CBOT September 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with MGEX and K.C. September 2021 wheat (dark greeen and orange O/H/L/C). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Winter wheat futures up sixth straight day

MGEX spring wheat falls

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. winter wheat futures rose for the sixth day in a row on Wednesday as adverse weather in key exporting countries raised supply concerns, traders said. Corn futures were steady to firm, with the front-month contract ending flat while new-crop offerings rose on support from dry soils that threatened to hamper […] Read more

(Valerie Loiseleux/iStock/Getty Images)

‘Time is ticking’ on drought response for beef cattle sector

'We need answers like yesterday'

As Canada’s beef farmers and ranchers face drought, industry leaders are trying to find ways to secure feed and help those forced to sell rebuild their herds. B.C. ranchers are dealing with high temperatures that have “parched the grass that was there,” Kevin Boone, general manager of B.C. Cattlemen’s Association, said during a Canadian Cattlemen’s […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Hot, dry weather creates ‘significant uncertainty,’ AAFC says

MarketsFarm — Supply/demand balance sheets for Canada’s major crops only saw minor adjustments in the latest update Tuesday from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, with hot and dry growing conditions leading to “significant uncertainty” on the state of the country’s 2021-22 crops. Total field crop production in the country was forecast to decrease due to a […] Read more

CBOT September 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (black line) and K.C. September 2021 wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat climbs on deteriorating crop conditions

Corn rises as U.S. crop rating misses consensus

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures climbed on Tuesday to a two-month peak after official data underscored poor conditions for drought-hit U.S. spring wheat. Chicago corn gained, as a lower-than-expected weekly crop rating focused attention back to dry conditions in parts of the Midwest. Soybeans rebounded after being pressured by falling crude oil prices […] Read more


File photo of the flags of Canada and its provinces and territories at Canada Place in Vancouver. (lilly3/iStock/Getty Images)

Request line open for AgriRecovery drought plans, Bibeau says

Formal ask needed to trigger process: ag minister

Canada’s federal agriculture minister says the government is “ready to receive formal submissions” from provinces for AgriRecovery plans to help Prairie farmers and ranchers up against significant droughts this summer. Marie-Claude Bibeau, summarizing discussions from Thursday’s online meeting with provincial and territorial (FPT) agriculture ministers, said the formal requests “are needed to trigger the process,” […] Read more



MGEX September 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and green lines) and CBOT September 2021 wheat (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat climbs on stressful northern Plains weather

Chicago soybean futures sag

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rose on Thursday, led by Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGEX) spring wheat futures, which hit an 8-1/2-year high near US$9 a bushel as drought threatened crops in the northern Plains and Canadian Prairies. Soybean futures fell on disappointing domestic soy crush data and corn eased after a three-session climb. […] Read more

Ralph Eichler, shown here at Ag Days in Brandon in 2019, is again Manitoba’s minister of agriculture. (Manitoba Co-operator photo by Allan Dawson)

Eichler back as Manitoba ag minister in shuffle

Pedersen not seeking re-election

Manitoba’s provincial agriculture files return to the desk of their former handler in a cabinet mini-shuffle Thursday. Premier Brian Pallister has named Ralph Eichler, MLA for the Interlake-area riding of Lakeside since 2003, as minister of agriculture and resource development, replacing Blaine Pedersen. Pedersen announced Thursday he will not seek re-election but will serve out […] Read more


With beef demand increasing and the U.S. beef herd declining, Jerry Klassen figures it should bode well for Canadian beef producers over the coming year. Photo is of mob grazing cattle near Manning, AB.

Positive fundamentals driving cattle prices higher

Increased beef production in Canada will pay off in 2022

Alberta fed cattle prices were quoted at $164-$165 f.o.b. the feedlot during the third week of June, up from the range $158-$162 during the second week of May. The market has been quite firm due to tighter supplies of market-ready cattle on both sides of the border. At the same time, the reopening of economies […] 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)

Saskatchewan raises salvage threshold for parched crops

Stock watering program also boosted; APAS, Tories' ag critic had called for more drought aid

Saskatchewan’s provincial crop insurance agency is raising the yield threshold at which drought-damaged crops can be grazed, baled for greenfeed or cut for silage with no penalty on future coverage. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. said Wednesday it would double the “low yield appraisal” threshold values on cereal or pulse crop acres put to feed. SCIC […] Read more