Crop Management
Wheat, soybean and corn prices are expected to drop in 2022-23 but will remain well above their historic averages, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. It is forecasting a season-average farm price of $6.80 per bushel for wheat, down 50 cents per bu. from 2021-22 levels. That is due to an 83 million […] Read more
Crop Management
Record U.S. ag exports expected
The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts another record year of U.S. agricultural exports in 2022. The country shipped out US$177 billion worth of agricultural commodities in 2021, an 18 percent increase over the previous year. The forecast for 2022 is for a new record of $183.5 billion. “This, ladies and gentlemen, is unprecedented, this is […] Read more
War expected to sharply increase wheat prices
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could drive up global wheat prices from 30 to 100 percent, according to a Rabobank analysis. War is likely to at least temporarily halt Ukraine’s wheat, barley and corn exports, which could cause a 30 percent hike in wheat prices and a 20 percent increase in corn, according to an analysis […] Read more
The rolling stock does doesn’t always roll on down the line
Rail cars sitting sidelined draw interest from producers and industry watchers, but for different reasons
The Western Producer receives calls weekly from readers curious to know why the prairie provinces have what seems to be an un-precedented number of idle rail cars setting on sidings. Prairie sidings seem to be hosting a lineup of grain hoppers, coal hoppers, potash cars, tankers, reefers, flat beds and even some of those old […] Read more
Recycle everything but the paint
If 90 percent of the world’s iron and steel gets smelted and made into new steel, then the rail industry scores high with 100 percent converted into new steel. The Gerdau Steel Mill in Selkirk, Man., buys and recycles about 1,000 out-of-commission rail cars every year, according to a senior manager who wishes to remain […] Read more
Precision ag machinery reaching two minutes to midnight point
Combining data and information processing with the field tools to put it to work forms Fieldin’s future
Fieldin is already the most-used digital platform for growers of high-value orchard crops, but it’s moving into the agricultural robotics space with the acquisition of Midnight Robotics late last year. Yonatan Horovitz was a co-founder of Midnight Robotics and he now holds the role of chief autonomy officer at Fieldin. He said the path towards […] Read more
Love that lonesome whistle in the night
Some people object to the rumble and whistle of a train. The noise can interrupt their beauty naps. Rail crossings make them late for golf. And diesel fumes stink. Some of the anti-rail folks get so uptight they sign petitions, hold demonstration and phone the radio call-in talk shows. Ironically, in my area, the anti-rail […] Read more
Capturing field realities on the go tells tale
Advances in machine learning have enabled agricultural companies to deploy new systems that enhance their services. One of the latest companies to hop onto the artificial intelligence bandwagon is Croptimistic Technology that is going to market with its SWAT Cam in a limited release this summer. Derek Rude of Croptimistic said SWAT Cam’s automated cameras […] Read more
To all the Versatiles we have loved before
Our 1,000 acre farm is 40 kilometres southeast of the Versatile factory. The farm is not a crazy amount of work, which allows me to do other things beside farm. The size of the farm doesn’t let me buy much new equipment. The last new implement I bought was a canola swath roller in 1997. […] Read more
Ukraine shuts ports as conflict threatens grain supplies
MOSCOW/KYIV, Feb 24 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s military has suspended commercial shipping at its ports after Russian forces invaded the country, an adviser to the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff said, stoking fear of supply disruption from the leading grain and oilseeds exporters. Russia earlier suspended the movement of commercial vessels in the Azov Sea until […] Read more
