A slew of midsummer crop threats including heat, hail and bugs trimmed the potential of Canada’s record-large 2012/13 canola crop, preventing farmers from fully cashing in on high prices, industry analysts say. On Monday, Statistics Canada lowered its unofficial canola crop yield estimate based on an experimental program that analyzes low-resolution satellite data. The Crop […] Read more
Satellites see canola yields slip on heat, disease
BHP may double Sask. potash mine’s first-phase output
BHP Billiton is making plans to double the first phase of production on its proposed Saskatchewan potash mine to four million tonnes, even as a decision on proceeding with the project is delayed, a company spokesman said on Wednesday. Earlier in the day the company said that no major projects, including the Jansen, Sask. potash […] Read more
U.S. grains slip as crop tour offers better results
U.S. corn and soybean futures eased Wednesday after reports of some better-than-expected yield prospects encouraged profit-taking from early week highs that stemmed from the country’s worst drought in 56 years. Wheat snapped a five-session streak of increases with additional pressure from prospects for a big Canadian crop, while corn and soy exerted spillover pressure. "The […] Read more
Sask. sees BHP potash mine proceeding, Vale plan stalls
A cabinet minister in potash-rich Saskatchewan expects major miner BHP Billiton to proceed with construction of its potash mine, and an announcement may come within days. Bill Boyd, Saskatchewan’s minister of the economy, said Friday he does not expect BHP to delay the project as Brazil’s Vale SA did with its own Saskatchewan project on […] Read more
Agrium refuses investor demand to spin off retail
Fertilizer and ag retail firm Agrium said Tuesday it would not take the “substantial risk” of spinning off its retail operations, as the company sought to fend off pressure from activist investor Jana Partners. Jana, a New York City hedge fund, disclosed in a filing on Tuesday that it had bought more than 6.5 million […] Read more
U.S. drought may create winners, losers on Bay Street
While U.S. crops of corn and soybeans wilt in the worst U.S. drought in a half century, winners and losers are emerging in the agriculture sector of the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), even if investors are playing it cautious so far. The drought in the key Midwest growing region has severely curtailed crop yields and […] Read more
Disease, heat take toll on Canada’s canola, wheat
Crop disease has taken some of the upside off what may still be a record-large Canadian canola crop, while prospects for spring wheat are promising, as Western Canada looks to be a global farm bright spot in a year marked by severe drought. Western Canadian crops survived intense summer heat thanks mainly to spring rains […] Read more
Feeding Texas Longhorns? Canadian farmers cash in on U.S. drought
After spring floods drowned his seeding plans two years straight, Walter Finlay is harvesting what looks to be an average or slightly better crop of wheat and canola. "Average" will do just fine this year. The worst drought in a half century in the U.S. Midwest has scorched corn and soybean crops, igniting grain and […] Read more
Agrium posts record profit but drought clouds upside
North America’s biggest retail supplier of farm products and services, Agrium Inc , reported record high second-quarter profit on strong demand for crop inputs, but analysts said the severe U.S. drought presents downside risks. National Bank Financial cut Agrium’s rating to "underperform" from "sector perform" on Friday, following a downgrade on Thursday by Dahlman Rose […] Read more
Suitors eyeing CWB but too soon for takeover: Ritz
Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said on Tuesday he is aware of interest from "a couple of entities" in taking over the CWB, just as the company previously known as the Canadian Wheat Board tries to survive without its long-held grain monopoly. "We’ve already had a couple of entities come forward saying they would love […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
