(Dave Bedard photo)

Dry weather may cut into Canadian crop prospects, AAFC says

MarketsFarm — Dry weather conditions across Western Canada could cut into production prospects in the region, according to updated supply/demand tables released Thursday by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “Extremely dry conditions prevail in large parts of Western Canada, allowing for rapid seeding progress which is trending ahead of normal; however, timely precipitation this spring and […] Read more

Average sea surface temperature anomalies over the equatorial Pacific Ocean for the week centred on May 5, 2021 compared to 1981-2010 base period. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

La Nina done, U.S. CPC says

Neutral weather likely through summer

Reuters — A U.S. government weather forecaster said on Thursday La Nina has ended and El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) neutral conditions are likely to continue through the Northern Hemisphere summer. “ENSO neutral” refers to periods in which neither El Nino nor La Nina is present, often coinciding with the transition between the two weather patterns, […] Read more


Chickpeas. (Grigorenko/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Pulse weekly outlook: Chickpea acres ‘sharply’ down

MarketsFarm — Despite prices higher than last year’s, Canada’s chickpea acres are expected to decline this year and, in turn, will result in less production in the 2021-22 crop year. High-delivered bids for Kabuli chickpeas, the type most commonly grown in Canada, run from 25 to 35 cents/lb., three to seven cents higher than last […] Read more

(iStock/Getty Images Plus)

USDA expects record world wheat crop in 2021-22

MarketsFarm — The latest U.S. forecast puts world wheat production at a new record in 2021-22, with bigger crops in a number of countries more than offsetting expected decreases in Canada and Australia. According to the first outlook for the marketing year from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, total world wheat production for 2021-22 is […] Read more


Walmart Canada bills itself as the first retailer in the country with an on-pack certified-sustainable claim for a line of beef products. (CNW Group/Walmart Canada)

Walmart locks in CRSB claim for in-store beef brand

Chain to be first retailer in Canada with certified-sustainable label on pack

The Canadian arm of Walmart has locked in enough of a supply of certified-sustainable beef to label its entire Your Fresh Market burger patty line accordingly. The retail giant announced Monday it’s now sourcing beef from “certified sustainable” farms and ranches according to standards set by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB). The company […] Read more

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Drought Monitor map for the Prairie provinces as of April 30, 2021. (AAFC)

‘Extreme drought’ expands in Prairies

Southern Manitoba, southeastern Saskatchewan parched

MarketsFarm — The newly released map from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Drought Monitor (CDM) shows the Prairies’ ongoing drought getting worse. According to AAFC’s nationwide map released on Friday, southwestern Manitoba, parts of southern Saskatchewan and the southeast corner of Alberta are under CDM’s classification of Extreme (D3) drought as of April 30. Communities […] Read more

A wall in the medina (ancient city quarter) of Rabat, Morocco’s capital. (Cia.gov)

Morocco reimposing 170 per cent duty on hard wheat

Rabat | Reuters — Morocco will reimpose customs duty on soft and hard wheat of 135 and 170 per cent respectively from May 15 in order to cut imports at a time of higher prices in international markets, the agriculture ministry said Monday. The government had said last week the duties would be reintroduced from […] Read more


(File photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Canada left with very tight canola, barley stocks

'You can't find canola anywhere in the country'

MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada’s grain stocks report leaves no question that canola stocks have been tight for some time in Canada and will continue to be unless demand is slashed, according to independent trader Jerry Klassen in Winnipeg. “You can’t find canola anywhere in the country and the stocks that are out there, a lot […] Read more

(CervusEquipment.com)

Cervus expects chip shortages may continue into fall

Deere dealer chain books increased Q1 profit

The semiconductor chip shortage plaguing automotive and equipment manufacturers may last into the second and even third quarters of the year, farm equipment retailer Cervus Group says. Calgary-based Cervus — which operates 64 dealerships in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, including 38 devoted mainly to Deere farm equipment — expects increased demand to run up […] Read more