In a range of crops last year, dingy and redback cutworms were a widespread problem in Manitoba and may continue to be an issue this year. In Saskatchewan, farmers should be on the lookout for redback and pale western cutworms.

Insect pests to watch for in 2021

Provincial experts discuss top pest threats for your region and offer tips for scouting

It’s easy for farmers to get “scouted out.” Between crop diseases, destructive crop insects and simply checking for yield and growth stage, scouting can be a full-time job in and of itself. Knowing what to focus on can help. Experts across the Prairies are weighing in on the most likely insect threats for the 2021 […] Read more

CBOT July 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange, dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy, wheat dip ahead of WASDE

Market eyes U.S. supply-demand reports for price direction

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures fell on Monday, pausing after rallying to eight-year highs last week, with traders focusing on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s upcoming world supply-demand (WASDE) report for new price direction. Wheat dipped, supported by beneficial rains across the U.S. Great Plains, while soybeans traded mixed on continued tight supplies. […] Read more


Corn seedlings on June 1, 2020. (Farmtario photo by John Greig)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy futures hit multi-year highs on supply fears

Dryness in Brazil fuels supply fears

Chicago | Reuters — Concerns that global crop supplies will remain lean pushed Chicago Board of Trade corn futures to their highest price since March 2013 on Friday, while soybean futures reached their highest since October 2012. The markets surged before the weekend as traders braced for the potential of further rallies driven by tightening […] Read more

CBOT July 2021 corn (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (dark green line) and December 2021 corn (yellow line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn futures pierce eight-year peak

Soy rallies on supply worries

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn futures extended a rally above eight-year highs on Thursday as dry weather threatened harvest yields in major exporter Brazil and kept traders’ focus on ebbing global supplies. Soybeans approached an 8-1/2-year peak reached last week, buoyed by rallying vegetable oil prices, and wheat was also higher. […] Read more


CBOT July 2021 corn (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (orange line) and December 2021 corn (dark green line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn exceeds eight-year high on global supply worries

Soybean, wheat futures also finish higher

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn futures touched their highest price in more than eight years on Wednesday as concerns over global supplies and strong demand continued to fuel strong gains. A blistering rally in the market has raised costs for global producers of corn-based ethanol and of meat made from livestock […] Read more

CBOT July 2021 corn with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn hits eight-year high

Soybean, wheat markets slump

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn futures hit their highest price since March 2013 on Monday on strong demand for limited U.S. supplies and concerns over dry weather hurting output in Brazil. Traders continue to focus on tightening global inventories as U.S. farmers plant corn and soy for the autumn harvest, rather […] Read more


CBOT July 2021 soybeans with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy, wheat end higher after volatile week

Market assesses U.S. planting, drought threat to Brazil crops

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn, soybean and wheat futures rose on Friday after three days of volatile trade following a run-up to eight-year highs, traders said. The most-active corn futures on the Chicago Board of Trade gained 25 cents at $6.73-1/4 per bushel, adding 40-3/4 cents for the week, a 6.4 per cent gain […] Read more



CBOT July 2021 corn with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, wheat, soybeans ease on profit-taking

Focus on weather as corn, soy stocks ebb

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn, wheat and soybean futures eased on Wednesday on profit-taking after climbing in earlier trading as traders assessed weather risks to crops in Brazil and the U.S. The most-active corn contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) lost 10-1/2 cents to $6.44 per bushel, while the nearby May contract […] Read more

CBOT July 2021 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn nears eight-year high on tight supplies

Wheat, soybeans at 2013 peak

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures climbed on Monday to their highest since June 2013 as concerns about South American supplies buoyed the market. Strength in corn pulled wheat and soybeans to eight-year highs. Chicago Board of Trade most-active July corn ended limit up at $6.57-1/2 per bushel (all figures US$). July soybeans gained […] Read more