AAFC made some small tweaks in its estimates for the 2022/23 wheat crop.  Photo: Greg Berg

AAFC tweaks some numbers as canola, pulses remain unchanged

MarketsFarm – While Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada made some changes in its October supply and demand estimates from September, the department didn’t make any alterations to its data for canola, pulses and special crops. The department released its report during the late afternoon of Oct. 21. Of the grains and oilseeds, AAFC’s most notable revisions […] Read more

(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Bids dip with U.S. futures

Loonie down 0.4 U.S. cent on the week

MarketsFarm — Spring wheat bids in Western Canada moved lower during the week ended Thursday, as losses in U.S. futures and a firmer tone in the Canadian dollar weighed on values. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were down $2-$4.50 per tonne during the week, according to price quotes […] Read more


CBOT December 2022 soft red winter wheat (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (dark green line), MGEX December 2022 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. December 2022 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat, corn, soy end higher but below session peaks

Weaker U.S. dollar supportive

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat, corn and soybean futures edged higher on Friday, recovering from overnight weakness on spillover support from friendly outside markets, traders said. “Equities went from lower to sharply higher, the dollar from higher to lower, and I think that spurred some buying in grains,” said Don Roose, president of U.S. […] Read more

Josh Fankhauser’s intercrop mix of oats, barley, peas and radish. In his
system, intercrops meant for the combine are usually two to three species,
but those intended for forage, such as this one, can include more.

Tried-and-true soil strengthening tips

An Alberta producer offers a look at his soil health tactics

There’s a lot of talk in ag circles today about soil health. Several farmers are looking beyond current soil practices to what can be done to make their soil sustainable in the long run. This is nothing new to Josh Fankhauser. His family has been using practices to build soil health on their southern Alberta […] Read more



File photo of vessels on the Mississippi River south of New Orleans on Nov. 5, 2017. (Dave Bedard photo)

Shallow Mississippi River expected to persist as dry winter hits U.S. South

River levels at historic lows this fall

Reuters — Low water levels on the Mississippi River are likely to persist this winter as drier-than-normal weather is expected across the southern U.S. and Gulf Coast, U.S. government forecasters said on Thursday. Drought, which currently spans 59 per cent of the country, is expected to continue or worsen in the middle and lower Mississippi […] Read more


CBOT November 2022 soybeans (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, blue and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy futures rally on strong exports

Chicago corn, wheat also firm

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose 1.4 per cent on Thursday as strong export data buoyed hopes that overseas buyers will book more deals in coming weeks. Corn and wheat futures also were firm, with short-covering and technical buying underpinning the market after prices for both commodities dropped near the low end of […] Read more

ICE January 2023 canola (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2) and 100-day moving average (black line). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola sees choppy, sideways month-end trade

Wide crush margins remain bullish

MarketsFarm –– ICE Futures canola contracts held within a narrow range during the week ended Wednesday, lacking any clear direction with the rolling of positions out of the nearby November contract ahead of its expiry behind much of the trade volumes. “We’re stuck a little rangebound here,” a Winnipeg-based trader said of the sideways activity, […] Read more