While it was unreasonable to think grain prices would continue to rise indefinitely, the abrupt market correction is disconcerting. Old crop stocks are low on most farms, so the real pain comes in new crop values. Canola is the most notable. Seeing futures prices surpass $1,100 a tonne was surreal. So was the drop back […] Read more
Flax
Unpriced grain promises to be a risky business
Canadian flax crop looks to be in good shape
Acres have fallen in the United States, but the industry remains confident supplies will be adequate for customers’ needs
A processor and exporter of Canadian flax remains confident about supplies despite plummeting acres in the United States. “We were a bit nervous on being short acres and bushels to fill our contracts for our ingredient companies but that seems to be gone now,” said Evan Johnson, sales manager with TA Foods Ltd. in Yorkton, […] Read more
Flax straw biomass plant signs first contract with farmer
Bioenergy company banks on eventual biomass market in Saskatchewan but for now it will export its pellets overseas
Farmers have another potential market for their flax straw. Start-up company Prairie Clean Energy has built a flax biomass pellet production facility in Regina, which it debuted at the recent Canada’s Farm Show. Prairie Clean Energy is hoping Saskatchewan will convert to biomass in the near future, but for now the plant will produce 60,000 […] Read more
Canadian flax crop looks to be in good shape
A processor and exporter of Canadian flax remains confident about supplies despite plummeting acres in the United States. “We were a bit nervous on being short acres and bushels to fill our contracts for our ingredient companies but that seems to be gone now,” said Evan Johnson, sales manager with TA Foods Ltd. in Yorkton, […] Read more
Early season hailstorm affects Saskatchewan
Coating the ground like heavy snow, many of the unseasonable hail’s effects that struck near Regina unknown so far
An early spring storm hit Regina-area communities June 10, with hail hammering spots around the Trans-Canada Highway west of Regina. A narrow strip of intense rain and hail struck quickly, blanketing fields and ditches with so much hail it looked like a mid-June snowstorm. “It was shock, basically,” said Geoff Vallance, a farmer in the […] Read more
APAS wants crop insurance extension
Saskatchewan’s general farm organization is asking for an extension to the crop insurance seeding deadline. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan said weather has prevented farmers in some regions from getting into their fields. In particular, southeastern and northeastern areas have been hit hard by heavy snowfall, cool temperatures and excessive rain this spring. Although […] Read more
Alberta seeding ahead of five-year average
While the rate of spring planting in Alberta is 12.2 percent complete overall, there’s a disparity between the south and the rest of the province. Also, the pace was 2.6 points above the five-year average but 5.2 behind last year. As of May 3, Alberta Agriculture found seeding in the south was at 36.5 percent […] Read more
Flax may provide reproductive fuel
Saskatchewan researchers find that steer calves from cows supplemented with dietary fat had greater wean weights
A recent study found that pregnant cows produce healthier offspring when flax is added to their diets. “You are what your mother ate,” said Bart Lardner from the Department of Animal and Poultry Science at the University of Saskatchewan. Lardner spoke at a recent webinar about the benefits of flax supplementation in beef cattle diets. […] Read more
Knowing glyphosate well puts money to the bottom line
I recall Roundup herbicide being sold for $60 per litre. It was a celebrated win when the price dropped to $40 and then $30 per litre. This was the 360 grams per litre formulation. It was a déjà vu moment when I began hearing of $16 a litre of Roundup Transorb. A quick conversion to […] Read more
Seeding report about more than just canola acres
Well, I was wrong. In this column back in early April, I predicted a rise in canola acreage given its strong new crop prices and superior crop insurance coverage. That isn’t what farmers told Statistics Canada for the seeding intentions report released April 26. StatsCan has canola acreage down seven percent compared to last year. […] Read more
