Photo: Greg Berg

Saskatchewan crops in decent shape heading into August

MarketsFarm – Crops throughout Saskatchewan rated as being in fair to good condition, according to the latest weekly crop report from Saskatchewan Agriculture. As of July 27, spring cereals, canola, field peas and soybeans were said to be in fair to excellent. The report said winter wheat and fall rye were ripening and maturing. Harvest […] Read more

CBOT August 2020 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans trim back on improved crop conditions

Wheat gains on weaker U.S. currency

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures fell on Tuesday, despite renewed exports to China, after the U.S. Agriculture Department issued better-than-expected weekly crop ratings. Corn also eased on better-than-expected crop conditions and favourable U.S. weather as traders eyed record yield potential this fall. The Chicago Board of Trade’s most active soybean contract fell 6-1/2 […] Read more

CBOT September 2020 corn with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn weakens on rain across Midwest

Soybeans gain for fifth session, wheat futures tumble

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures dropped on Monday, as rainfall strengthened crop conditions during a crucial stage in development. Soybean futures gained for a fifth consecutive session on renewed Chinese demand and support from the soybean oil market. Wheat, meanwhile, sank as harvest across the U.S. Great Plains continued and a strengthening dollar […] Read more



Hutches were bent and strewn around by a tornado at Mistyglen Holsteins on June 10.

Herd largely spared as tornado moves dairy barn

Family grateful for support of friends and neighbours as barn will have to be rebuilt

A potentially “overwhelming situation,” was eased significantly by an outpouring of community support, after a tornado ripped through a Belmont-area dairy farm on June 10. “The first couple days were full of phone calls, emails and texts from companies and individuals offering assistance,” said farm co-owner Suzanne Pettit. She said the response showed “the strength […] Read more

Detail from the front of the CBOT building in Chicago. (Vito Palmisano/iStock/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Trade looks to weather for support

MarketsFarm — Commodities on the Chicago Board of Trade have been supported by dry growing conditions in key regions of the United States, but remain largely rangebound. “It’s been hot and dry, but it’s tough to pin your hopes on a bull market because sooner or later it will rain,” said Scott Capinegro of Barrington […] Read more


A washout near Forrest in western Manitoba on June 29, 2020. (Manitoba Co-operator photo by Alexis Stockford)

Prairie summer weather patterns to hold for now

MarketsFarm — No major changes in the current weather patterns on the Prairies are expected at this time, according to a pair of weather experts. So far this summer, the region’s weather has been highlighted by warmer and generally drier conditions in the eastern Prairies, while the western portion has been cooler with a great […] Read more

Research is ongoing to determine cows that are genetically more tolerant of heat stress.

Study shows heat stress challenges increasing in Ontario dairy cows

Data suggests Quebec cows have been less affected than those in Ontario

Ongoing research aimed at identifying genetic determinants for heat stress tolerance in Canadian cows has, as a side effect, turned up interesting comparisons between the long-term impact of rising average temperatures on dairy farms in Quebec versus Ontario. According to analysis conducted by Masters student Ivan Campos at the University of Guelph, decreases in milk […] Read more