Crops & Production Tips

A young commercial date palm planting in California’s Coachella Valley. (RF Lee photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

California rules led to near 25 per cent cut in water use

By GFM Network News April 4, 2016

Sacramento | Reuters –– Residents and businesses in drought-stricken California cut back water use by nearly 25 per cent from June 2015 through the end of February 2016 — enough to supply nearly six million people for a year, officials said Monday. The state’s first ever mandatory cutbacks in water use were imposed by Democratic […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Reuters

U.S. grains: Soybeans retreat from August peak

By GFM Network News April 4, 2016

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures slumped on Monday as traders took profits after prices reached their highest point since August on technical buying and last week’s government forecast for lower-than-expected plantings. Corn prices ended mixed as traders digested the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) estimate for much larger-than-expected U.S. plantings of the yellow […] Read more

Crops

Tropical fruit giant buys Canada’s top mushroom firm

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News April 2, 2016

A major worldwide distributor and marketer of bananas, pineapples and melons is making a move into the mushroom business, by buying Canada’s biggest player. Fyffes, whose products are sold in Canada and the U.S. under the Fyffes, Turbana, Sol and Fresh Quest labels, on Friday announced it has paid $145 million for all equity in […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Reuters

U.S. grains: Soybeans, wheat extend gains after planting forecasts

By Rod Nickel, GFM Network News April 1, 2016

Reuters — U.S. soybean and wheat futures rose on Friday as estimates of smaller-than-expected U.S. plantings spurred buying. Corn bounced off a 9-1/2-month low to finish up on bargain-buying. Chicago Board of Trade May soybeans rose 7-1/2 cents or 0.9 per cent to $9.18-1/4 a bushel, racking up a fifth straight weekly gain (all figures […] Read more

Victoria Falls, on the Zambezi River on Zimbabwe’s northwestern border with Zambia. (CIA.gov)

Crops, Reuters

Zimbabwe mulls treasury bills to compensate evicted farmers

By Reuters, GFM Network News March 31, 2016

Harare | Reuters — Zimbabwe’s government may issue treasury bills, along with imposing a land levy, to raise money to compensate evicted white farmers but the process will take a long time to settle, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said Thursday. President Robert Mugabe early this month agreed to major reforms, including compensation for white farmers, […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Reuters

U.S. acreage plans not set in stone as corn price drops

By GFM Network News March 31, 2016

Washington | Reuters –– U.S. farmers could plant more soybean acres than suggested in the government’s acreage forecast issued Thursday, as recent gains in the futures market tempted them to alter their corn-heavy seeding plans, growers and analysts said. The U.S. Agriculture Department report showed farmers intend to plant 93.601 million acres of corn this […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Reuters

U.S. grains: Corn tumbles four per cent on acreage forecast shock

By GFM Network News March 31, 2016

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures plunged more than four per cent on Thursday in the market’s steepest drop since mid-August after the U.S. Agriculture Department forecast 2016 planted acreage well above trade expectations. Soybeans firmed on USDA’s lower-than-expected soybean acreage and quarterly stocks estimates, although gains were limited by spillover pressure from corn. […] Read more

On-farm research studies conducted in eastern Manitoba have shown a significant yield response to fungicide application in only three out of 21 trials conducted from 2014 to 2015.

Crops, Features, Soybeans

Soybean research underway

From variety development to agronomy advice, soybean research is bringing new options

By Angela Lovell March 30, 2016

In 2015, soybean acres in Manitoba increased by more than four per cent over 2014, to 1.34 million acres. “We have doubled our soybean acres in Manitoba over the past five years,” says Kristen Podolsky, production specialist with Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers (MPSG). “That has been a direct result of their ability to tolerate […] Read more

Crops, Features

Protected fall N improves efficiency

Nitrogen stabilizer products have a good fit where farm labour and time are limited

By Lee Hart March 30, 2016

Dan Hacault likes to use nitrogen stabilizer products on his farm for time management, convenience, nutrient efficiency, cost effectiveness, and making it easier for him to manage seeding when working by himself… and oh, yes, on-farm field trials show his yields are holding steady as well. Hacault, who has downsized to crop about 1,300 acres […] Read more

The University of Manitoba has been conducting trials on soybean’s phosphorus uptake.

Crops, Features, Soybeans

Do soybeans need phosphorus?

Phosphorus fertilizer won’t increase soybean yield, but good strategies can maintain fertility

By Angela Lovell March 30, 2016

Soybeans are efficient feeders for soil phosphorus (P) and in most cases growers are not going to see an increase in yield from additional P fertilization, regardless of the soil test P, according to research trials in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Since 2013, Dr. Don Flaten and Gustavo Bardella of the University of Manitoba, together with […] Read more

Alberta Crop Report: Higher-than-average yields expected

U.S. livestock: Tight cattle supply helps CME futures rebound from collapse

U.S. grains: Soy futures post weekly loss on expectations for big U.S. crop

GFM Network News

Alberta Crop Report: Higher-than-average yields expected

U.S. livestock: Tight cattle supply helps CME futures rebound from collapse

U.S. grains: Soy futures post weekly loss on expectations for big U.S. crop

Crops

California rules led to near 25 per cent cut in water use

U.S. grains: Soybeans retreat from August peak

Tropical fruit giant buys Canada’s top mushroom firm

U.S. grains: Soybeans, wheat extend gains after planting forecasts

Zimbabwe mulls treasury bills to compensate evicted farmers

U.S. acreage plans not set in stone as corn price drops

U.S. grains: Corn tumbles four per cent on acreage forecast shock

Soybean research underway

Protected fall N improves efficiency

Do soybeans need phosphorus?

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