Crops & Production Tips

Investors are increasingly focusing on links between a healthy food system and efforts to fight global warming and preserve biodiversity. Photo: fotografixx/Getty Images

U.N.-backed investors set fresh targets in sustainable food shift

By GFM Network News October 27, 2022

Reuters – A U.N.-backed group of global financial institutions including Dutch lender Rabobank on Thursday set out a series of company specific environmental and social targets aimed at helping drive a shift to a more sustainable food system. Set by a group of 11 firms in the Good Food Finance Network, including Nuveen Natural Capital […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Reuters

U.S. grains: Wheat rebounds from one-month low amid Ukraine export uncertainty

By Tom Polansek, GFM Network News October 26, 2022

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures rose on Wednesday amid uncertainty about exports from war-torn Ukraine, analysts said, while gains in corn and soybean futures evaporated. Concerns about Ukraine increased as data from the country’s agriculture ministry showed that grain exports have slowed over the past 10 days, with volumes so far this month 9 […] Read more

Canola, Markets

ICE weekly outlook: Sideways canola market due for a move

By GFM Network News October 26, 2022

MarketsFarm – The ICE Futures canola market largely held within its well-established sideways trading range during the week ended Oct. 26, with only the nearby November contract breaking higher as short-covering ahead of its expiry gave the month a boost. The January contract has held in a narrow range between C$860 and C$880 per tonne […] Read more

Crops, Markets

CBOT weekly outlook: Soybeans shift into wintertime trading

By GFM Network News October 26, 2022

MarketsFarm – As the United States soybean harvest surpassed 80 per cent complete, trading of the commodity on the Chicago Board of Trade slipped into wintertime mode, according to broker Ryan Ettner of Allendale Inc. “Switching to wintertime trading means we are going to put more focus on South American weather. And it means we […] Read more

A picture is better than 1,000 words. Here is a young canola crop neatly placed between the
12-inch-high wheat stubble from the Nerbas farm last year. The wheat stubble will have
caught snow to help provide better germination for the shallow-seeded canola and it
shelters the canola from wind.

Columns, Crops

Les Henry: Fuzzy thinking about soils and agricultural performance

What constitutes sustainable on a farm depends on soil climatic zone and what is feasible for the area

By Les Henry October 26, 2022

There seems to be a constant barrage of media comment about agriculture by folks who have little contact with real farms and little formal training in an agriculture faculty or school. Much of the discourse talks about sustainable agriculture, resiliency, regenerative agriculture and particularly soil health. There is not much detail about what the terms […] Read more

Seed treated with Pelta plus an "industry standard" seed treatment.

Canola, Crops

Pelta treatment aims for canola seed uniformity

New seed treatment improves seed survival, placement accuracy

By Liam O'Connor October 26, 2022

Evidence so far suggests a new canola seed pelleting technology from Syngenta will help growers limit misses and double- or triple-hits in seed placement. According to industry professional Lori Keyowski, director of sales for seed company Canterra, seed size and uniformity have been a significant problem for canola growers and their bottom line. In early […] Read more

Crops

CropLife not driving CFIA policy, agency says

NFU calls for CFIA head's ouster over 'indication of improper collaboration'

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News October 26, 2022

The National Farmers Union and a clutch of other organizations have asked Canada’s federal ag minister to replace the president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, citing questions about the provenance of regulatory proposals on gene-edited seed. CFIA officials, however, reject the NFU’s allegation that the metadata attached to the proposal document in question may […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Reuters

U.S. grains: Wheat futures slip to one-month low as soybeans advance

By Tom Polansek, GFM Network News October 25, 2022

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures fell to a one-month low on Tuesday under pressure from expectations for rain in dry global growing areas and for continued exports of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea region. Soybean and corn futures advanced. Weather forecasts for showers in the coming days in drought-affected […] Read more

Different materials can be used to
cover hay, but properly secured
black plastic works well particularly
because snow slides off easily.

Cattleman’s Corner, Hay

Tips for protecting hay quality over winter

Research shows single bale rows are better than a pyramid stack

By Heather Smith Thomas October 25, 2022

Several methods can help preserve feed quality and reduce moisture damage in your winter hay supply. Warren Rusche, feedlot and beef management specialist with South Dakota State University, says the ideal way to store hay is under cover in a shed, but this works best for square bales. It’s usually not practical for round bales […] Read more

Markets, Pulses

Pulse weekly outlook: Good harvests, transportation a ‘mixed bag’: Pulse Canada

By GFM Network News October 25, 2022

MarketsFarm – As harvesting operations for pulses in Western Canada come to a close, Mac Ross, Pulse Canada’s director for market access and trade policy, said this year’s crops have been successful in terms of quality and yields. “I haven’t heard any concerns regarding quality. In a lot of cases, I’ve been hearing that the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures hit contract highs on shock herd decline

Alberta Crop Report: Harvest more than three-quarters finished

NFU says proposed plant breeders’ rights come at farmers’ expense

GFM Network News