Weather & Production Tips

Prairies tell a tale of two flax crops

By GFM Network News October 20, 2016

CNS Canada — A large portion of Canada’s flaxseed crop is still in the field, leaving questions over the size and quality of what will eventually be harvested. About a third of the flaxseed crop is still left in the field in Saskatchewan, by the estimate of Tom Leier, senior grain buyer with Scoular Special […] Read more

Canola, Crops, Reuters, Weather

Harvest woes rally canola, turn some farmers into winners

By Rod Nickel, GFM Network News October 20, 2016

Winnipeg | Reuters –– As some Western Canada farmers watched rain and snow turn their ripening canola fields into bogs, Rob Stone could count his blessings. Harvest weather was kinder to his farm at Davidson, Sask., about 100 km southeast of Saskatoon, and Stone finished harvesting canola by mid-September. Then, when worries about four million […] Read more

Hogs, Livestock, Reuters, Weather

Smithfield sees pork operations back to normal Monday

By GFM Network News October 17, 2016

Wilmington, N.C. | Reuters — Smithfield Foods expects to resume full production on Monday at its North Carolina meat operations, including the world’s largest pork plant, more than a week after Hurricane Matthew struck the U.S. Southeast and triggered widespread flooding in the state. Operations will get back to normal at Smithfield’s four North Carolina […] Read more

Crops, Reuters, Weather

U.S. forecaster sees La Nina likely in coming months

By Reuters, GFM Network News October 14, 2016

New York | Reuters — A U.S. government forecaster on Thursday said the chance has increased for weather phenomenon La Nina developing in the coming months in the Northern Hemisphere fall and persist into winter 2016-17. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC), an agency of the National Weather Service, in a monthly forecast pegged the chance […] Read more

Snow on farmland at Turtle Lake in northwestern Saskatchewan on Oct. 14, 2016. (Lisa Guenther photo)

Crops, Weather

Snow causing more harvest grief in Alberta, Saskatchewan

By GFM Network News October 14, 2016

CNS Canada — Snow and freezing rain continues to hamper harvest progress across a large portion of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Environment Canada issued weather warnings and alerts for much of central and northern growing regions of Alberta and Saskatchewan on Friday. Up to 15 cm of snow are forecast, with freezing rain also likely in […] Read more

Crops, News, Weather

Heavy rain and snow stalls harvest, sunny weather relief in the forecast

Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending October 10

By Saskatchewan Agriculture October 13, 2016

Heavy rain and snow over the past several days has stalled harvest. Eighty-one per cent of the 2016 crop is combined and 15 per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. The five-year (2011-2015) average for this time of year is 93 per cent combined. The southeast has […] Read more

NASA’s Terra satellite observes Post-Tropical Cyclone Matthew being absorbed by a cold front along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard on Oct. 9 at 11:45 a.m. ET. (NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team)

Livestock, Poultry/Eggs, Reuters, Weather

Millions of chickens reported dead in Hurricane Matthew floods

By Tom Polansek, GFM Network News October 13, 2016

Chicago | Reuters — Flooding from Hurricane Matthew has killed up to five million poultry birds in North Carolina, most of them chickens, the state’s top environmental official said Wednesday. Donald van der Vaart, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, also told Reuters that some pits that hold hog waste on farms […] Read more

Canola, Crops, Markets, Weather

ICE weekly outlook: Canola watching weather

By GFM Network News October 12, 2016

CNS Canada — Snow, rain and cold temperatures over the past week helped canola futures trend higher, hitting their strongest levels in three months. With about a fifth of the crop facing harvest delays, more gains are possible, but the large U.S. soybean crop remains a bearish influence in the background. “Farmers continue to struggle […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Reuters, Weather

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans drop on weather view

By GFM Network News October 7, 2016

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures weakened on Friday on forecasts for dry weather in the Midwest that will allow farmers to pick up the pace of what is expected to be a record harvest of both crops, traders said. Wheat futures also eased as investors squared positions ahead of a key […] Read more

Crops, Weather

Manitoba sunflowers ready for harvest

By GFM Network News October 7, 2016

CNS Canada — Most sunflower fields in southern Manitoba are ready for harvest, but the province first needs to see some drier weather. A handful of fields have seen some harvest activity already, “but the bulk is still to come,” said Ben Friesen, purchasing manager with Scoular Canada at Winkler, Man. “If the sun shines, […] Read more

Daily Network News

Southern California honeybees show resistance to varroa mites

Pulse Weekly: SaskPulse optimistic despite input, crop price concerns

Canadian aquaculture should be classed as agriculture, industry groups say

Weather