MarketsFarm — Wheat bids in Western Canada were mixed for the week ended Thursday. Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheats saw losses, while Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) saw gains. The Canadian dollar was higher for most of the past week, topping off at 75.55 U.S. cents on Tuesday, […] Read more

Prairie cash wheat: CWRS down, durum up

Trump’s EPA promises biofuel boost, angers Big Oil
Washington/New York | Reuters — The Trump administration on Friday unveiled a plan to boost U.S. biofuels consumption starting next year to help struggling farmers, a move that cheered the agriculture industry but triggered a backlash from Big Oil. The plan would require an unspecified increase in the amount of ethanol that oil refiners must […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn falls; wheat, soy rise
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures dropped on Friday while soybeans and wheat edged higher in muted trading as investors waited for the U.S. government’s monthly update to harvest projections. Corn futures remained under pressure from profit-taking after prices jumped to a seven-week high on Tuesday. The market shrugged off long-awaited news that the […] Read more

Paterson stakes Manitoba site for oat processing plant
Up to a quarter million tonnes of oats per year could find a new end use as a Winnipeg agrifood company sets up a new oat processing plant near its home base. Privately-held Paterson GlobalFoods (PGF) announced Thursday it will start construction “immediately” on the new plant, on part of its 600-acre site next to […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybean futures slip on technical sales
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures weakened on Thursday, retreating from early gains on technical selling after failing to take out the 10-week high hit on Tuesday, traders said. Wheat futures ended little changed, supported by a surprise export deal with China. But traders said more bullish inputs were needed to push prices back […] Read more

Feed weekly outlook: Snowfall boosts spot barley bids
MarketsFarm — Spot barley prices have received support from last weekend’s snows in southern Alberta, but the major barley-growing regions were mostly spared. While the cold and wet weather has delayed harvest activity, a promising forecast should allow for harvest to resume in the Red Deer area, where most of the barley crop is located. […] Read more

U.S. grains: Technical selling pushes wheat, corn, soy lower
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn, soybean and wheat futures fell on Wednesday on a round of technical selling after posting sharp gains earlier this week, traders said. Wheat fell most, with the benchmark Chicago Board of Trade December soft red winter wheat contract sinking 2.1 per cent, its biggest daily loss since Aug. 30. […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy tops two-month high on China buying, inventory shock
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures prices rose to the highest level in more than two months on Tuesday, adding to gains from the previous session when Chinese purchases and a lower-than-expected estimate of U.S. stockpiles buoyed prices. Corn also advanced after rallying four per cent on Monday as a quarterly U.S. Department of […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy, corn rally on smaller-than-expected stockpiles
Chicago | Reuters — China bought more U.S. soybeans on Monday as the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported crop stockpiles were smaller than traders expected, sending futures prices to nine-week highs. Corn futures set an eight-week high after the USDA report also showed tighter-than-expected inventories of the yellow grain. Farmers welcomed the rallies after crop […] Read more

Zone sampling for soil tests allows for more detail, accuracy
Vague soil sampling results can provide misleading information
Sampling soil by zone is more efficient and accurate than using grids or bulk sampling methods, an agronomist with Clark Agri Services says. Bulk samples, having one sample for the whole field, are the simplest, yet not the most accurate when comparing to more detailed sample methods. Vague soil sample results can provide inaccurate information. […] Read more