File photo of a pea crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: Still early in season to switch crops

Decisions likely in next couple of weeks

MarketsFarm — With dry conditions dominating western and southwestern Saskatchewan and wet conditions prominent in the province’s east and northeast, at mid-May it remained early to consider switching pulse crops to something else, according to Carl Potts, executive director of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers. Overall, he said, spring planting throughout the province as of May 9 […] Read more

Red spring wheat. (File photo)

Mildew scrapped as grading factor for No. 3 wheats

Grading changes also planned for canola admixture, splits in peas, excreta in mustard

The Canadian Grain Commission will change its standard samples for mildew in No. 1 and No. 2 wheats, and drop it as a grading factor for No. 3 wheats, effective this summer. The CGC on Monday laid out a list of changes to its grain grading policies and standards for wheat, canola, peas, beans and […] Read more



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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


File photo of flooded cropland in the RM of St. Andrews, north of Winnipeg. (Manitoba Co-operator photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: Wet weather delays southern Manitoba seeding

Soybeans could take yield hit if planted in June

MarketsFarm — Another blast of heavy precipitation across southern Manitoba, the third in as many weeks, has already delayed seeding for pulses, according to a production specialist. Laura Schmidt, a production specialist for Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, said the 40 to 50 millimetres of rain across the region on April 29-30 all but guaranteed […] Read more

File photo of lentils being moved into bins in Saskatchewan. (Bobloblaw/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Lentil acres likely up in 2022

Other pulses likely down, though

MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada released its first survey-based crop acreage estimates of 2022 on Tuesday, reporting that while more lentil acres may be planted this spring, other pulses are expected to have their seeded area shrink. The national data agency projected 4.49 million acres of lentils will be planted in Canada this year, a 4.2 […] Read more


It is a heartbreaking situation to put money and effort into establishing high-value pulse crops only to have them wiped out by disease. There are several root rot diseases that can seriously affect pea and lentil (as seen here) crop yields, but aphanomyces is the worst of the bunch.

No easy fix for pulse crop problems

A Saskatchewan pulse producer weighs his options and risks for planting lentils in fields previously hit hard by aphanomyces — plus, the latest research and recommendations on root rot management in pulses

Shaun Dyrland says even in a dry growing season, if there is a thunderstorm that drops about an inch of rain some of the lentil fields on his west-central Saskatchewan farm will be dead within a matter of days. That’s just an indication of the effect root rot disease — particularly aphanomyces — can have […] Read more

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Pulse weekly outlook: No worries about delayed planting in Manitoba

'Farmers can get stuff in pretty quick'

MarketsFarm — Despite an influx of snow across southern Manitoba, with more precipitation in the forecast for this week, a provincial pulse specialist isn’t too concerned about the potential for late planting of pulse crops. “The moisture is welcome, but it’s not the weather we would like to see at this time of the year. […] Read more



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Pulse weekly outlook: Market uncertainty all around

MarketsFarm — As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continue to swing markets up and down, typical issues and other external factors have amplified volatility in the pulse markets, according to one trader. David Newman, owner of Commodius Trading at North Saanich, B.C., explained that while the conflict in Eastern Europe is affecting markets everywhere, the usual […] Read more