(Country Guide file photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Gains for CWRS, CPSR as durum drops

MarketsFarm — Wheat bids in Western Canada were higher for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheats the week ended Thursday. However, prices for Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) dropped. Support came from significant increases in Chicago, Minneapolis and Kansas City wheat futures, but a stronger Canadian dollar held back […] Read more



Artist’s rendering of the Merit Functional Foods plant under construction in Winnipeg. (Merit Foods graphic)

Bunge buys into canola, pea protein maker Merit

Agribusiness giant takes quarter stake in processor

One of the world’s biggest grain companies is getting in on a processing facility under construction in Winnipeg to extract plant-based proteins from canola and peas. Winnipeg-based Merit Functional Foods announced Thursday it has received a $30 million “capital investment” from Bunge, giving the U.S. grain firm a “minority interest” worth 25 per cent. Burcon […] Read more

(Jack Dykinga photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Seed groups weigh options as CSGA rejects merger

Grower group's membership calls nay on Seeds Canada amalgamation

The boards of five national seed sector groups planning a major merger are considering their next move after a less-than-unanimous vote on the proposal. Members of the Canadian Plant Technology Agency (CPTA), Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada (CSAAC), Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA), Canadian Seed Institute (CSI) and Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) had […] Read more


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

Feed weekly outlook: Grain prices soften into fall

MarketsFarm — Old-crop feed grain prices are converging with new-crop and coming under some seasonal pressure. “As we get closer to new crop, we’ve been seeing the switch to new-crop prices from old-crop,” said Erin Harakal, a senior trader with Agfinity in Lethbridge. Feed barley prices are around $195-$200 per tonne delivered in the Lethbridge […] Read more

CBOT December 2020 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans, wheat rally

'We absolutely need heavy rainfall in a lot of areas'

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures jumped 1.8 per cent on Thursday to their highest in 7-1/2 months, with forecasts for dry weather in the U.S. Midwest threatening to hinder the crop throughout its late stages of development, traders said. “We absolutely need heavy rainfall in a lot of areas,” said […] Read more


Syngenta’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo courtesy Syngenta)

Syngenta says IPO ‘on track’

Ag chem firm books higher first-half profit

Zurich | Reuters — Agricultural chemical maker Syngenta posted higher first-half profit and sales on Thursday, helped by maintaining supplies to farmers and controlling costs during the coronavirus outbreak, and said it was on track to complete its public listing by mid-2022. The Swiss company, bought by state-owned ChemChina for $43 billion in 2017, posted […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

Canola crop expectations vary ahead of StatsCan report

MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada is due to publish its first production estimates for Canada’s 2020 growing season on Monday (Aug. 31). Late-season hot temperatures and a lack of rain may cause Canada’s canola production to be lower than originally expected, according to some market participants. Earlier in the growing season, Winnipeg-based FarmLink Agriculture Solutions published […] Read more