Photo: Thinkstock

U.S. grains: Wheat slumps as Russia says it will resume Black Sea grain deal

Paris/Chicago | Reuters – Wheat futures plummeted from Chicago to Europe on Wednesday after Russia said it would resume its participation in a deal to export grain from war-torn Ukraine, a reversal of its weekend decision to pull out of the deal in a move that had sent wheat futures surging higher. Corn followed wheat lower on the Black Sea […] Read more

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ICE weekly outlook: Watch for canola to climb higher 

MarketsFarm – There’s the possibility of the nearby January canola contract reaching upwards to C$1,000 per tonne, according Winnipeg-based analyst Wayne Palmer of Exceed Grain. “I think you got canola somewhere in the winter months maybe trading close to $1,000 again in January,” he said. Palmer placed his suggestion on the sharp upticks that soyoil […] Read more



A combine in the Interlake runs against the setting sun on Nov. 1, 2022, in an effort to wrap up harvest.  Photo: Greg Berg

Manitoba nets average crops in 2022 after wet spring

MarketsFarm – Wet spring conditions delayed seeding operations across much of Manitoba to start the 2022 growing season, but warm summer conditions allowed for good development with yields for most crops showing a marked improvement over the drought-stricken 2021 harvest, according to the final crop report of the season from Manitoba Agriculture. On a crop-by-crop […] Read more


Mycotoxins, such as vomitoxin, are produced primarily by Gibberella ear moulds (seen here) and can be disruptive when fed to livestock, especially hogs.  Photo: OMAFRA

U.S. corn farmers wary of vomitoxin, latest stress on global grain supplies

Chicago | Reuters – A fungus that causes “vomitoxin” has been found in some U.S. corn harvested this fall, causing headaches for growers and livestock producers and forcing ethanol plants and grain elevators to scrutinize grain deliveries. The situation is another hit to global grain supplies that have sunk to the lowest in a decade since Russia […] Read more

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U.S. grains: Soybeans climb on short-covering; wheat, corn also higher

Chicago | Reuters – U.S. soybean futures rose about 2 per cent on Tuesday, buoyed by short-covering as the U.S. harvest winds down, hopes for export sales to China and uncertainty about the availability of South American supplies, traders said. Wheat futures turned higher, rallying from early declines as traders focused on uncertainty about grain shipments from […] Read more


When wheels cause soil damage 

When wheels cause soil damage 

Q & A with an expert

Q: Can we fix compaction?  A: As equipment becomes bigger and total loaded weight becomes heavier, our soils are often subjected to compaction. When equipment was lighter, this compaction tended not to extend very deep into the soil, and the effect was often resolved by frost cycles that fractured and turned the surface soil. Now, […] Read more

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Green peas regain premium over yellows

MarketsFarm – Solid demand and tighter supplies have seen green pea bids regain a premium over yellow peas in Western Canada, although the market for both varieties remains solid overall. Green peas historically trade at premium to yellow peas due to higher quality specs and concerns over bleaching, but increased domestic demand for yellow peas […] Read more


Garden star

Garden star

Eggplant can be delectable but it takes a bit of know-how to cook it properly

Like many Prairie children of central European extraction, my early experience of eggplant was erratic, error-prone and anything but remarkable. My mom never mastered eggplant, which she’d encountered on her European travels — on her return to Canada, she dutifully did her best, slicing, dredging, frying. But the true nature of eggplant never emerged in […] Read more

Photo: Thinkstock

U.S. grains: Wheat up 6 per cent after Russia quits Black Sea pact; corn, soy firm

Chicago | Reuters – U.S. wheat futures jumped 6 per cent, hitting a two-week high, and corn rose more than 1 per cent on Monday as Russia’s withdrawal from a Black Sea export agreement raised concerns over global supplies. Soybeans followed the trend, with the most-active January SF3 contract setting a one-month top. As of 1:08 p.m. […] Read more