Hail damage | Insurance claims piling up following late July hailstorm in southern Alberta
Shattered grain stalks and mangled canola crops litter Allen Bergen’s farmland south of Spring Coulee, Alta. A potential bumper crop of wheat, barley and canola was wiped out in a 20 minute hailstorm July 26 that cut a swath from Hillspring to Cardston and into Montana, damaging the crops and property of many. “Some of […] Read moreNews
Alta. farmer left with few options after storm
Longtime crop breeder honoured in China
Vern Burrow’s long and distinguished career as an Agriculture Canada oat breeder was winding down in the late 1990s when he asked himself an unusual question. Over his more than four decades of oat breeding that led to 27 of his varieties being registered and his work with hulless oat varieties being widely recognized, he […] Read more
Crop report
MANITOBA Southwest Sporadic rain and storms hit the region in the latter half of July, with precipitation amounts ranging from 15 to 40 millimetres. More precipitation in early August is needed to aid grain filling and for pasture re-growth. Aster yellows is present in canola and in flax crops at levels higher than normal. Most […] Read more
Canola finishes the week on a positive note
November canola got some legs under it today, moving up $4.80 to $618. January and March also moved up on the ICE markets, seeing $6.10 and $6.20 increases to $621.10 and $621.90 respectively. The big gainers in canola were May and July 2013. They were up $9.60 and $10.10, closing the gaps with nearer-term markets, […] Read more
Researcher discovers field sequence affects yield
Flax thrives when planted after wheat | The secret lies with beneficial fungi that flourish in wheat fields and boost uptake
About 10 years ago, Marcia Monreal, an Agriculture Canada scientist at the Brandon Research Centre, was part of a field experiment that demonstrated how flax yields are influenced by crop sequence. Monreal and her Ag Canada colleagues found that flax yields are significantly higher if the preceding crop is wheat and lower if the previous […] Read more
CWB prepares for next chapter
‘Business as usual’ | CWB now operates as a voluntary marketing agency and competes for customers
A revamped version of the CWB will enter the new crop year with a clean balance sheet, a streamlined workforce, a revised lineup of marketing contracts and a new corporate identity. But lingering legal issues surrounding the demise of the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly have yet to be resolved and likely won’t be for months, […] Read moreWestern Producer crop report
Alberta Peace Pre-harvest spraying of peas has begun across many areas of the region including fields from Grimshaw to Dawson Creek, B.C. While crop conditions are generally dry, crops are still considered above average for many areas. Pockets of dry areas have advanced crops dramatically. Harvest of peas and wheat at La Crete because of […] Read more
New shortline railway opens in Manitoba’s Interlake region
A producer-owned railway between Selkirk and Gimli is now running in Manitoba, which will serve approximately 2,000 farmers in the southern Interlake. Lake Line Railroad officially launched its 50 kilometre railway yesterday at a press conference in Gimli. “The acquisition of the rail assets ensures marketing options for farmers in the Interlake and opens up […] Read more
Ontario ag minister delivers straight goods on ag supports
Open discussion Ted McMeekin earns praise from Canadian Federation of Agriculture for transparency on farm cuts
TORONTO — Ontario agriculture minister Ted McMeekin became an instant favourite among Canadian Federation of Agriculture leaders when he became the first minister to candidly discuss impending farm support cuts. He told the summer meeting of CFA directors, including provincial presidents and national executive, that the federal and provincial ministers’ September meeting in Whitehorse appears […] Read moreCanola closes down slightly
American drought continues to be the markets mover. In the USDA’s Drought Monitor for this week the overall situation of the Midwest’s crops is worsening. Five percent of the Midwestern crops are classified as being part of an exceptional drought, while another 28 percent are classified as extreme. Very high temperatures and a lack of […] Read more
