Farmers are expected to stick with the 18.8 million spring wheat acres and boost their barley acres from the projection based on a December-January survey, as they respond to a spike in fertilizer prices due to the Iran war, an ongoing rally in canola prices, and a search for “safe” crops to grow in a geopolitically fraught world, they said.

Canada is the world’s top producer and exporter of canola seed and a top-five wheat exporter.

“I think we’re going to see some upward adjustment to the canola acres,” said analyst Jerry Klassen of Resilient Capital. “When this survey was done, canola prices were below the cost of production.”

In some areas like Alberta, many farmers can now make a small profit on canola at today’s forward prices, so farmers are likely to grow more, he said. An increase of 400,000-500,000 acres is likely.

“I’m sure they’re going to lean further in to the oilseeds if they have any opportunity at all,” said Lawrence Klusa of Seges Markets, noting the runup in global vegetable oil crop prices.

Canola prices rise after uncertain winter

Futures prices for 2026-grown Canadian canola are up by more than $80 per metric ton since mid-December, a bigger gain than most competing crops have experienced.

Farmers might also boost their acres of pulse crops like peas if the present surge in fertilizer prices continues, Klusa said. Pulse crops are able to produce much of their own nitrogen requirements, allowing farmers to grow them at a relatively low cost.

Canadian farmers have faced a host of issues this winter. China’s market was blocked to canola and peas by prohibitive tariffs that were reduced only in the past two weeks. Trade tensions with the U.S. and unclear U.S. biofuels policies made that major market for canola oil appear uncertain. The war in the Persian Gulf has suddenly made fertilizer costs and supplies look worrying.

Klassen said farmers are likely to stick with their spring wheat acres and boost their barley acres from what they told StatCan because of these risks and due to the likelihood of financial losses this year.

“Those are kind of safety crops and a good choice with the price of urea going through the roof and so much instability,” said Klassen.

1 acre = 0.405 hectares

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WHY IT MATTERS: Bourgault’s addition of a new drill model and another opener, along with greater functionality in its proprietary BiC control system, provides buyers with more options to configure seed drills to their exact needs and specifications.

The Bourgault Intelligent Control (BiC) system, which the company introduced about a year ago, gets feature upgrades.

“When we introduced it in Phoenix in 2024, we weren’t ready to release what we call the stand-alone version,” says Jordan Henderson, North American sales manager.

“What we had up until this point was what we call the task controller version, where it works in conjunction with the tractor monitor.”

However, that changes in 2027.

While BiC will now be compatible with John Deere’s G4 and G5 monitors as well as recent versions of the New Holland and Case IH systems, it will also be able to work on its own through an iPad without needing a tractor monitor at all.

“This year we’re releasing BiC with stand-alone features … which means we don’t use the tractor monitor for anything,” says Henderson.

“Everything is being controlled by the BIC system. Now everything is done through the iPad.”

BiC will be capable of seamless integration with the John Deere Operations Centre and CNH’s FieldOps for automatic data streaming.

The enhanced system will also be able to support the upcoming Bourgault Connect offering, a cloud-based solution designed for simplified data management.

Growers will be able to import field boundaries, variable-rate prescriptions and agronomic data directly from a number of farm management tools without the need for manual transfers.

A new 50-foot drill, the CDi50, with a mounted product tank, will also hit dealers’ lots for 2027. It will be available with 7.5-, 10- or 12-inch row spacing and fitted with PLW or PLR openers.

The drill is designed for growers who need maximum maneuverability in the field and a compact transport configuration.

“It’s kind of a next step for us in our emerging markets, especially down in Kansas, Colorado, Eastern Canada,” says Henderson.

“In areas we traditionally haven’t been strong, we’re bringing out this new frame-mounted seeder that is bigger than anything else out there.

“The big sellers right now for that market are the 40- and 42-foot drills with 110- to 140-bushel single tanks. Ours has 200-bu. tanks and 50 feet, but transport widths are still in line with what we’re seeing in the industry right now.”

The drill also sports a new look, with a livery based on the limited edition models built for a while in 2024. It has black rims and white tanks, and that look will eventually become standard across the brand’s line.

In addition to the new drill, Bourgault adds yet another opener option to its portfolio, bringing the total number of opener choices available from the brand to six.

This one builds on the the ParaLink, Dual Shank design used on the PLDS, which the company has been offering. However, the new PLDX uses a more responsive 1:1 linkage configuration for improved ground contouring in the most uneven field conditions.

“This is our next evolution of the dual shank (opener),” says Henderson.

“It’s going to perform really well on uneven terrain.

“We’re still going to continue to use our PLDS. This is just another option for customers who want more consistent seed placement in uneven terrain. We need to provide an opener for all of our customers. Every customer is just a little bit different.”

With the wide range of configurations now on offer, Henderson notes the brand relies on dealers to point customers to the right opener for their needs.

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Greg Stamp, however, hopes to show seeding in January isn’t so scary.

The Enchant, Alta. farmer seeded some spring wheat (AAC Oakman VB/AAC Westking) and durum (AAC Frontier) on Jan. 12 in a demo plot, mimicking recent research by Dr. Brian Beres on ultra-early seeding.

WHY IT MATTERS: With warmer southern Alberta weather, earlier seeding for spring wheat and durum opens up all sorts of possibilities for farmers, with research to back it up.

Beres conducted a four-year study that involved ultra-early seeding dates with hard red spring wheat on dryland sites in several locations across Western Canada, including Dawson Creek, B.C., Edmonton and Lethbridge, Alta., and Scott, Indian Head and Swift Current, Sask.

The overall conclusion was ultra-early seeding produced yields as good as — or, in several cases, higher than — crops seeded during the more traditional April/May seeding times. Seeding dates in the past have been more arbitrary, determined more by crop insurance deadlines than actual scientific research on sweet spots of seeding timing.

“The idea here is to treat the field like it’s a winter wheat crop. So we’ve got fall rye, trits, and winter wheat right beside it. Then we’re going to go in February and March again if we get a chinook and the soil temperature warms up. Then we’re going to plant our normal spring demos in late April, beside all these as well.”

As a dryland farmer, the goal is to take advantage as much as possible of early moisture, and beating the heat for flowering and maximizing disease control. Stamp was aiming for 1 C at one inch in his planting. Stamp used a Crop Intelligence weather station with temperature and moisture probes to see how the seeding is faring.

The early-seeding practice is the exception, not the norm, in southern Alberta, with other producers like Alison Davie at North Paddock Farms in Taber dabbling in it as well, according to Stamp.

“I think there’s value. I love this kind of research because it’s so practical to farmers. It’s not a typical practice, but I think long term, there’s going to be more people doing this,” said Stamp.

The initial hesitation by some farmers, Stamp admits, is in the logistics — namely, putting a drill in the ground in January, when people are at farm meetings, or on holidays, and/or equipment may be in the shop getting repaired. Another challenge is weed control.

Pre-planning has to be done in September-October, with spraying your field or laying down a residual herbicide — in essence, treating it like a winter crop. Wheat and durum varieties developed in Western Canada have adapted for cold tolerance, battling abiotic stress in more frigid temperatures.

“Even with seed, we need to have the varieties that the person is going to want to plant cleaned and ready to go, so they can buy seed at that point too,” said Stamp, adding he is targeting a high plant stand at 40 plants per square foot.

“There some work being done on what varieties are better. How does vigor impact this? Some of those things are unknowns at this point that we are assessing.”

Ultra-early seeding takes a shift in traditional mindsets, but it all comes down to the bottom line if the practice is to be continued.

“If there is money to be made or risks to be reduced, then I think there’s an opportunity there,” said Stamp.

Stamp is doing a field day in June with hopes Dr. Beres will speak on his ultra-seeding research.

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Crop rotations, moisture conditions, price expectations and input costs/availability will be the main factors determining seeding decisions, said AAFC. “Additionally, heightened uncertainty surrounding international trade is expected to play a role in shaping planting strategies this year,” said the government agency.

Wheat

• Wheat area is projected to decrease 0.3 per cent, at 10.937 million hectares. Of that total, durum area is expected to decline to 2.461 million hectares, from 2.643 million in 2025/26, while other wheat will increase 2.2 per cent to 8.476 million hectares.
• A return to average yields would see total wheat production down 12.5 per cent on the year, at 34.979 million tonnes.
• Wheat ending stocks are forecast to dip to 5.700 million tonnes by the close of the 2026/27 marketing year, which compares with an estimated carryout of 7.5 million tonnes projected for 2025/26.

Canola

• Planted canola area is forecast to be up 1.9 per cent on the year, at 8.915 million hectares.
• However, production is forecast to decline to 19.200 million tonnes from the record 21.804 million tonnes grown in 2025/26 given a return to average yields.
• AAFC raised its call for 2025/26 canola exports to 8.200 million tonnes, from an earlier estimate of 8.000 million tonnes. Exports for 2026/27 were forecast at 7.500 million tonnes.
• Canola ending stocks were estimated at 2.750 million tonnes for the current marketing year and 1.650 million tonnes in 2026/27.

Barley/Oats

• Barley area is forecast to increase 6.1 per cent on the year, to 2.635 million hectares, while total production will dip to 8.450 million tonnes from 9.725 million tonnes the previous year.
• Oats area is projected to increase by 1.8 per cent, at 1.235 million hectares, with production down 9.4 per cent at 3.550 million tonnes.

Peas/Lentils

• Area planted to peas is forecast to be down 15.5 per cent, at 1.200 million hectares, while lentils are forecast to see a 9.7 per cent reduction in seeded area.
• Pea production is forecast to be down by 1.1 million tonnes on the year, at 2.850 million tonnes. Lentil production is expected to see a similar cut to production, at 2.250 million tonnes.

Soybeans/Corn

• A return to average yields in Eastern Canada, after hot and dry conditions hurt corn and soybean yields in 2025/26, is forecast to result in increased production for the two crops.
• Soybean area is forecast to increase by 2.6 per cent, at 2.401 million hectares, with production rising to 7.600 million tonnes from 6.793 million tonnes in 2025/26.
• While corn area is expected to be down by 0.7 per cent, at 1.520 million hectares, the early call from AAFC is for production to rise to 15.200 million tonnes from 14.867 million in 2025/26.

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The addition of the 1440 brings the number of size capacities in the Morris 10 Series line to four, with four tow-behind and three tow-between versions.

“There’s a need for these larger-capacity air carts,” says Morris’ Canadian sales and marketing manager Garth Massie. “It’s all geared around productivity and getting more acres per day in that 30-day seeding window.”

Like the other 10 Series models, the 1440 offers four product tanks.

The tanks on the 1440 are raised a little higher to accommodate the beefed up frame, giving the cart a tall stance. And it rides on dual tires on both the front and rear axles for improved floatation. Up front are VF710/70R42 and on the rear are IF850/75R42 tires.

“We’ve gone to larger-capacity tires,” Massie says. “We need to be cognizant of soil compaction that impacts emergence. So we have larger tires and keep inflation pressures to below 20 p.s.i.”

The front axle on the 1440 is wider to accommodate the duals and still make the cart able to navigate a tight turning radius.

With the extra tank capacity comes more weight, so Morris doubled up the braking effort on the 1440 cart. It is equipped with a “quad caliper” design, which means the carts get a second set for more clamping force. They are controlled by an electric over hydraulic braking system.

“We’ve gone to a dual-caliber brake, and I think we’re the only ones that are doing that,” Massie adds. “It really increases stopping power. They’re wired into the tractor brakes.”

The cart brakes can also be activated independently via an additional in-cab controller.

The front axle also supports a product hose holder that pivots with it on turns, which allows for shorter hose runs from a drill with less vertical rise that can impact flow rates.

Accessing the smaller 110 bushel “Optimizer” tank is easier on the 1440 thanks to an added step. And a swing-away funnel above it allows for easier loading from a conveyor or auger with less spillage.

“It makes it a little easier to access it and raises the level of that tank to the same as the other three,” Massie says.

The other three tanks use a 450-, 235- and 645-bushel split that feeds up to 10 different primary product lines. To fill those tanks, the 1440 gets a 40-foot long conveyor with a 14-inch diameter tube and 24-inch belt.

The new cart is currently only available in a tow-behind configuration. It is now in full production and will be available for the 2026 seeding season.

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The Avatar 66-10 TD drill integrates a 66-foot, single-disc toolbar and an 870-bushel air cart into one combination unit.

“This product has been in evolution from our Avatar single-shoot line of single-disc air seeders,” says Jeremy Hughes, product manager for seeding and tillage equipment.

“We’re launching the Avatar TD, which is our double-shoot version.

“We’re using an 870 bu. carrying capacity of four different products on individual scale systems, combining that with a 66-foot toolbar on 10-inch row spacings, and using a 20-inch banding system for fertilizer application on double-shoot work.”

The toolbar uses a single row of disc openers that can deliver seed and a starter course of fertilizer into the furrow. The main fertilizer course is delivered ahead of them through mid-row banders.

Using a single row of disc openers rather than the more common shank style gives the Avatar 66-10 TD the advantage of being able to handle seeding speeds up to nine m.p.h., Hughes said.

“With shank openers, we find there is often a speed limit to it, and the only way you get more efficient is to go wider. The advantage of the single disc with our design is we have seeding speeds from the traditional four to five m.p.h. up to nine plus.

“So we can take a 66-foot machine and have the seeding power of a 70-, 80- or even a 90-foot (shank) machine.”

Another feature that sets the Avatar 66-10 TD apart from most other drills is that the toolbar is mounted directly to the back of the air cart.

“It makes the machine very compact,” Hughes says.

“It’s easy to get around, store and easy to manoeuvre in the field. The other thing we do is use the weight of the cart on the toolbar weight transfer system to stabilize the toolbar to get the openers in, in very tough conditions.”

The drill can supply up to 550 pounds of downforce on the openers. Hughes says that helps contribute to the drill’s ability to avoid stepping (placing seed at varying depths when travelling at higher speeds).

During field trials this year in North Dakota, the drill performed well at those higher speeds, he said.

The Avatar 66-10 TD is also equipped with section control.

“We have an eight-section, section control system,” he says.

“We were the industry first to use electric motors on meters, so we’re using that same technology combined with some different metering styles to get section control.”

The Avatar is only available in 66-foot working widths, although other widths may be produced in future. The drill will be in limited production in time for spring 2026.

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Gregory was busy seeding and so he helped me load, then the kids and I took the heifers to the pasture up by Leipzig. On the 14th Gregory was able to take the stock trailer with the cows, and I took the two-horse trailer with the calves. On the last load Gregory had to load a truck with wheat that John had sold, and so the kids and I hauled out the last few cows and calves in the front of the stock trailer and the bull was on the back.

By the end of the day all of the cows and bulls were out to pasture. We were even able to get our new bull out with his heifers because Dan Mitchell was able to bring him in the evening and was kind enough to give our young Hereford bull a lift to his cows as well.

On the 16th our first foal was born, a beautiful bay roan colt. On the 18th we had our second foal, a red roan filly. On the 21st a first-time mother had our third foal. For three days prior to the third foal, it had rained. It was a very slow rain and so we didn’t get a great deal but it stayed cool, so the ground soaked in every drop. The foals were all quite healthy and happy.

On the 25th we went to mass, then took the boys and Anna out to the pasture to ride and check the cows and the water. Joseph is getting better at communicating with old Reba. James and Ian still greatly enjoy being led through the cows and across the pasture. The cows are quite happy with their summer pasture.

On the 27th there was a little more rain and the fourth foal arrived, a dark bay filly. The next day our fifth foal, a sorrel colt, was born, and then the next day the sixth foal, a red roan colt, was born. It has been an interesting foaling season with the foals arriving close together in groups. Some mares have been overdue a few days, and some have been a few days early.

On the 31st we finished seeding. We celebrated with a barbecue and some ice cream.

A new milk cow arrives

On June 1 it was so windy we didn’t go for a ride but we did go for a drive and checked the water and the cows and horses. In the evening our new milk cow calved. She’s a registered Hereford heifer who is very quiet. I halterbroke her last summer in hopes of using her as a milk cow. She had a healthy Hereford bull calf and is a very good mother.

On June 2 we planted our potatoes. We cut up the potatoes, then John drove the garden tractor with the potato planter and the boys put the potatoes down the chute. They took turns sitting in the seat and did their best to plant the potatoes evenly. By noon we were done and the kids had a lot of fun.

In the afternoon, Gregory and I worked on cleaning up the maples and caraganas that were growing in the lilac bushes. It has needed to be done for a few years but the timing has never worked out before. After cleaning up the trees, Gregory worked the garden for me to start planting.

That evening we had another first-time mother foal. She had a sorrel filly. She was a few days early and her dam was a few days overdue. Her dam foaled a few hours later and had a red dun colt. We now are waiting on one more foal to be born.

On June 3, the boys and Anna and I worked on planting our garden while Gregory took John into Saskatoon for a medical appointment. He also picked up a few supplies and the chicks we had ordered. The boys and Anna were very excited for the chicks. It will be a great learning experience for them.

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Ag-Quest and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada were on site that windy day, putting seed in the ground for the upcoming show.

“We’re planting a mixture of everything,” said Cameron Kayter, a range management biologist for AAFC supervising this year’s crop plot seeding.

“So in this a case, we want to highlight all the different research that we’re doing at Ag Canada in Saskatchewan.”

AAFC’s plots were cleaned up and ready to go as soon as the ground was dry enough. This year, the plots had some of the best soil moisture in a few years when staff started seeding and they’re taking the best advantage they can.

“We have canola, camelina, we have some poly mixes, like oat-pea, stuff like that,” Kayter said.

“And then we have some forages, obviously, that we keep here perennially. So yeah, it’s kind of a mixed bag. All of our different scientists contribute a plot or two to showcase the research they’re doing.”

They’re planting some diverse crops as well, such as amaranth and fenugreek, alongside the poly mixes of chickpea-flax, lentil-flax, pea-mustard, pea-oat and canola-radish. Their perennial forages are alfalfa-sainfoin-cicer and alfalfa-sainfoin mixes.

James White, a research associate and commercial plot specialist for Ag-Quest, has been busy handling the seeding and management of multiple clients’ crop plots at Ag in Motion, including ATP Nutrition, FP Genetics, Gowan Seeds, UPL Ltd., Canterra Seeds, Belchim and Advanced Ag.

For White, the plot work begins as soon as the snow melts. just like on the farm. He ensures soil is tested, plot lengths are calibrated, seed is on its way and fertilizer blends are mixed.

“As soon as the snow is melted, and we can actually walk on site, like as soon as it was dry … I was up here doing soil fertility tests … and then it’s basically, if we have seed on hand and the products, we start treating ASAP.”

This year, the rain wreaked a bit of havoc on White’s plans. In trying to get in the field, he underwent the same struggles as producers: checking the field, pawing the dirt, moving equipment with hopes of seeding only to have to let it sit for a few more days.

Before the rain fell in the middle of May, he was only able to get ATP and FP Genetics plots completed. On May 23, he was back on site, starting with the Gowan plots. For the company, he and his summer student seeded canola, peas, wheat and flax.

However, the key difference between crop plot seeding at AiM and other typical plots is the hard deadline, making them the priority for White and other exhibitors.

“I mean, that’s kind of my biggest struggle up here,” White said.

“All my clients have been phenomenal to deal with … but you know, they are under the gun, like they’ve got deadlines and stuff. They want to have everything done as soon as they can.”

Sometimes there are delays with companies due to shipping or the need for certain products first. This year, Belchim sent two separate shipments in the mail and the rest delivered by a Belchim sales representative because they’re testing different varieties. Another company, Advanced Ag, was held up by a courier delay.

“It was honestly a bit of a nightmare,” said Greg Goodwin, Advanced Ag’s business development manager.

“I don’t know what happened, but by the skin of our teeth we got it there in time, so I guess that’s all that really matters.”

This year is Advanced Ag’s first time exhibiting at Ag in Motion and its first time doing plots under such circumstances and hiring someone else to manage those plots — all of which added to Goodwin’s stress because the company is typically very hands on with its products and research. He said it is passing off a lot of control, which Advanced Ag isn’t accustomed to doing.

For its plots, it’s seeding CDC Simmie red lentils and AAC Starbuck wheat, and will be running a fertilizer trial to showcase how its products compare to traditional fertilizers. Goodwin described its main product, ACF-SR, as a “tool kit” that does a bit of everything.

The Advanced Ag website says that it’s a biological technology that uses microbes and is “proven to enhance germination, promote plant growth, increase yield, and improve overall soil health.”

Through further research and development for ACF-SR, they’ve developed other products such as SRP, a later season foliar product for plant health, later stage development, and improvement of disease resistance, as well as a live seed that’s still in trials.

“So basically, from seed to seedling and to set it up for success, it (the live seed) delivers some hormones, et cetera, early nutrients in the early stages,” Goodwin said.

“And then, ACF-SR kind of takes over from there. And then SRP is the one that is foliar.”

Both plots will use a standard fertilizer, but instead of fungicide, one plot will use SRP as the plant health product. The company will compare yield, cost per acre and performance rate.

Of the exhibitors who spoke to Glacier FarmMedia, all were excited for the upcoming show, but Advanced Ag more than most.

“We have a pretty significant (product) presence in Saskatchewan…. We sort of entered the market and there’s a lot of people using the product, but not a lot of people that we’ve talked to directly.”

The company runs a small team of seven and often relies on product representatives across Saskatchewan. Goodwin said this will be the first time it will be able to speak with many of its customers in north-central Saskatchewan, despite supplying close to 30 farm operations in the area.

“We haven’t had a chance to meet a lot of Saskatchewan folks, so this is our all-in,” he said.

“We’re just jumping into it, and the first time we’ll get to meet a lot of people, and we’re really excited for that.”

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Early seeded spring wheat was beginning stem elongation, with the majority in the four to five leaf stage. Winter wheat and fall rye growth was said to be good, with advanced winter wheat fields heading and fall rye flowering.

Canola development ranged from just emerging to early rosette, with the majority at the four-leaf stage. Some flea beetle activity was noted.

Field peas around the province were anywhere from the four to seven node stage, while the most advanced soybeans were in the second trifoliate stage.

Alfalfa fields in the province were in the bud stage and grasses were beginning to head out. Some beef producers may begin first cut this coming weekend. The hay crop was looking like it will yield lower than average. Meanwhile alfalfa tends to fare better than grasses under current conditions, due to different root structures. Most dairies have almost completed first cut. In parts of the province where rain has been sparse, some dairies have harvested their winter wheat and fall rye crops as greenfeed rather than grain as was originally intended.

Most cattle are out on pasture provincially. Pastures appear to be doing well, although there were regional differences based on rainfall.

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Southern Alberta remained furthest along with planting reaching 97 per cent finished, advancing 10 points on the week. The northwest climbed 20 points, reaching 93 per cent done, followed by the central region at 89 per cent seeded on a gain of 16 points. The province’s northeast reached 86 per cent in the ground, up 22 points and the Peace leapt forward 23 points at 84 per cent complete.

By major crop, the planting of Alberta’s dry peas was virtually finished at 99 per cent, with the spring with at 97 per cent. Barley followed at 89 per cent done, the canola at 83 per cent and the oats at 74 per cent.

Provincewide crop emergence improved 26 points over the week, hitting 57 per cent. By region, the central was at 65 per cent, Peace at 64 per cent and the south at 62 per cent. Lagging behind were the northeast at 46 per cent and the northwest at 42 per cent.

As for surface soil moisture, the province was at 56 per cent good to excellent, down eight points from the previous week. The crop report noted that dry winds were largely responsible for the declines.

When it came to subsoil moisture levels, most of Alberta saw declines except for the central region which was up three points at 80 per cent good to excellent. A distant second was Peace at 52 per cent good to excellent but dropped 17 points on the week. The Peace was third at 50 per cent, the northeast at 41 per cent and the south at 39 per cent. Overall, the province was at 53 per cent.

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