(File photo)

Shallow roots potential concern for Manitoba sunflowers

Commodity News Service Canada – Sunflower crops in Manitoba are generally in good shape for this time of year, but excess moisture in the key growing areas have kept root systems shallow, which could create problems later in the season, according to an industry participant. It’s still relatively early for sunflowers, with diseases usually not setting in until […] Read more

(Bruce Fritz photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

North American sunflowers looking good early

CNS Canada –– Sunflower crops in key growing regions of North America are in relatively good shape early in the season, according to reports. However, those good conditions have put some nearby pressure on values, with spot pricing expected to take some direction from the weather and acreage reports over the next few weeks. Sunflower […] Read more

(Bruce Fritz photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Sun shines on oil sunflowers in Manitoba

CNS Canada — Shifting price trends will see Manitoba farmers plant more oilseed sunflowers this year but less of the confectionary varieties, according to industry participants. Manitoba accounts for nearly all of Canada’s sunflower production, with Statistics Canada forecasting planted area in 2016 at 80,000 acres. That would compare with 100,000 acres the previous year. […] Read more

(Bruce Fritz photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Man. sunflower harvest set to start

CNS Canada — Manitoba farmers will soon be harvesting this year’s sunflower crop, and early expectations look good despite some areas of concern. There are certain areas of the province where the sunflowers are starting to break down due to disease or weather issues, said Anastasia Kubinec, an oilseed specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and […] Read more

(Bruce Fritz photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Lower loonie to boost U.S. demand for sunflowers

CNS Canada — Manitoba sunflowers are looking better than they have in recent years, despite minor pest pressure, in one agronomist’s view — and a lower Canadian dollar could be useful for producers looking to sell. Sunflower prices aren’t seeing a lot of movement right now, but demand is good — and with a lower […] Read more


Flea beetle feeding (Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Cutworm, flea beetle pressure piling on Prairie crops

CNS Canada — High levels of cutworms and flea beetles are damaging crops in Western Canada this spring, according to Manitoba’s crop entomologist. Manitoba growers started noticing damage from cutworms this week, said John Gavloski, extension entomologist for Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development in Carman. “They were there in the fields, but they were […] Read more

(Bruce Fritz photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Sunflowers off to good start in Manitoba

CNS Canada — Manitoba’s sunflower crop is off to a good start this year, having largely missed out on any damage from adverse weather over the May long weekend. “We had a good early start (to spring seeding) in the eastern part of the province and things went into some nice warm ground,” said Troy […] Read more

(Bruce Fritz photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Manitoba sunflower acres set to rise

CNS Canada –– An early spring and drier conditions in western Manitoba, together with relatively favourable prices, should lead to an increase in sunflower plantings in the province this year. “Assuming that the southwest won’t be wet this year, we’re expecting that acres will be over 100,000,” said Darcelle Graham, executive director of the National […] Read more


(Bruce Fritz photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Optimism for Canada to plant 100K acres to sunflowers

CNS Canada — Wet weather may have cost western Canadian producers 20,000 acres of sunflowers last year, according to one industry watcher who’s hopeful 2015 will be a little kinder. “We were anticipating over 100,000 acres last year and as it turned out we came into that 80,000 range,” said Ben Friesen, purchasing manager for […] Read more

(Monsanto.com)

Manitoba to boost insurance coverage on pedigreed soybeans

Increased coverage for pedigreed soybeans is among the changes planned for Manitoba’s provincial crop insurance program for the 2015 growing season. Soybeans are expected to be the largest pedigreed seed crop in Manitoba this year, the province said in a release, and the increased coverage is expected to reflect the “additional cost” of producing the […] Read more