Vessels are seen as they await inspection under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the UN and Turkey, in the southern anchorage of the Bosphorus at Istanbul on Dec. 11, 2022. (File photo: Reuters/Yoruk Isik)

U.N. efforts to save Black Sea grain deal to continue in coming days

Russia demands include restarting ammonia pipeline

United Nations | Reuters — The U.N. aid chief said on Monday efforts will continue in coming days to extend a deal allowing the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain, a pact Russia has threatened to quit effective Thursday over obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports. The final two ships are due to […] Read more

CBOT July 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20-day moving average, MGEX July 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. July 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat rises four per cent on U.S. crop outlook

Chicago corn, soy futures climb

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rose about four per cent on Monday, supported by a lower-than-expected official forecast of U.S. supply next season and doubts over the renewal of a deal on the shipping corridor from Ukraine before a deadline this week. Corn and soybean futures also advanced, supported by strength in wheat […] Read more


CME July 2023 lean hogs with 20-day moving average (pink line, right column) and CME cash lean hog index (blue line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs up two per cent on firm cash markets, short-covering

June live cattle down, later months up

Chicago | Reuters — Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange rose more than two per cent on Monday on signs of firming cash hog values, rising wholesale pork prices and short-covering. CME June lean hog futures settled up 2.05 cents at 86.15 cents/lb., with the July contract up 2.175 cents at 87.5 cents […] Read more

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair and Edmonton MP and Tourism Minister Randy Boissonnault are briefed by Canadian Forces Lt. Col. Ben Schmidt at CFB Edmonton on May 15, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Amber Bracken)

Little chance for rain on Alberta wildfires

Coming cold front more windy than rainy in nature, Environment Canada says

Ottawa | Reuters — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Alberta on Monday as raging wildfires prompted mass evacuations and reduced energy production in Canada’s main oil-producing province, where meteorologists expect virtually no rain for 10 days or so. In Edmonton, Trudeau received an update on firefighting efforts by Canadian soldiers sent to help provincial firefighting […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Canola fund short position narrows slightly in early May

Traders reduce net long in soybeans

MarketsFarm –– Fund traders were buying back short positions and putting on some new longs in the canola futures market during the first full week of May, causing the net short position to narrow in slightly, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). As of May […] Read more

Photo: iStock/Getty Images

U.K. to increase rapeseed, product output in 2023-24

Input costs seen down so far this year

MarketsFarm — With the rapeseed crop in the United Kingdom estimated at 66 per cent good to excellent, the U.S. Department of Agriculture attaché in London, forecast production for 2023-24 to be 1.38 million tonnes. That would make for a 1.4 per cent increase over the 2022-23 crop. While the attaché pegged planted and harvest […] Read more


Hailstones in Winnipeg on May 10, 2023. (Dave Bedard photo)

Prairie Forecast Update: Forecast on track

Forecast issued May 14, 2023, covering the half-week stretch from May 14 to 17, 2023

The weather models have been remarkably accurate for this time of the year. The big weather picture remains the same. There is a large, persistent ridge of high pressure over far Western Canada with an equally persistent trough of low pressure over Eastern Canada. This means western regions will continue to see sunny, dry and […] Read more

A smoke column rises from a wildfire on May 4, 2023 near Lodgepole, Alta., about 30 km southwest of Drayton Valley. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire handout via Reuters)

Alberta wildfire fighters prepare for hot, dry days ahead

Temperatures to approach 30 C next week

Reuters — An extended period of hot, dry weather that risks worsening wildfires in Alberta began on Friday, with special weather alerts in place across Western Canada and officials urging people to be vigilant. More than 100 wildfires have ignited across Alberta since last week, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate homes, farms […] Read more


(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Bids rise ahead of U.S. WASDE report

Warmer weather should help advance spring seeding

MarketsFarm — Bids for red spring wheat in Western Canada went up, while durum prices declined for the week ended Thursday as traders and analysts await the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA released its monthly world agricultural supply/demand estimates (WASDE) report on Friday, including the first production estimates for new […] Read more

The USDA building in Washington, D.C. (Art Wager/iStock/Getty Images)

Record U.S. corn, soybean crops for 2023-24, USDA says

U.S., worldwide wheat ending stocks expected down on year

MarketsFarm — The United States may be in the midst of growing record-breaking corn and soybean crops if the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is correct. USDA on Friday released its monthly world agricultural supply/demand estimates (WASDE), which included its first U.S. production estimates for 2023-24. The report also provided ending stocks projections for new […] Read more