Prairie barley growers may wonder why prices are falling even as their stocks dwindle, but “this is just a readjustment of the whole commodities complex,” says a grain broker.  |  File photo

VIDEO: ‘Outside markets’ weigh on ag prices

Interest rates, crude oil prices, investment flows and global trade disruptions can influence crop and livestock markets

When broker David Derwin heard Donald Trump twice invoke “drill baby, drill” in his acceptance speech at the Republican national convention, he worried about what that might mean for western Canadian farmers. “Given the growing influence of oil on renewable fuels and therefore oilseeds, ‘drill, baby, drill’ is not supportive of canola,” said Derwin, a […] Read more

CGC pulls grain dealer’s licence after payment complaints

LSM Commodities operates elevators in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and buys grain from producers across the Prairies

WINNIPEG — Kelly Arthurs has never had a problem with non-payment for a grain delivery — until this spring. On May 10, two semi-trucks came to Arthurs’ farm in west-central Saskatchewan and loaded up with red lentils. Arthurs waited weeks for payment from LSM Commodities, a Saskatoon grain dealer, but the cheque never arrived. “Twice […] Read more

Many variables affect canola loss rates out the back of the combine during harvest, and they are difficult to isolate.  |  File photo

Study looks for ways to tackle volunteer canola

A researcher from the University of Manitoba says harvest loss and herbicide options underpin management efforts

Research from the University of Manitoba aims to get a better handle on the problem of volunteer canola in soybeans. It begins with preventing canola from escaping the back of the combine the year before. There’s already been a lot of work on volunteer canola issues and canola harvest loss. Rob Gulden, U of M […] Read more


Administration of APP could change

WHITEHORSE — Farmer-led organizations could lose their ability to run the Advance Payments Program, the largest administrator warned recently. About 30 organizations handle the program on behalf of the federal government. Dave Carey, vice-president of government and industry relations at the Canadian Canola Growers Association, said Ottawa is considering handing national administration to Farm Credit […] Read more

A side-by-side comparison of a tilled, left, and no-till field is part of a trial on Jade Leicht’s organic farm.  |  Janelle Rudolph photo

Organic producers attempt to make no-till work

Soil microbiology, diversity and nutrient cycling among considerations if farmers want to ditch the iron, consultant says

Producers went back to biology class during a recent SaskOrganic’s field day in Spalding, Sask., and biodiversity was one of the lessons. Kevin Elmy, cover crop consultant with Imperial Seed, urged producers to design systems that will increase species diversity. A truly diverse system, he said, should include a legume, grass and a forb to […] Read more


Danny Hacault drops 10 cm of topsoil back on the top of a knoll at his farm near Swan Lake, Man.  Hacault participated in a University of Manitoba field experiment, which determined that moving soil from the lower slopes can drastically improve yield on the top of the knoll, by as much as 133 percent.

When topsoil moves uphill

LANGHAM, Sask. — Jeff Schoenau is one of those people who can naturally draw a crowd. At last month’s Ag in Motion farm show near Langham, Schoenau walked down a set of temporary steps into a soil pit and began speaking about the basics of soil science. As he began his presentation, visitors at the […] Read more

Japan imported $625 million worth of pork from Canada in the first five months of the year, up from $358 million during the same period in 2023. | Reuters/Kimimasa Mayama photo

Japan’s low yen boosts Canadian pork exports

Canada’s sales to the Asian country have seen a major jump this year as its currency struggles against the U.S. dollar

WINNIPEG — Thanks to a currency advantage, Canada’s pork exports to Japan have exploded in 2024. In the first five months of the year, Japan imported $625 million worth of pork from Canada. That’s up from $358 million in sales during the same period in 2023, which means exports have jumped 75 per cent in […] Read more

Many Brazilian farmers are undeterred by international efforts to stop deforestation in the Amazon.  |  Reuters/ Bruno Kelly photo

Farm vs. forest fight breaks out in the Amazon

Brazil’s ag sector defends expansion of farmland into the rainforest as concerns mount over the continuing loss of trees

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Thomson Reuters Foundation) — Brazilian farmers are feeling the effects of the climate emergency as drought and floods wreak havoc across the country, but despite poor harvests and rotting crops, they are fighting to protect their right to fell more trees and convert grasslands. The southern Rio Grande do Sul state […] Read more


Ag Notes

BMO funds ag literacy The University of Calgary plans to launch a program to change how society perceives and interacts with the food system, funded by a $1 million donation from BMO. The program, called Ag Literacy for Healthier People and Planet, will “help build understanding about the complexities of the agricultural system” and the […] Read more

CASA calls out The Amazing Race Canada for agricultural stunt

CASA calls out The Amazing Race Canada for agricultural stunt

Glacier FarmMedia – An agriculture safety group is calling out reality show The Amazing Race Canada for putting its contestants a risky position while taking part in a farm-related task. “We acknowledge that reality television aims to entertain, but it is crucial that such portrayals do not inadvertently glamorize or normalize serious risks,” said Andrea […] Read more