Online series covers Hot Topics in Commodities 

Online series covers Hot Topics in Commodities 

Prices and production information are the focus of the Hot Topics in Commodities series hosted by The Western Producer, Manitoba Co-operator, Grainews and Farmtario this winter. The free sessions each feature a look at market demand and fundamentals provided by MarketsFarm analysts as well as a presentation on a current production issue. Opportunities to earn

wade barnes

The great disruptor

Wade Barnes is straddling the digital/agriculture divide — and reimagining agronomy

Wade Barnes says he knows what the agronomy of tomorrow looks like. It’s a proactive system that uses data to model crop development, helping farmers make decisions every step of the way. The power of data analytics will fuel every step, from what variety to plant based on soil moisture, disease and pest pressure and


Ukraine 2020 sunflower harvest near end, seen falling

Ukraine’s 2020 sunflower seed harvest is seen falling sharply as farmers threshing 12.9 million tonnes of the commodity from 99 per cent area compared with 15.3 million tonnes harvested in 2019, the Economy Ministry’s data showed on Nov. 17. Ukraine is the world’s largest sunflower oil exporter. Analysts APK-Inform earlier on Tuesday said the 2020-21

Canada has a good quality crop to sell

Canada has a good quality crop to sell

But markets are uncertain as geopolitics ‘trumps’ supply and demand

On average western Canadian grain farmers harvested a high-quality crop this fall, and lots of it, but they’re selling into an uncertain market where politics obscures supply and demand. “Overall the crop quality is really, really nice,” Daryl Beswitherick, the Canadian Grain Commission’s program manager for national inspection standards, said in an interview Nov. 9.


Asian giant hornets have noticeably large orange heads and black eyes; worker hornets are about 3.5 cm in length; queens can be up to four to five cm in length, with a wingspan of four to seven cm. (B.C. Ministry of Agriculture)

Two more ‘murder hornets’ turn up on B.C. mainland

One nest found last month in neighbouring U.S. town

Beekeepers in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland are asked to keep an eye out for so-called “murder hornets” after two were found in the region within a week. A single Asian giant hornet was found Saturday at Aldergrove, near the intersection of Fraser Highway and Highway 13 — about five km from where

Manitoba Crop Alliance committee nominees announced

Manitoba Crop Alliance committee nominees announced

Some have been acclaimed, others will face election

The Manitoba Crop Alliance is one step closer to filling its slate of committee members. Nominations opened Sept. 1 and closed Oct. 30. Corn committee: Five farmers were nominated for four positions, and an election will be held to determine who takes the seats. Nominees are Carl Bangert (Beausejour), David Boerchers (Laurier), Dean Toews (MacGregor),


Every year farmers vote on varieties while sowing their crops, and MASC has just released the latest data.

Manitoba’s top crops in 2020

MASC’s annual 2020 market share report reveals most popular crops and varieties

[UPDATE: Oct. 30, 2020] Manitoba’s top four insured crops in 2020 are unchanged from 2019, the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation’s (MASC) 2020 variety market share report shows. Canola leads the way followed by red spring wheat (varieties in the Canada Western Red Spring class), soybeans and oats. Why it matters: Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation’s annual

Average crop yields and widespread insect issues seen in 2020

FINAL REPORT: Manitoba Agriculture Crop Report Summary for 2020

Southwest Region A wet fall in 2019 meant unharvested crops from the previous year had to be dealt with this spring. A large number of canola swathes were left in the field, together with severely lodged flax. Much of the remaining flax was burnt. Starting weather conditions for seeding were optimum in the Southwest region


Is Manitoba poised for a bumper sunflower harvest?

Is Manitoba poised for a bumper sunflower harvest?

Sunflower industry observers say early signs are very good

Should early indications pan out, there could be a bumper crop of sunflowers in Manitoba in 2020, according to a Manitoba sunflower buyer. “The yields are very high,” said the buyer of the harvest so far. Manitoba Agriculture reported the first week of October that about three per cent of the crop was combined so

Violife’s vegan cheese-substitute lines include cheddar-style slices. (ViolifeFoods.com)

Becel maker Upfield to relocate Ontario plant

Company to make vegan cheese substitutes, other spreads at Brantford

The maker of Becel margarine, Imperial spreads and, most recently, vegan near-cheese Violife plans to boost its Canadian manufacturing capacity with a move from Toronto to Brantford, Ont. The Canadian arm of Amsterdam-based Upfield said Wednesday it has bought a 164,000-square foot industrial building at Brantford and “brings a significant investment involving the purchase of