As much as warmer weather may have growers in Ontario thinking of spring planting, a provincial ag specialist warns farmers to consider the old crop ahead of any plans for the new crop. Temperatures are moderating and in southern Ontario, they’ve risen well above freezing for the first time in nearly two months. That’s prompted […] Read more
Temperatures climbing? Check the grain bins
Cheaper crude clouds Canada’s economic fortunes
While dropping oil prices have boosted the U.S. economy, how the price slump will affect the outlook north of the border remains a question mark from where Canada’s largest lender sits. “In Canada, it’s a little bit less clear-cut. And the reason is our energy sector is much larger as a share of the overall […] Read more
Manitoba Case dealerships to join Rocky Mountain chain
Predicting a “challenging environment” ahead for revenue growth as crop prices slip, Case IH dealership mega-chain Rocky Mountain Equipment is set to expand further into Manitoba. Calgary-based RME on Tuesday announced its fourth-quarter and year-end results plus a deal to buy southern Manitoba dealership chain Chabot Implements for $6.8 million. Family-owned Chabot includes dealerships at […] Read more
Wild boar must be PigTrace-compatible by July 1
Canada’s farmed wild boar industry has almost four months left to get ready for the same mandatory identification, record-keeping and movement reporting rules as the mainline hog industry. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday put out a reminder to all pork producers that they and other “pig custodians,” such as breeders, auction markets and […] Read more
Mosaic fast-tracking Esterhazy potash mine expansion
U.S. fertilizer firm Mosaic Co. has put expansion work at its southeastern Saskatchewan potash mining site on an “accelerated” timeline. Mosaic, which said in 2008 it would invest $1.7 billion to add 1.8 million tonnes of capacity at its Esterhazy, Sask. site by 2020, now plans to have its new “K3” satellite mine delivering potash […] Read more
Prince Rupert to boost container handling capacity
Vancouver | Reuters — Maher Terminals Holding Corp. said Tuesday it would boost container-handling capacity by more than half at the Port of Prince Rupert, under an expansion of its container terminal at the northern British Columbia port. The Fairview Container terminal will be expanded to more than 1.3 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per […] Read more
Mild Prairie temperatures not expected to last
CNS Canada — Despite recent mild temperatures that are forecast to hang around the Canadian Prairies for the next week, a weather expert says a colder bias will return during the latter stages of the month. “It will take a while for it to come back, but it will come back,” said Drew Lerner of […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans sag after monthly USDA report
Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures fell on Tuesday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture surprised analysts by leaving its forecast of domestic soy inventories unchanged in a monthly report. A strong dollar hung over the commodities sector, pressuring grains as well as crude oil and copper. But wheat closed higher, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures mixed as dollar, stocks weigh
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts closed mixed on Tuesday, with nearby futures helped by their discounts to recent cash prices, while back months bowed in part to outside market pressure. April closed 0.75 cent/lb. higher at 154.75 cents, and June up 0.1 cent at 146.25 cents (all figures US$). August […] Read more
USDA cuts world, U.S. corn stocks view as exports heat up
Washington | Reuters — U.S. and world corn supplies are projected to be smaller than expected by the end of the marketing year due to rising export demand, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Tuesday. The government also left its outlook for domestic soybean supplies unchanged and lowered U.S. wheat stocks by just one million […] Read more