File photo of a pea crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: Slow start to Saskatchewan spring

Timely pulse seeding still expected

MarketsFarm — While below-normal temperatures have welcomed the start of spring, pulse seeding in Saskatchewan is expected to start on time in 2023 if the weather co-operates. “We’ve had a slow start to spring,” said Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SaskPulse) executive director Carl Potts. “It’s still a bit of time before seeding would normally start across […] Read more

(OceanFishing/iStock/Getty Images)

USDA stands pat on U.S. soybean, corn ending stocks

Soy, corn crop projections cut for Argentina

MarketsFarm — Projected ending stocks for soybeans and corn in the United States for the current marketing year were left unchanged by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its latest monthly supply/demand report (WASDE) — coming as a surprise to market participants who had generally anticipated downward revisions to the carryout numbers. USDA left 2022-23 […] Read more


CBOT May 2023 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago soy stronger on predictions for Argentina crop

Black Sea supply a risk as Russia challenges corridor deal

Mexico City | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures settled higher on Tuesday after the U.S. government slashed its estimate for production in Argentina to a 23-year low in a monthly report. Soybean production in Argentina will be smaller than previously thought at 27 million tonnes as a crop-wasting drought decimated fields in the key South […] 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


A barley crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on July 30, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Australia reaches deal with China in barley dispute

Trade shift may be 'bad news' for Canada and other exporters

Sydney/Beijing | Reuters — Australia has reached an agreement with China to resolve their dispute over barley imports, the two countries said on Tuesday, a latest sign of improving ties between the major commodity trade partners. Relations between the two had been strained for years, and worsened after Australia called for an inquiry into the […] Read more

Louis Dreyfus’ oilseed processing plant at Yorkton, Sask. (LDC.com)

Louis Dreyfus expanding Yorkton canola crush plant

New expansion would more than double plant's capacity

Louis Dreyfus’ Yorkton, Sask. canola crushing plant is about to undergo another major expansion. The project, announced Tuesday, is expected to add an additional canola crushing line and more than double the plant’s annual capacity to over two million tonnes upon completion. Construction is due to begin later this year. The crush plant, built in […] Read more


(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Canola fund short position shrinking

Managed money is net long on corn, soy

MarketsFarm — Managed money fund traders continued to cover their large short positions in canola in early April, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). As of April 4, the net managed money short position in canola futures came in at 49,470 contracts (70,671 short; 21,201 […] Read more

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

U.S. grains: Wheat closes higher on dry weather, Russian threats

Markets await monthly supply and demand report from USDA

Mexico City | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures were higher on Monday, as dry weather put Kansas City wheat at risk and Russia’s threat to bypass a UN-brokered grain deal underpinned prices, traders said. Corn also closed higher, though soybeans dipped as warm and dry weather improved the planting outlook in the United States, analysts […] Read more


(Screengrab from Merit Functional Foods video via YouTube)

Bidding open for Merit Foods for two more weeks

Stakeholder Burcon plans to put up 'compelling bid'

The fate of Winnipeg pea- and canola-based protein processor Merit Functional Foods won’t be confirmed until the end of April at the earliest. Merit, whose major shareholders include Vancouver plant-based protein firm Burcon NutraScience, U.S. agrifood firm Bunge and former executives of Hemp Oil Canada, was placed into receivership March 1. According to the first […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Barley prices still historically high, but face headwinds

Bulk corn delivery remains more convenient

MarketsFarm — Feed barley bids in Western Canada remain historically strong, despite easing off their highs over the past month and trending lower. With bids of around $410 per tonne into the Lethbridge feedlot alley, feed barley “is still a sell,” according to Mike Jubinville of MarketsFarm, speaking on a webinar. However, he noted there […] Read more