A corn crop in the RM of St. Andrews in Manitoba’s Interlake region on July 5, 2018. (Greg Berg photo)

Ontario, Manitoba corn crops need rain

CNS Canada — Corn development in key growing areas of Ontario and Manitoba remains highly variable as the crop nears its yield-determining phase. “The pollination stage is the critical part of the corn-growing period and I would say probably within the next three weeks we will know what yield is going to look like,” said […] Read more

Pinto beans. (Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Pulse weekly outlook: Manitoba beans podding, flowering

CNS Canada — A lack of moisture continues to plague Manitoba’s edible beans, but according to one specialist, the crop should still enjoy another strong year. “Most areas have gotten just enough rain to keep things in good condition,” said provincial pulse specialist Dennis Lange. The Winkler region, long considered a major planting area for […] Read more


(Dave Clark photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. grains: Corn at contract lows, soy dips below $9

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures fell to life-of-contract lows on Monday and soybeans briefly dipped below US$9 a bushel for the first time since 2016 as favourable weather outlooks bolstered yield prospects and trade tensions threatened export demand, analysts said. Chicago Board of Trade soft red winter wheat futures also sagged and K.C. […] Read more

Environment Canada on April 30 released this forecast map for the probability of above-normal precipitation for the period of May through July 2018.

May showers likely to leave growers unsatisfied

CNS Canada — Canada’s Prairies can expect to see regular rainfall in most regions during May, but it likely won’t be enough to offset dry conditions recorded over the past several months. According to Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. in Kansas City, the first half of May should see average rainfall amounts in most […] Read more


Sea surface temperature anomalies (in degrees Celsius) over the equatorial Pacific for the week centred on Feb. 21. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

Spring outlook cooler for Prairies, warmer for Ontario

Growers in parts of Ontario may get an early start on planting this spring, while Prairie fields may see lingering snow and later-than-average last frosts. WeatherFarm’s spring forecast, powered by U.S.-based DTN Progressive Farmer, projects a cold start to the spring as likely for the western half of Canada, reversing the milder conditions shown over […] Read more

(Thinkstock photo)

Forecast rain to cause few problems for Peace farmers

CNS Canada — As rain threatens to disrupt harvest in parts of the Prairies this week and next, the Peace region of northwestern Alberta is attracting added attention. While rains are forecast to be fairly general across eastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba over the next week or so, they are expected to cause minimal damage and […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

FCC pledges flexibility for soaked Ontario, Quebec growers

Canada’s federal ag lending agency has announced a customer support program to limit “financial pressure” on its farming clients in rain-soaked areas of western Quebec and eastern Ontario. Farm Credit Canada on Wednesday announced the program, in which it said it “will work with customers to come up with solutions for their operation(s) to reduce […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola trades on weather

CNS Canada — It’s the time of year when canola prices closely follow the weather, and while recent rain has caused some losses, the market could hold onto its premium. “In some ways you could say it’s a classic weather market,” said Jon Driedger, senior market analyst at FarmLink Marketing. Prices had gained following dryness […] Read more

This trial near Beeton, Ont., was thought to have been lost, but timely drainage has saved it. (Photo courtesy Eugenia Banks, Ontario Potato Board)

Pearce: Heavy rains cause losses in Ontario potato fields

After a month of good growing conditions and positive reports amid sporadic news on disease potential, word from one of Ontario’s potato-growing regions is that roughly 1,000 acres of potatoes have been lost due to flooding. Drenching rains in midwestern Ontario have left both commercial fields and variety plots ruined. Rainfall amounts from June 22 […] Read more