Every farm is different, but lentils and mustard are in a league of their own for profitability this year.
Both have seen prices increase steadily through the harvest season, and both already have new crop production contracts available, months before the typical time.
A significant acreage increase is expected for next year, especially for red lentils.
Wheat, feed barley and oats are at the other end of the profitability scale. They are covering variable costs given average provincial yields, but returns of much less than $100 an acre mean fixed costs are not being covered for many growers.
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Durum prices have slipped a bit over the past month, while spring wheat prices are a touch better. Still, durum returns remain significantly better than spring wheat.
Malting barley prices have strengthened this fall and offer good returns for those able to meet the quality requirements.
Canola prices have edged downward over the past month, while flax prices are significantly softer. Interestingly, the crops offer similar returns when provincial average yields are used.
The mix of crops, as well as yields, costs and prices, are different in Alberta and Manitoba, but they share something in common: the economic picture for the crops sector is much more buoyant on this side of the 49th parallel, thanks mainly to the relatively low value of the Canadian dollar.
