Canada is the largest producer and exporter of potash, and 75 per cent of all the fertilizer produced and used in the country is moved via the railways. | Screencap via x.com/@MosaicCompany

Rail stoppage to hit fertilizer sector hard

REUTERS — Fertilizer Canada warns that disruptions impacting all rail services across the country will cost the fertilizer industry an estimated $55 to $63 million per day in lost sales revenue, not including logistical and operational costs. Canada is the largest producer and exporter of potash, and 75 per cent of all the fertilizer produced […] Read more

Top potash producer Nutrien said the potential stoppage could impact its full-year sales volumes forecast for potash - the main ingredient in fertilizer. | File photo

Rail stoppage would affect a variety of industries

REUTERS — Canada’s freight rail network could come to a grinding halt this week, likely extracting a huge economic toll across industries as the country’s two leading rail companies plan an unprecedented work stoppage. Both Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City plan to lock out workers on Thursday as talks with the Teamsters […] Read more

Companies that make inputs such as fertilizer and herbicides say farmers are making purchases. | File photo

Ag input sales at good levels in U.S.

NEW YORK (Reuters) — Sales of agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and crop care products have been near normal in the United States despite lower grain prices, while they are not as good in South America, according to agricultural input producers. Executives from companies such as Mosaic, Bayer AG and Corteva said during last week’s […] Read more


The federal government subsidizes the use of ESN and other enhanced efficiency fertilizers through the On Farm Climate Action Fund.  |  File photo

ESN use increases, thanks to federal subsidy

WINNIPEG — Environmentally Smart Nitrogen has been around for about two decades. Twenty years is a long time, so it’s easy to forget why Canadian farmers initially bought and used the polymer-coated fertilizer. In the early 2000s, few people talked about greenhouse gas emissions from cropland, but farmers were concerned about something else. “Probably the […] Read more

Sask Polytech has renamed its School of Mining, Manufacturing and Engineering Technologies the Nutrien School of Mining, Manufacturing and Engineering Technologies in appreciation of the company's recent $15 million donation. | Screencap via Facebook/Nutrien

Nutrien donates to new campus

Nutrien has donated $15 million to Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Saskatoon to support the construction of the school’s new Saskatoon campus. To recognize the donation, Sask Polytech has renamed its School of Mining, Manufacturing and Engineering Technologies the Nutrien School of Mining, Manufacturing and Engineering Technologies. Located at Innovation Place adjacent to the University of Saskatchewan, […] Read more


Potash prices have been falling after shipments from Belarus and Russia resumed. These exports had been significantly restricted last year following Western sanctions imposed on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. | Screencap via nutrien.com

Nutrien profit takes hit as potash prices fall

REUTERS — Nutrien fell short of analysts’ estimates for third-quarter profit, as lower potash prices weighed on the world’s biggest fertilizer producer. Potash prices have been falling after shipments from Belarus and Russia resumed. These exports had been significantly restricted last year following Western sanctions imposed on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. […] Read more

In the United States, overall greenhouse gas emissions increased by 5.2 percent between 2020 and 2021, according to an annual report produced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Agricultural emissions dropped by 0.2 percent over that same period after falling 2.7 percent the previous year and 2.2 percent the year before that. | Screencap via epa.gov

Agriculture called only U.S. sector to reduce emissions

Head of Nutrien says the industry must embrace innovation, collaboration and acceleration to continue making progress

The agriculture sector is making strides in reducing its carbon footprint, says the head of the world’s largest fertilizer company. In the United States, overall greenhouse gas emissions increased by 5.2 percent between 2020 and 2021, according to an annual report produced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Agricultural emissions dropped by 0.2 percent over […] Read more

The Redwater fertilizer plant near Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.

Nutrien not selling assets

WINNIPEG (Reuters) — Canadian potash producer Nutrien is not looking to sell assets to raise capital, chief executive officer Ken Seitz said, as falling fertilizer prices have caused it to scrap projects and trim costs. Nutrien said Aug. 2 that it would halt plans to expand potash production in Saskatchewan and end work on a […] Read more


Dry, cracked soil.

Drought can have an impact on soil test results

The direct damage from drought is obvious, but the real hurt might lie deeper in the soil and affect next year’s crop

The crop-killing drought that’s hanging prairie crops out to dry will have an impact on residual nutrients this fall. What can producers expect to see in their soil tests? That’s the question probed by Karl Wyant, agronomy director at Nutrien. In a phone interview, Wyant said there are several effects that growers may notice on […] Read more

A photo of pivot irrigation watering a field.

Growing more crop per drop

As irrigation water allocations become more scarce, irrigation farmers battle each other and government regulators for water rights. Some parties have expressed concern about the long-term sustainability of irrigation farming. Nutrien agronomy director Karl Wyant lives in Arizona. He said working in the ag sector while living in a desert focuses one’s attention on the […] Read more