File photo of a federal office building in downtown Winnipeg. (Dave Bedard photo)

AAFC raises canola stocks projections

StatCan's early acreage estimates due out this week

MarketsFarm — Canola ending stocks for both the current marketing year and 2023-24 were raised slightly by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in its latest supply/demand projections, released Friday. The government agency lowered its canola export forecast for 2022-23 by 200,000 tonnes from March, now pegging movement at 8.4 million tonnes. With domestic usage left […] Read more

File photo of grain silos and other buildings at harbourside at Saint Nazaire on France’s west coast. (Sissoupitch/iStock/Getty Images)

French agency drops fumigant ban on non-EU grain exports

Limit on phosphine won't apply if use required for export

Paris | Reuters — French health safety agency ANSES on Thursday cleared the use of phosphine pesticide in contact with grains exported outside the European Union when importing countries require the process, averting a halt to shipments from the EU’s top grain exporter. In late October ANSES cleared the use of phosphine tablets used for […] Read more


Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in degrees Celsius over the tropical Pacific Ocean for the week centred on April 12, 2023. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

World could face record temperatures in 2023 as El Nino returns

New record highs 'more likely than not'

Brussels | Reuters — The world could breach a new average temperature record in 2023 or 2024, fuelled by climate change and the anticipated return of the El Nino weather phenomenon, climate scientists say. Climate models suggest that after three years of the La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean, which generally lowers global […] Read more

File photo of a southern Alberta field as spring approaches. (BrendanHunter/iStock/Getty Images)

Prairie soil moisture picture growing clearer

Alberta driest; Saskatchewan variable; Manitoba mostly OK

It’s a variable soil moisture picture on the Prairies as seeding season draws nearer. The east has enough moisture — and in some cases too much. And it gets progressively drier toward the west, with portions of Alberta nearing critical condition, according to one weather watcher. Bruce Burnett, weather and markets director for the MarketsFarm […] Read more


Pacific Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, in degrees Celsius, for the week centred on April 5, 2023. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

U.S. forecaster sees 62 per cent chance of El Nino developing during May-July

Argentina, parts of U.S. could benefit; Asian crops may not

Reuters — A U.S. weather forecaster on Thursday predicted a 62 per cent chance of the El Niño phenomenon developing in the Northern Hemisphere during May-July, and a strong chance toward end-year, likely compounding risks to crops across the globe. “The coastal warming in the eastern Pacific may foreshadow changes across the Pacific basin. Therefore, […] Read more

File photo of grain silos and other buildings at harbourside at Saint Nazaire on France’s west coast. (Sissoupitch/iStock/Getty Images)

France says pesticide ban will not hit grain exports

Fumigant can't be in 'direct contact' with grains

Paris | Reuters — France will ensure that a decision by health and safety agency ANSES to ban the use of a pesticide in direct contact with grains does not hamper its exports outside the European Union, its trade and agriculture ministers told Parliament on Tuesday. In late October ANSES cleared the use of phosphine […] Read more


Laura Reiter. (Photo courtesy WGRF)

Former Sask Wheat chair to lead WGRF board

Kevin Auch remains foundation's vice-chair

The Western Grains Research Foundation has a new chair. Laura Reiter, a farmer from Radisson, Sask., northwest of Saskatoon, was elected to the post following the first meeting of the new board following the organization’s 2023 annual general meeting. Reiter is a producer and trained agrologist who has spent time working in research and in […] Read more

The minister is on the case: federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau checks out the cab of a new Case IH Magnum tractor during her visit to the Ag in Motion show on July 20, 2022. (Greg Berg photo)

Federal report shows farmer concerns remain regarding emissions targets

AAFC report polled farmers, industry for thoughts on fertilizer emissions policy

A new Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC) report shows farmers remain concerned about federal emissions reduction targets — and whether those targets remain voluntary. The “What We Heard” Report, released Wednesday, is the result of consultations between AAFC and the agricultural sector to gather feedback on how best to support farmers and producers to achieve […] Read more


File photo of young birds on a Canadian broiler operation. (Elena Bionysheva-Abramova/iStock/Getty Images)

B.C. farmers granted late entry for AgriStability

Avian flu, 'extreme weather' events considered

With bird flu outbreaks and last spring’s weather woes in mind, farmers and ranchers in British Columbia are now spotted until the end of June to enrol in AgriStability. The province and the federal ag department on Tuesday announced they’ve agreed on a late participation option for the 2022 program year. In this case, the […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canary Seed Development Commission of Saskatchewan)

Canary seed set for more acres

Crop seen as competitive against wheat for area in West

MarketsFarm — While the price of canary seed in Western Canada has come down over the past couple of years, there is optimism that acres devoted to the specialty grain will increase in 2023. David Nobbs, pulse merchant for Purely Canada Foods in Saskatoon and former chair of the Canary Seed Development Commission of Saskatchewan, […] Read more