A Kansas City Southern (KCS) rail car at Toluca, Mexico on Oct. 1, 2018. (File photo: Reuters)/Edgard Garrido)

U.S. regulator rejects CN’s voting trust to buy Kansas City Southern

CP rips CN's play as 'illusory and not achievable'

Reuters — The U.S. rail regulator on Tuesday rejected a voting trust structure that would have allowed Canadian National Railway (CN) to proceed with its US$29 billion proposed acquisition of U.S. peer Kansas City Southern. The decision was a blow to the deal that would create the first direct railway linking Canada, the U.S. and […] Read more

CBOT November 2021 soybeans (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, green and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy, wheat sag as Ida damage spurs export concerns

Traders adjust positions on last day of month

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain and soybean futures touched their lowest prices in weeks on Tuesday as power outages and damage to export facilities from Hurricane Ida stoked concerns about the potential for extended disruptions to shipments, analysts said. Uncertainty over the length of facility closures at the Gulf Coast, which accounts for about […] Read more


One agronomist says there are three questions that should be addressed when it comes to fall fertilization goals, especially in the dry year growers just experienced.

The benefits of zone soil sampling after a dry season

Maximize the efficiency of your fall fertilizer applications

Prairie farmers have learned to temper their yield expectations after a dry growing season, especially in a year like this when many areas started with little to no soil moisture reserves. Reduced crop growth is a clear symptom of drought but what isn’t so obvious is what’s happening — or rather, what’s not happening — […] Read more

CBOT December 2021 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, green and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Prices down on rains, Ida shuts grain facilities

Iowa, Minnesota crops benefit from rain; Cargill says Ida damaged Louisiana terminal

Chicago | Reuters — Favourable rains in the U.S. Farm Belt combined with approaching harvests to push down Chicago Board of Trade grain and soybean futures on Monday, analysts said. Traders, meanwhile, assessed disruptions to U.S. crop exports from Hurricane Ida at a time when global supplies are tight and demand from China is strong. […] Read more


Farmer and Grainews columnist Toban Dyck inspects wheat on July 6, 2021 near Winkler, Man., where hot and dry weather has led to thin, uneven stands. (Photo: Reuters/Rod Nickel)

StatsCan confirms Canada’s crop production down in 2021

Corn expected to be lone exception

MarketsFarm — Production of most of Canada’s major grain, oilseed and pulse crops was down substantially in 2021-22, as drought conditions across the Prairies cut into yields, according to preliminary estimates released Monday by Statistics Canada. Of the major crops, only corn was expected to see a slight increase in production on the year as […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Smaller crops anticipated in looming StatsCan report

Survey-based data due out Monday

MarketsFarm — Heat and drought across Western Canada during the summer of 2021 seriously cut into the country’s crop production, raising traders’ expectations for reduced yields across the board when Statistics Canada on Monday releases its first production estimates of the year. Canola production is estimated at 11.5 million to 16 million tonnes, which would […] Read more


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

U.S. grains: Soybeans ease as Midwest’s rains seen boosting crop

CBOT December corn up, wheat down

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures fell for a second straight session on Friday as rains were seen boosting harvest prospects in some dry areas of the Midwest farm belt. Wheat futures fell on profit-taking and spillover pressure from lower soybeans, although concerns about global supplies limited declines. Corn was lower much of the […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Ag department lowers crop production, export estimates

Expectations knocked down for most major Prairie crops

MarketsFarm — Canadian crop production will be down significantly in the 2021-22 marketing year, cutting into exports for all of the country’s major grains, oilseeds and pulse crops. That’s the estimation from the latest supply/demand estimates from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), released Thursday. Total field crop production for all crops is forecast to decrease […] Read more


(ThamKC/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. EPA recommends lowering 2020 biofuel mandates retroactively

Agency not confirming or denying sources' statements

Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recommended retroactively lowering biofuel blending mandates for 2020, two sources familiar with the matter said, after the agency on Thursday sent a proposal on the mandates to the White House for review. The move could provide immediate relief to oil refiners that have to comply with the […] Read more

Barley south of Ethelton, Sask. in early August 2017. (File photo by Dave Bedard)

Feed weekly outlook: No surprises in latest barley numbers

MarketsFarm — Following the release of monthly supply and demand estimates from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Thursday, Brandon Motz of CorNine Commodities at Lacombe, Alta. wasn’t surprised at how low the numbers dropped, particularly for barley. Motz commented the harvest hasn’t been as good as initially thought, noting the AAFC report confirmed the situation […] Read more