Close-up file photo of an alfalfa plant in a Canadian field. (Jennifer Seeman/iStock/Getty Images)

Alfalfa for Canada’s climate

Nature doesn’t always provide conveniently severe winters to select for survival

Very few of the alfalfa varieties sold in Canada were developed under Canadian conditions. The CFIA registered 119 varieties in Canada between 2012 and 2022, but only four (AAC Nikon, AAC Meadowview, AAC Bridgeview and AAC Trueman) were developed in Canada. The other 115 came from breeding programs in China, Australia, California, Washington State or […] Read more

Corn seedlings in southern Ontario in 2021. (Farmtario photo by John Greig)

Spring planting well underway in Ontario

MarketsFarm — Farmers are well into seeding their crops for 2022, according to Wednesday’s crop report from Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). The report noted planting of corn, soybeans and spring cereals started late last week — the exception being where there are heavier soils. OMAFRA projected planting could be 80 […] Read more


(Lightguard/iStock/Getty Images)

Seeding already behind in Saskatchewan

MarketsFarm — Saskatchewan Agriculture on Thursday issued its first weekly crop report of 2022, showing only one per cent of all crops in the ground. The report cited cool temperatures and spring snowstorms holding back many farmers getting into their fields. The overall five-year average at this time of year is five per cent complete. […] Read more

CBOT March 2021 wheat with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat retreats after cold-weather rally

Corn, soy futures consolidate

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell two per cent on Wednesday, retreating from a two-week high set in early moves, as concerns eased about cold-weather damage following a frigid weekend in the U.S. Plains, analysts said. Corn futures firmed slightly, consolidating below multi-year highs established last week, and soybean futures closed mixed. A […] Read more


K.C. April 2021 hard red winter wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Weather worries push wheat futures higher

Soybeans firm, corn slips

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rose on Friday, supported by concerns that arctic temperatures in key growing areas could damage the dormant crop during the weekend, traders said. “Cold temperatures, chiefly domestically, lesser so abroad, will keep the wheat trade watching winterkill prospects over the weekend,” Matt Zeller, director of market information at […] Read more

CBOT March 2021 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans end lower, after rising on demand optimism

U.S. winter wheat threatened by cold weather

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures ended lower on Friday after trading higher earlier on expectations of continued export demand eating into already tight U.S. stocks. Corn futures traded slightly lower as traders assessed mixed crop prospects in South America, while wheat ticked up slightly on fears of winterkill across the U.S. southern Plains […] Read more






(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. grains: Soybeans fall to four-month low

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures fell more than one per cent and neared a four-month low Thursday on improving crop prospects in Brazil that could curb demand for U.S. soy exports, traders said. Corn and wheat futures also declined in thin trade between the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays. Chicago Board of […] Read more