File photo of stormy conditions over Alberta fields. (Larry Stickney/iStock/Getty Images)

Alberta’s AFSC to refund hail premiums on drowned crops

Agency taking applications until Sept. 11

Grain growers in Alberta’s Peace, northeastern and northwestern farming regions whose waterlogged crops are deemed “non-viable” can now file for full refunds on AFSC hail insurance premiums. AFSC, the province’s Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, announced Wednesday it will accept such applications from eligible growers from now until Sept. 11. Applications will be available online through […] Read more


Detail from the front of the CBOT building in Chicago. (Vito Palmisano/iStock/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Rain needed across U.S. Midwest

MarketsFarm — Dry conditions across the U.S. Midwest were among the factors that could affect commodity prices on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) if rain doesn’t come soon, according to Scott Capinegro of Barrington Commodities at Barrington, Ill. Dry conditions in the region could lead to price increases for corn and soybeans. “Across northern […] Read more



Flames from the Hennessey Fire are seen in the last image from a tower-mounted camera before it melted, according to AlertWildfire, on Atlas Peak northwest of Vacaville, Calif. on Aug. 18, 2020. (Photo: Alertwildfire.org/Handout via Reuters)

‘Lightning siege’ sparks wildfires across California wine country

Almost 11,000 strikes reported over 72 hours

Vacaville, California | Reuters — Lightning strikes sparked dozens of wildfires in northern California’s wine country on Wednesday, burning dozens of structures and forcing thousands to flee their homes. California was hit by nearly 11,000 lightning strikes in 72 hours, sparking 367 fires, nearly two dozen of them major, as the state suffered a record […] Read more



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

U.S. grains: Soybeans touch seven-month high on export optimism

Wheat stays firm on demand

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures climbed to a seven-month high on Wednesday on U.S. export optimism and concerns over continued dryness across parts of the U.S. Midwest, traders said. Chicago corn edged lower, as a Midwest crop tour estimated higher yields, offsetting storm damage concerns in Iowa. The most active soybean contract on […] Read more



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

U.S. grains: Corn retreats from month high on clearer crop outlook

Soybeans ease after seven-month high

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures ended lower on Tuesday after hitting a five-week high on Monday as higher yields estimated on an annual Midwest crop tour tempered concern about storm damage across the Corn Belt. Soybean futures declined but held near Monday’s multi-month high as concerns over dry Midwest weather offset better-than-expected crop […] Read more

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

U.S. grains: Soybeans near seven-month high as dryness threatens crop

Corn up one per cent after storm hits U.S. crop in key growing region

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures rallied on Monday to a nearly seven-month high on reports of dry weather in the United States, while corn futures hit their highest in a month on fresh concerns over damage from a storm in Iowa a week ago. August has been one of the driest on record […] Read more


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