Hay being loaded onto a Titan Trailer by Charlie Martens, who with his brother Joe made the donation.

With farmers in need, the industry stepped up

Ontario companies and farmers have been eager to help with feed shortages

The plight of drought-stricken farmers in northwestern Ontario and the Prairies has had many Ontario farmers and businesses wondering how they can help. Those co-ordinating the efforts to move hay to those in need say the response has been overwhelming. “We didn’t realize when we started that we would actually have tons of people phone […] Read more


A corn crop near London, Ont. in July 2021. Relatively good yields down east may lead to more Prairie livestock feeders “jumping on the corn bandwagon.” (Farmtario photo by John Greig)

Feed weekly outlook: Crop estimates show severity of drought

'Corn bandwagon' filling up

MarketsFarm — Preliminary crop yield estimates released by Statistics Canada on Monday outlined just how severely the drought in Western Canada cut into production. Mike Fleischhauer, general manager for Eagle Commodities at Lethbridge, Alta., was not at all surprised by the numbers. “I think we knew that was happening all along,” he said. “There are […] Read more



(Viorika/E+/Getty Images)

Thunder Bay reports rare inbound grain shipment

MarketsFarm — Grain movement at the Port of Thunder Bay included a rare inbound cargo of feed wheat, according to the port’s latest monthly report. A 12,000-tonne shipment of feed wheat was delivered to Richardson’s Current River elevator from the company’s facility in Hamilton, Ont. The wheat was said to be destined for Manitoba feedlots, […] Read more

File photo of a canola crop south of Ethelton, Sask. in 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Nexera canola seed to come with heat blast insurance

Corteva's 'Heat Advantage' provides coverage on seed purchased by Oct. 29

Farmers can’t prevent canola flowers from aborting in hot weather resulting in lower yields, but one seed company is providing some insurance against it — as part of the price of the seed. Brevant’s Nexera canola seed comes with a “a first-of-its-kind” insurance policy worth up to $100 an acre to offset yield losses due […] Read more



Farmer and Grainews columnist Toban Dyck inspects wheat on July 6, 2021 near Winkler, Man., where hot and dry weather has led to thin, uneven stands. (Photo: Reuters/Rod Nickel)

StatsCan confirms Canada’s crop production down in 2021

Corn expected to be lone exception

MarketsFarm — Production of most of Canada’s major grain, oilseed and pulse crops was down substantially in 2021-22, as drought conditions across the Prairies cut into yields, according to preliminary estimates released Monday by Statistics Canada. Of the major crops, only corn was expected to see a slight increase in production on the year as […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Smaller crops anticipated in looming StatsCan report

Survey-based data due out Monday

MarketsFarm — Heat and drought across Western Canada during the summer of 2021 seriously cut into the country’s crop production, raising traders’ expectations for reduced yields across the board when Statistics Canada on Monday releases its first production estimates of the year. Canola production is estimated at 11.5 million to 16 million tonnes, which would […] Read more