Brown mustard. (Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Mustard bids dropping due to lack of contracts

CNS Canada — Bid levels for Canadian mustard are dropping, according to an industry expert who says many producers grew crops without a contract. “Half the acres in Saskatchewan would have been put into the ground without a contract,” said Walter Dyck of Olds Products at Lethbridge, Alta. Right now, Dyck said, many producers are […] Read more



Green peas. (PulseCanada.com)

Pea prices steady but questions loom over water damage

CNS Canada –– Questions over quality could be the biggest factor facing pea farmers in Western Canada this year, as a wet summer has caused sprouting, staining and bleaching in crops near the Manitoba/Saskatchewan border. “It was the rain after seeding that hurt us,” said Shannon Friesen, a regional crop specialist with the Saskatchewan government […] Read more

(Doug Wilson photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Lethbridge cash barley market feeling pressure

CNS Canada — The cash barley market in the strategically important area of Lethbridge, Alta. is under pressure right now because of weather issues and a delayed harvest, industry watchers said. “The market is under a bit of pressure but we’re not getting hit with any great volume yet,” said Allen Pirness, senior trader at […] Read more

Red lentils. (Pulse Canada photo)

Lentil prices rise with Prairie rains, Asian demand

CNS Canada — A lentil watcher says Canadian prices for the crop are surging higher right now, in response to frequent Prairie rains and international demand. “It’s more than your usual slow rally, it (the market) spiked higher; especially the greens, which are shooting up right now,” said Chuck Penner of LeftField Commodity Research in […] Read more


Swathed canola under snow at Barons, Alta. on Sept. 9. (Lee Hart photo)

Crop damage varies across Prairies

CNS Canada –– Last week’s Prairie frost seems to have bitten Alberta crops the hardest, but all across Western Canada, crop experts say wet, cold weather poses challenges to late-stage development. In Alberta, a hard frost came the night of Sept. 10 and morning of Sept. 11. “The cereals and canola that were least ripe, […] Read more

(Monsanto.com)

‘Average’ Manitoba corn harvest pushed back

CNS Canada –– A southern Manitoba corn agronomist says most corn farmers in the province can expect to see average yields this season. “Normally harvest would begin in late September but I would be surprised if that happened. I think it will be the first or second week of October,” said Morgan Cott of the […] Read more

A sunflower crop near Fargo, North Dakota. Further north, Manitoba growers expect to begin desiccating soon if forecasts co-operate. (File photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Sunflowers prepare to deal with frost challenges

CNS Canada — As the potential for frost mounts in Western Canada, sunflower watchers say the crop should be OK, as long as temperatures don’t hit -4 C or lower. Troy Turner, an agronomist with the National Sunflower Association of Canada, said his phone began ringing last week when cooler temperatures approached Manitoba; farmers wanted […] Read more


(Lisa Guenther photo)

CBOT corn, soybeans brace for USDA report

CNS Canada — Soybean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade fell lower during the week ended Wednesday, as expectations of a record-large harvest in the U.S. pushed values below the US$10 per bushel level. “I think going through US$10 futures in the November contract was very psychologically damaging,” said Brian Rydlund, a market analyst […] Read more

(Doug Wilson photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Malt barley prospects decline with excess moisture

CNS Canada — It looks like this year’s Canadian malt barley crop could be a lot smaller than originally expected. Canada’s 2014-15 barley production was estimated at 7.2 million tonnes by Statistics Canada. This compares to last year’s total of 10.2 million tonnes. That estimate, however, was before persistent rains swept across the Prairies during […] Read more