Improved planting conditions will allow North Dakota farmers to seed more spring wheat and durum this spring, but corn will likely steal away potential acres. “Obviously (wheat) acres will be higher, just because so much was not planted last year,” said Jim Peterson, marketing director with the North Dakota Wheat Commission. Five million acres of
North Dakota wheat and durum acreage to rise
Morocco’s drought to support Prairie durum prospects
Drought concerns in Spain and Morocco could bode well for Canadian durum exports, as the two Mediterranean countries are both major producers of the crop. "The dryness in Morocco has been building since December, and we’ve seen it continue to build," said Stuart McMillan, a weather and crop analyst with the CWB in Winnipeg. Nearby
Edible bean acreage set to rise, but only modest increase expected
Edible bean supplies are very tight in southern Manitoba and although higher acreage is anticipated, better prices for other commodities will limit the increase, says bean merchant Tina Scott. Farmers in the province grew only 51,000 acres of edible beans in 2011, after planting a more average 146,000 the previous year. “Last year was an
Fewer U.S. soybean acres bode well for canola
ICE Futures Canada canola contracts climbed sharply higher during the week ended March 30, hitting their strongest levels in over six months and settling just below contract highs on Friday. Canola first rose on the back of the tightening supply situation in Western Canada and solid export demand, but saw another leg up when a
Jury still out on CWB’s new wheat contracts
The jury remains out on the CWB’s recently-introduced pricing options for marketing Prairie wheat, according to industry analysts who say they see too many unknowns with the contracts to recommend them to farmers. A federal government bill passed in December 2011 will see the CWB lose its long-standing single-desk marketing powers for Prairie wheat, durum,
Tightening canola rotations may pose problems in long run
Prairie farmers are expected to plant record canola acres this spring as the crop looks very profitable, but the tighter rotations may lead to other agronomic issues in the long run, according to crop specialists. After seeding a record 18.9 million acres of canola in 2011, Canadian farmers are poised to shatter that record in
Packer, feedlot margins put pressure on feeder cattle
Marketings of cattle at Manitoba auction markets were fairly brisk during the week ended March 23, with values for feeder cattle losing some ground while butchers held steady at fairly high levels. “Demand for the butcher cows and bulls has been constant, if not improving a bit, but the prices for these animals should also
Durum acres set to rise, but canola competing
Farmers in the prime durum-growing area of southern Saskatchewan are expected to seed more of the crop this spring, but competition from canola may sway some last-minute plantings, according to an elevator manager in southern Saskatchewan. While there may be some apprehension over the changes to the marketing system for durum in Western Canada with
Producers ship cattle ahead of muddy season
Large volumes of cattle moved through Manitoba auction yards during the week ended March 16, as good weather conditions had producers looking to move the most animals seen yet this spring. “We had big volumes in Manitoba this week,” said Rick Wright of Heartland Order Buying. From a pricing standpoint, larger animals over 750 pounds
Buyers snapping up farmland across Western Canada
Optimism in the agricultural sector has many western Canadian farmers looking to add to their land base this spring. That strong demand, together with a lack of willing sellers, is causing land prices to continue to move higher across Western Canada, according to real estate agents specializing in farmland. “There seems to be new people
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