port across the Danube River from Romania on Wednesday, sending global food prices higher as it ramps up its use of force to prevent Ukraine from exporting grain. The attacks destroyed buildings in the port of Izmail and halted ships in their tracks as they prepared […] Read more


(Thinkstock photo)

U.S. grains: Soybeans climb on export hopes; corn, wheat remain weak

Wheat slips again as Black Sea competition continues

Chicago | Reuters – Soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade ended higher on Tuesday after two-sided trade, as export demand optimism won out over forecasts for cooler, wetter weather that pressured markets. Chicago corn eased, pressured by expectations that timely rains in August would improve heat-stressed crops. Wheat fell for a fifth session […] Read more

The Chicago Board of Trade building on May 28, 2018. (Harmantasdc/iStock Editorial/Getty Images)

U.S. grains: corn, soy fall as US weather improves

Wheat dropped despite Black Sea supply concerns

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago soybeans and corn fell on Monday, pressured by expectations of cooler, wetter weather across the U.S. Midwest in August. Wheat also dropped, despite worries over Black Sea supplies, although no new major Russian attacks on Ukrainian grain infrastructure were reported over the weekend. Chicago Board of Trade most-active corn Cv1contract […] Read more


Photo: Reuters

NFU claims victory for wheat producers after CGC reversal

The changes would've seen the export grade standard applied to deliveries to country elevators

The National Farmers Union (NFU) is calling a reversal of wheat-grading changes a “tremendous success for farmers,” according to news release, Friday. On Friday morning, the Canadian Grain Commission repealed upcoming grading changes in response to complaints from producer groups. In a news release, the CGC simply stated it was repealing the alignment of primary […] Read more

Photo: Thinkstock

U.S. grains: grain, soy futures drop on milder US weather, with eyes on Black Sea

Markets have retreated since touching multi-week highs on Monday

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Board of Trade grain and soybean futures fell to their lowest prices in more than a week on Friday on hopes that U.S. crop weather will improve and Russia will ease its attacks on Ukraine’s grain facilities, analysts said. Technical selling added pressure to prices. Heading into August, the key […] Read more


 PHOTO: Laura Rance

CGC repeals grading changes in response to producer complaints

The new regulations would have seen export grade standards applied to deliveries to country elevators

Days before implementation, the Canadian Grain Commission repealed grading changes in response to complaints from producer groups. In a news release, Friday, the CGC simply stated it was repealing the alignment of primary and export tolerances for test weight and total foreign materials for Canada Western Red Spring, Canada Western Hard White Spring, Canada Western Extra […] Read more

 (File photo: Reuters/Yoruk Isik)

Ukraine says Russia threatened civilian vessels in second week without grain deal

Ukraine has harvested 11.2 million tons of its 2023 grain crop

Kyiv | Reuters – A senior Ukrainian official accused Russia on Friday of threatening civilian vessels in the Black Sea, and urged the international community to condemn what he said were “the methods of terrorists”. Russia last week quit a U.N.-brokered deal allowing Ukraine, a major global grain producer, to safely export its grain via […] Read more


Photo: Thinkstock

Prairie cash wheat: durum soars as red spring falls back

Steep increases following Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports were gone by mid-week

MarketsFarm – There were sharp increases in durum across Western Canada for the week ended July 27, while spring wheat incurred small to moderate declines. There were gains in Minneapolis spring wheat, while Kansas City and Chicago winter wheat contracts slipped back. At the beginning of the week there were steep increases for wheat as […] Read more

Photo: iStock

Grain groups find common ground over grading changes

In a rare move, the Wheat Growers and Farmers Union are on the same side of an issue

Two producer groups ordinarily at the opposite ends of the ideological spectrum have teamed up and come out swinging against proposed changes to wheat grading. The Wheat Growers Association (WGA) and National Farmers’ Union (NFU)have issued a joint statement decrying changes that will take effect August 1 which would see the export grade standard applied […] Read more