(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: More corn, oats in feed rations

'Very weird situation to be seeing again'

MarketsFarm — As prices for feed barley and wheat increase, more feedlots are turning to corn, according to Susanne Leclerc of Market Master Ltd. at Edmonton. “A lot of places are switching to corn. The desirability of feed barley has been coming down,” she said. “So it will be interesting to see which way the […] Read more

It didn't take much of a tumble for James to hurt his elbow, but it was a bit of process to get necessary repairs
made. It will take time to heal, but he is handling it well.

Harvest done in time for Thanksgiving

Dealing with health care was a matter of hurry up and wait

The end of September had a few bumps for us. After the rain on Sept. 19, it was too wet to combine for a few days. Instead, I baled some flax straw while Gregory and the neighbour, Leon, worked on John’s new well. Harvest started again Sept. 24. We worked on John’s oats for a […] Read more


New cereal varieties for 2023

New cereal varieties for 2023

Ten new options for Prairie producers

Next year there will be 10 new cereal offerings for farmers in Western Canada. New varieties of wheat, durum, barley and oats are hitting the market courtesy of Canterra Seeds, FP Genetics, Proven Seed and SeedNet. Please note, this list only includes brand new cereal varieties in 2023. Canterra Seeds Oats: Kalio is a milling […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Ending stocks tumble due to drought: StatCan

Canola stocks are below 'pipeline levels'

MarketsFarm — Severe drought in Western Canada during the summer of 2021 has played a major part in reducing the stocks for Canada’s principal field crops at the end of the 2021-22 marketing year, according to Statistics Canada. Canada’s central data agency released a report Wednesday presenting total ending stocks for the country’s major crops […] Read more



The photo above shows the disease bacterial leaf streak on barley. On the leaf surface is bacterial “oozing.” The photo was taken last year in early August at Olds College Field Crop Development Centre in Alberta.

Cereal crop disease outlook

An update on rust risks, FHB management and bacterial leaf streak threat

Although last year’s brutally hot and dry conditions across much of the Prairies made for very difficult cereal crop production, they carried one upside — disease pressure was notably low in almost all fields. Which diseases steal cereal crops’ yields and compromise their quality this year, and by how much, will depend heavily on weather […] Read more


(WWing/E+/Getty Images)

StatsCan reports sharp decline in field crop stocks

Stocks tighter than most traders had estimated

MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada’s report on the country’s principal field crop stocks, released Friday, reflects an ever-tightening supply brought on by last year’s drought. With the exception of corn and soybeans, all of the crops listed suffered a supply decline of at least 10 per cent compared to the year before, as of March 31. […] Read more

The USDA building in Washington, D.C. (Art Wager/iStock/Getty Images)

USDA attache predicts large 2022-23 grain crops for Canada

MarketsFarm — Canada is expected to see a 30 per cent increase in grain production in 2022-23, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service post in Ottawa. Expectations for improved yields for Prairie grain crops after the 2021-22 drought accounted for much of the projected increase, although USDA also cautioned […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Drought fears, fertilizer may affect Canadian acreage estimates

MarketsFarm — Traders and analysts awaiting Statistics Canada’s first survey-based acreage report for the 2022-23 crop year on Tuesday believe competition amongst crops — as well as their dependence on fertilizer, and the possibility of another drought this summer — will be determining factors. Canola stands as the best representation of traders’ concerns. Despite reaching […] Read more

AAC Brandon spring wheat planted at target plant stands of (left to right) nine, 21 and 33 plants per square foot at the Manitoba Agriculture Diversification Centre in Melita, Man., in 2021.

Should Manitoba Ag’s guidelines for target plant populations for spring cereal crops be adjusted?

Study concludes recommendations are good, even for newer, higher-yielding varieties

Choosing the right seeding rate for spring cereal crops is an important consideration for farmers looking for yield results that can maximize the return on their seeding dollars. A dense, uniform plant stand increases the crop’s yield potential, not only by reducing weed competition but also by compensating for plants lost to disease, insects and […] Read more