CBOT May 2021 wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat down on forecasts for Plains moisture

CBOT soybeans and corn both end higher

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell to a one-month low on Thursday, pressured by forecasts for welcome moisture in the southern U.S. Plains crop belt that should boost wheat production prospects, traders said. But soybean and corn futures ended higher, supported by South American supply worries and soaring global vegetable oil prices. Chicago […] Read more


Workers prepare foodstuffs at a food distribution centre supported by the World Food Program at Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, on June 3, 2020. File photo: Reuters/Khaled Abdullah

U.N. counts cost of ‘man-made’ famines

US$400 for a plate of rice and beans?

New York | Reuters — Nearly 30 years ago a malnourished two-year-old girl died in front of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a refugee camp in northern Uganda. Two days ago U.N. food chief David Beasley met a starving five-month-old girl at a hospital in Yemen — she died on Thursday. […] Read more

CBOT May 2021 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy sag on profit-taking after USDA data

Midwest's winter wheat entering key growth phase

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures each fell about two per cent on Wednesday, a day after monthly U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts failed to offer fresh bullish news, freeing traders to book profits following recent multi-year highs, analysts said. Wheat futures also declined, following the trend, with beneficial moisture expected […] Read more


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CBOT weekly outlook: U.S. supply and demand report stands pat

MarketsFarm — Expected changes to ending stocks for soybeans, corn and wheat did not occur in the latest supply and demand report Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Rather, the department held onto its February projections. “I’m disappointed [the USDA] didn’t adjust anything. I’m not saying they didn’t do their homework. I’m just […] Read more

CBOT May 2021 wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat and soy climb, corn sags after USDA data

U.S. dollar's retreat also supportive

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rose more than one per cent on Tuesday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture in a monthly report lowered its forecast of global wheat inventories, analysts said. Corn futures declined on a surprise increase in USDA’s forecast of world corn stocks, while soybean futures firmed after a choppy […] Read more


Winter wheat grower Doug Martin has been trying a balanced fertility approach based on soil test recommendations on his farm.

How to break through the winter wheat yield ceiling

It takes a balanced fertility approach

Winter wheat yields in Manitoba over the past few years have been in the 60 to 70 bushel per acre range, but many varieties have a much higher yield potential — more than 100 bu/ac. What can western Canadian farmers do to break through that yield ceiling? Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) has a long association […] Read more



CBOT May 2021 soybeans with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy futures rally on dry Argentina weather

Attention turns to next week's USDA supply-demand outlook

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures prices pushed higher on Friday, notching a fourth straight weekly gain, as dry weather in Argentina continued to fuel worries about global supplies of the oilseed. Corn futures rebounded from a three-week low reached in the previous session, while wheat futures also edged higher. Concerns increased over crops […] Read more

As late as 1987, one big rain event did all this damage to a summerfallow field near Eastend, Sask.

Les Henry: Soil productivity, quality and health

Nature and nurture

Soil health is a prominent topic in current scientific and farm management literature. It is good to see attention being paid to the soil resource our industry depends on. In this piece, we will try to unravel some of the principles and the practical application of those principles. From the get-go, we must realize farming […] Read more