Flea beetle. (Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Best to be scouting for insect pests

'Definitely' watch canola for flea beetles

MarketsFarm — Although it is still relatively early in the crop year, Manitoba entomologist John Gavloski strongly advises farmers to carefully watch their fields for any signs of insect pests. Gavloski couldn’t say for sure if insect damage was going to be bad this year but based on what’s transpired over the last three years, […] Read more

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair and Edmonton MP and Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault are briefed by Canadian Forces Lt. Col. Ben Schmidt at CFB Edmonton on May 15, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Amber Bracken)

Little chance for rain on Alberta wildfires

Coming cold front more windy than rainy in nature, Environment Canada says

Ottawa | Reuters — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Alberta on Monday as raging wildfires prompted mass evacuations and reduced energy production in Canada’s main oil-producing province, where meteorologists expect virtually no rain for 10 days or so. In Edmonton, Trudeau received an update on firefighting efforts by Canadian soldiers sent to help provincial firefighting […] Read more


Hailstones in Winnipeg on May 10, 2023. (Dave Bedard photo)

Prairie Forecast Update: Forecast on track

Forecast issued May 14, 2023, covering the half-week stretch from May 14 to 17, 2023

The weather models have been remarkably accurate for this time of the year. The big weather picture remains the same. There is a large, persistent ridge of high pressure over far Western Canada with an equally persistent trough of low pressure over Eastern Canada. This means western regions will continue to see sunny, dry and […] Read more

A smoke column rises from a wildfire on May 4, 2023 near Lodgepole, Alta., about 30 km southwest of Drayton Valley. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire handout via Reuters)

Alberta wildfire fighters prepare for hot, dry days ahead

Temperatures to approach 30 C next week

Reuters — An extended period of hot, dry weather that risks worsening wildfires in Alberta began on Friday, with special weather alerts in place across Western Canada and officials urging people to be vigilant. More than 100 wildfires have ignited across Alberta since last week, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate homes, farms […] Read more


(Qingwa/iStock/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Traders, analysts anticipate WASDE report

El Nino also worth watching longer-term

MarketsFarm — While traders and analysts continue to keep an eye on weather conditions, their collective focus will momentarily shift on Friday when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) releases its monthly world agricultural supply/demand estimates (WASDE). This month’s report will be highly significant as it will announce the first U.S. crop production estimates for […] Read more

A smoke column rises from a wildfire on May 4, 2023 near Lodgepole, Alta., about 30 km southwest of Drayton Valley. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire handout via Reuters)

Fire and floods across Western Canada force evacuations

Western Alberta towns of Edson, Drayton Valley ordered to evacuate

Reuters — A week of record-hot weather in Western Canada has forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes, as wildfires rage in parts of Alberta and rapid snow melt triggers flooding across interior British Columbia. By Friday, more than 13,000 people were under evacuation orders in Alberta. As of late Friday afternoon, 91 fires […] Read more


CBOT July 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20-day moving average, Minneapolis July 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. July 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago grains flat or down with weather, Black Sea in focus

Large Russian supplies temper fears over Black Sea deal collapse

Mexico City | Reuters — Chicago grain futures closed flat or lower on Tuesday, with wheat hitting a 21-month low, as markets were weighed down by a dip in stocks and crude oil and clear forecasts for U.S. planting weather, traders said. Corn closed slightly up as the market weighed increasing export competition from Brazil, […] Read more

Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in degrees Celsius over the tropical Pacific Ocean for the week centred on April 12, 2023. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

World could face record temperatures in 2023 as El Nino returns

New record highs 'more likely than not'

Brussels | Reuters — The world could breach a new average temperature record in 2023 or 2024, fuelled by climate change and the anticipated return of the El Nino weather phenomenon, climate scientists say. Climate models suggest that after three years of the La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean, which generally lowers global […] Read more


ICE July 2023 canola with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Weather to influence canola price movement

Short-covering seen supporting front months for now

MarketsFarm — Canola contracts on the ICE Futures platform held relatively rangebound during the week ended Wednesday, trading within a $20 per tonne range in most months as market participants wait to get a better handle on new-crop prospects. “There’s some concern developing on seeding delays,” said Jamie Wilton of RJ O’Brien in Winnipeg, adding […] Read more