Conditions reported to AAFC’s Canadian Drought Monitor as of July 31, 2020. (Agr.gc.ca)

Most of Prairies to see little rain

MarketsFarm — Warm and dry weather that has generated little precipitation across the Prairies is expected to continue in most areas, aside from southern Manitoba, according to two meteorologists. “Looks like the overall pattern isn’t going to be changing too much,” Scott Kehler of Weatherlogics said. “What you see is what you’re going to get,” […] Read more

(File photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: Chickpea prices steady into harvest

MarketsFarm — The chickpea harvest is underway in some areas of the Prairies, including southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, where pulse crops were planted earlier due to drier spring weather. So far, the chickpea crop has seen co-operative weather conditions. “As we go along with this sunshine and heat, the pulses are coming in very […] Read more



(Country Guide file photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Loonie, U.S. prices trigger steep declines

U.S. wheat futures well down on week

MarketsFarm — Wheat bids in Western Canada were significantly lower for the week ended Thursday. Those includes double-digit losses for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR). Losses in Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) were relatively smaller. Pressure came from sharp losses in U.S. markets and equally sharp gains in […] Read more


Photo: Canada Beef Inc.

Alberta loosens animal slaughter rules after pandemic hit packers

Reuters – Canada’s main cattle-producing province, Alberta, said on Wednesday it would allow the slaughter of animals on farms for meat sales to consumers, loosening regulations after the coronavirus pandemic interrupted production at its biggest packing plants. Alberta previously restricted the consumption of meat from animals slaughtered outside of government-inspected plants to farmers and their […] Read more

Plateau Cattle Co.'s Mt. Livingstone grazing allotment.

Ranchers fear loss of grazing lands due to coal mining projects

Public use of previously protected lands, water quality of Oldman River watershed threatened after Alberta rescinds coal development legislation

Laura Laing can’t imagine how her family would run their cow-calf operation without their Mount Livingstone grazing allotment. These native grasslands, nestled among the hills and peaks, with Cabin Ridge Mountain rising above the pastures, support a large percentage of the Plateau Cattle Company herd from early June to the beginning of October. “Year after […] Read more


Alberta greenhouse grower Whole Leaf is booked to provide lettuce for U.S. burger chain Wendy’s restaurants across Canada. (CNW Group/Wendy’s Restaurants of Canada)

Wendy’s secures Canadian greenhouse lettuce supply

Alberta grower to provide sandwich, salad lettuce nationwide

The Canadian wing of U.S. burger chain Wendy’s is going strictly indoors, in southern Alberta, to supply all the lettuce for its salad, burger and chicken sandwich offerings across the country. Whole Leaf, based outside Coaldale, about 20 km east of Lethbridge, was announced last week as the lettuce supplier for the chain’s 384 stores […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market in summer mode

Set-aside program not having much effect yet on prices

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged. Volumes are quite thin at this time of year, which makes the market hard to define. Steady demand surfaced on quality groups of yearlings and calves, while late stragglers and heavier-flesh feeders were severely discounted. Pasture conditions are favourable across the Prairies and […] Read more