(Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Input Capital steps back from mortgage expansion plans

Up against the current canola market, “commodity streaming” firm Input Capital has put off plans to ramp up its mortgage business with canola growers. The publicly traded Regina company in February announced a “comprehensive review of strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value” and said it was in “an ongoing search for appropriate scalable sources of

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the first time acknowledged he believes China’s boycott of Canadian canola seed is linked to China’s trade dispute with the United States, including Chinese tech giant Huawei.

Trudeau acknowledges U.S.-China dispute linked to canola

The study into China’s concerns about dockage and blackleg is done but hasn’t been shared with China yet

The Canadian government has acknowledged for the first time publicly what most suspected: canola to China is the symptom, not the illness. China’s decision not to buy Canadian canola seed since March is linked to Canada’s arrest late last year of Meng Wanzhou, vice-president of Chinese technology firm Huawei, at the United States’ request. “We


Newfoundland and Labrador’s minister of fisheries and land resources, Gerry Byrne, is shown here at right with Western Agriculture Centre research manager Sabrina Ellsworth and the department’s “Agri-Truck” promotional vehicle at Pynn’s Brook in September 2018. (Gov.nl.ca)

Newfoundland’s ag minister, critic returned in election

The cabinet minister in charge of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Forestry and Agrifoods Agency held onto his seat in Thursday’s provincial election, as has his critic across the aisle. Gerry Byrne, the Liberal MHA for Corner Brook since 2015 and the province’s minister of fisheries and land resources since 2017, held his riding on Thursday against

The political chill between China and Canada has been seen as having an impact on soybean exports.

Canadian soybean exports to China almost nothing in March

This is not just a seasonal shift in demand, says Soy Canada’s Ron Davidson

Chinese buyers continue to turn their backs on Canadian soybeans. The latest data from Statistics Canada confirms industry fears, says Soy Canada executive director Ron Davidson. “The numbers are clearly substantiating what the exporters are telling us, which is essentially the Chinese importers aren’t interested in purchasing Canadian soybeans right now,” Davidson said. He added


As of March 31, total canola exports to all customers were down sharply by 515,000 tonnes, but China’s imports were up by almost 300,000 tonnes.

As of March 31 Chinese canola imports well ahead of last year

Increased Canadian exports so far but Chinese oilseed and feed demand is plunging due to African swine fever

Despite reports of China suspending purchases from some exporters, its imports of Canadian canola as of March 31 are well ahead of same period last crop year crop, as are its imports of soybeans and wheat. Meanwhile, in a report last Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture again reduced its Chinese oilseed import forecasts due






Cool, drier soils sees soybeans planted ahead of canola

Manitoba Crop Report and Crop Weather report for May 14

Southwest Region Very little to no rainfall over the past week has producers concerned about dry soil conditions. Overnight lows still reaching -5 to -9 C in the region. Only 4mm rain reported in Russell area and some localised showers close to Riding Mountain National Park. Most of other areas in the southwest region are

A farmer checking out his canola crop.

Tips for when crop profits appear elusive

Assess in-crop spending relative to the crop that is coming

Profits are going to be a challenge for canola if current prices persist. They are depressed in part because China, Canada’s largest canola seed market, isn’t buying. But most other crops aren’t looking much better. To improve profitability farmers can cut costs and/or increase production, says Manitoba Agriculture farm management specialist Roy Arnott. Both are