Soybeans getting one step closer to the bin in Western Manitoba in October 2018.  Photo: Greg Berg

Weather weighed on 2018 Manitoba crop year

CNS Canada – Conditions were variable across Manitoba throughout the 2018 growing season, according to the provincial crop report released Oct. 29. As of Oct. 29, provincially 97 per cent of the total crop was harvested. Crops completely finished include winter wheat, fall rye, field pea and dry bean. The spring wheat, barley, oat and […] Read more


Turning over more land to energy production could have implications for food security, said scientists.

All hands on deck in climate change battle

Everyone and everything needed to hold climate line, scientists urge

Thomson Reuters Foundation | London – Last-ditch efforts to hold climate change to the most ambitious target set by governments will likely require using every available technique rather than picking and choosing the most attractive ones, climate scientists say. Dramatically reducing the use of coal, planting huge swathes of land with carbon-absorbing forest or powering […] Read more

Still-standing corn west of Mitchell, Man. on Oct. 17, 2018. (Dave Bedard photo)

Ready, set go! Harvest reprieve hits Prairies

CNS Canada — Prairie farmers struggling to get crops off fields under wet, cold conditions are about to get a reprieve — if they haven’t seen warmer weather already in their area. Natalie Hasell, a weather preparedness meteorologist for Environment Canada in Winnipeg, said most regions of British Columbia, Alberta, and southern and central Saskatchewan […] Read more

Farmers have been hard-pressed to find dry enough days to harvest soybeans in Ontario.

Rain continues to hamper North American harvest

Tariff war has implications on how U.S. farmers usually sell their crop

Ontario farmers have harvested 25 per cent of the soybeans and 15 per cent of the corn as of Oct. 7. Harvest selling pressure along with the stronger Canadian dollar has weighed on the corn and wheat markets. However, Canadian soybean prices are holding value due to strong Chinese demand. Quick look Soybeans: Ontario market […] Read more


CBOT December 2018 wheat, with 200-day moving average. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans, corn ease in technical setback

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures eased on Wednesday in a technical selling setback following two days of gains despite concerns that rainy weather in parts of the Midwest would delay harvesting and possibly damage some crops. Corn futures also fell as technical selling more than offset support from strong demand and potential harvest […] Read more

More root development and less disease pressure early in the season have been good for soybean growth.

Why soys look so good in year of extremes

Dry conditions, then lots of rain and heat have been great for growing soybeans

A year of extremes and wild fluctuations in moisture and temperature appear to have produced a very good soybean crop in much of the province, say experts. Why it matters: A mismatch of plant development timing and swings in growing conditions — dry conditions at the start of the season followed by prolonged periods of […] Read more

A robust winter canola crop got out of the ground well in 2016, as shown by this plant from an October planting.

OMAFRA crop report: hail-damaged corn, later cover crops and winter canola

The opportunity to get some cover crops planted is coming to an end soon

Thunderstorms brought some localized hail events through parts of southwestern Ontario, particularly during the last week of July. Like most plant stresses, yield loss from defoliation increases through vegetative stages, peaks around tassel or pollination, and declines through grain-fill. For example, using the defoliation table from OMAFRA Agronomy Guide — Pub 811, estimated yield loss […] Read more


Photo: Thinkstock

Southern Sask. harvest underway

CNS Canada — Saskatchewan farmers are starting to get into fields, especially in the south where three per cent of the crop has been combined. Overall, producers in the province have combined one per cent of the crop, in line with the five-year average. Two per cent has been swathed or is ready to be […] Read more

Photo: File

Prairie pea market has more potential than lentils

CNS Canada – With limited uses for lentils, one market analyst sees more potential for the pea market in Western Canada. “On lentils we are really restricted to the edible market. Peas are an incredibly versatile product, so we’re using peas both for human consumption and they are quite usable for feed,” said Marlene Boersch, […] Read more