That’s according to a new economic footprint assessment of the centre’s breeding work, released July 16 at Ag in Motion. The report noted an internal rate of return of 14.9 per cent for the centre’s key stakeholders, producing a benefit-cost ratio of 10.8.

Each dollar spent across the centre’s plant breeding programs provides $10.80 in benefit to farmers across the three Prairie provinces, producing a present value of net benefits of $10.2 billion.

For lentils alone, in which CDC-produced varieties hold the bulk of market share in Western Canada, the internal rate of return jumps to 20.1 per cent, for a benefit-cost ratio of 37.4 and a present value of net benefits of $4.2 billion.

Stay tuned to your AgCanada news app for more Ag in Motion coverage.

The post WATCH: New report drops numbers on plant breeding ROI appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

“Western Crop Innovations will carry on the Field Crop Development Centre’s substantial legacy, ensuring its work is addressing the issues farmers are facing in the fields,” said RJ Sigurdson, Alberta’s minister of agriculture and irrigation in a news release Wednesday.

The Alberta government pledged $3.2 million to the centre’s establishment, indicating in the news release that some industry support was expected. The relaunch is effective April 1.

The Field Crop Development Centre at Lacombe has been a hub for breeding barley and triticale varieties. The province transitioned it to Olds College in 2021.

Under the leadership of its new board, Western Crop Innovations will review its programming and “where necessary, will be transitioned to ensure crop innovations support Alberta’s farmers’ needs,” the news release said.

The post Alberta barley breeding centre relaunched appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Private exporters reported the sale of 390,000 tonnes of soybeans to China for delivery in the 2020-21 marketing year, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Monday.

Corn futures weakened on forecasts of crop-boosting rain in the Midwest, which is expected to ease the impact of recent hot weather.

“Adding to that, the equity markets came unglued overnight around the world, and that was a bit of a push, too,” said Don Roose, president of U.S. Commodities in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Weakening crude oil prices also weighed on grain futures on Monday, as coronavirus cases continued to rise, feeding fears that new lockdowns could hamper economic recovery and erode fuel demand.

Wheat futures traded sideways, still pressured by abundant supplies forecast in a U.S. government report last week. Leading Russian consultancies revised forecasts for this year’s Russian wheat harvest, tempering concerns about the effects of a dry spring.

But losses were kept in check by short-covering, traders said, as the market is seen as technically oversold after the most-active contract hit a near one-month low on Friday.

The most-active wheat contract on the Chicago Board Of Trade (CBOT) gained 2-3/4 cents to close at $5.04-3/4 a bushel (all figures US$).

Soybeans slipped 2-1/4 cents to $8.69 a bushel and corn lost 3/4 cent to $3.29-1/4 a bushel.

China has stepped up purchases of U.S. soybeans in recent weeks, supporting prices.

U.S. soybean crushings fell 1.3 per cent in May, missing most analyst estimates, while end-of-month soyoil stocks declined from a near seven-year high, according to National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) data released on Monday.

— P.J. Huffstutter reports on agriculture and agribusiness for Reuters from Chicago; additional reporting by Naveen Thukral in Singapore and Sybille de La Hamaide in Paris.

The post U.S. grains: Soybeans fall on crop development appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms in the region brought some significant rain in few areas and very little in others. Day and nighttime temperature have been above normal, giving crops a big growth boost. Some yellowing occurring in fields due to wet conditions in low spots, but with improved conditions this past week, they are disappearing.

Majority of southern parts of the region have good to excellent moisture. Some isolated areas north of Highway 16, could use more rain. Pre-harvest herbicide application starting on early maturing winter cereals, but 80 per cent of winter wheat fields at hard dough stage. Ergot levels are observed to be very low in fall rye.

• Click here for the Crop Weather Report for the week ending July 22

Spring cereals are start to turn quickly, due to hot and humid weather. Most early seeded fields are at soft dough stage. Fungicide applications are 90 per cent completed. Very low levels of fusarium showing up in early seeded crops.

Canola is at multiple stages. Early seeded canola is finishing flowering, while late and reseeded canola fields in full bloom. A majority of the crop had fungicide applications due to high sclerotinia risk. Field peas are podding well. Some yellow spots in the low areas of the field after last week storm and big rains. Majority of the fields look good.

Soybean continue to respond to heat and moisture. 60 to 70 per cent of soybean fields are at R2 to R3 stage. Some fields have green cloverworm and grasshopper damage, but defoliation ha been minimal. Leaf diseases are also at low level depending on the field and moisture conditions, but some fields showing higher levels of bacterial blight and septoria brown spot. Nodulation is excellent in most fields. Some early seeded corn is starting to silk and is looking very promising for yield.

Bertha armyworm trap counts are at an uncertain risk range, in some areas, but still below a threshold.

Producers are advised to scout for bertha and diamondback moth larvae. Very few reports of pea aphids found to date.

First cut hay is 50 per cent complete, with yields below average, but good quality. Recent rains have slowed down cutting and baling. Second cut for producers, that had an early first cut early, looks good. Pastures have benefited from the rain and most in fair condition. Dugouts are 60 per cent full, but some producers have started to haul water to livestock.

Northwest Region

Good growing conditions in the region this past week and the crop is progressing well. Daytime temperatures hovered around 25°C and there was widespread rain along with heavy morning dews. Rainfall amounts ranged from ~15 mm in the Dauphin/Ste. Rose area; Swan River/Minitonas about 17 mm; Grandview 39 mm and The Pas approximately 25 mm. Roblin area received the most rainfall last week at 50 mm.

Rain and favourable weather conditions have helped crops to recover from prolonged dry spring conditions. Soil moisture around Dauphin/Ste. Rose area continue to be short; soils in Swan River, The Pas and Roblin are 100 per cent adequate.

There was good advancement in crop growth in the region; most fields look clean with good weed control. The canola crop continues to advance and, with the exception of very late seeded or stressed fields, 100 per cent of the crop is flowering. Spring cereals are starting to turn colour and are in the milk to soft dough stage. Field peas in the region are podding and starting to mature. Soybeans are flowering around Roblin and Swan River and are in the R1 stage. 60 per cent of the flax crop is flowering with the earlier seeded fields in the boll stage. Silage corn around Roblin is in good to poor condition.

Diamondback moth larvae are present in some fields but not in high numbers; producers are encouraged to scout fields for these pests before making spray decisions. From the 30 Bertha armyworm monitoring traps in the region, the highest cumulative counts are around Ste. Rose at 322 and Minitonas at 323. These numbers are in the “uncertain risk” range and reflect areas to prioritize when scouting for larvae.

Fungicide applications occurring as conditions and staging allows. Variable weather with rain and heavy morning dew is causing fluctuations to the fusarium head blight (FHB) risk map for the region. Generally, crops in the region are in average condition and have somewhat compensated for the challenging spring conditions.

Haying has been delayed due to recent rains, and will resume with stable forecast and clearer weather. Hay yields are reporting to be very low with 30 to 50 per cent of normal, although newer fields are reporting somewhat higher yields at 50 to 60 per cent of normal. Pastures are improving with the additional moisture; however, water sources continue to be low or very low on pastures.

Grasshoppers continue to be a major problem throughout the area, on both pastures and hay fields. Annual crops are starting to improve that are intended for silage and greenfeed. Hayfield conditions are rated as good (20 per cent) to fair (40 per cent), the balance being poor to very poor. Pasture conditions rated as good (10 per cent) to fair (40 per cent), poor (20 per cent) and very poor (30 per cent).

Central Region

Moderate to heavy rains fell across the region on Wednesday bringing anywhere from trace to 41 mm as it progressed from west to east. Cypress River received the highest amounts, while Altona and Starbuck receiving less than 2 mm. Seasonal to above seasonal temperatures prevailed with daytime highs nearing 30°C and overnight lows dropping as low as 8°C in some places. Relative humidity has remained high. Soil moisture is considered adequate for rapid crop growth. Most rainfall has been absorbed by soils, but some ponding in low areas of fields and some crops turning yellow as a result, but overall impact is considered minimal.

Wheat, oats and barley advancing well. All cereal fungicide applications complete. Fusarium Head Blight found in some wheat fields that received more consistent precipitation. Bacterial blight has become visible on oats and other cereals. Majority of wheat and oats are in the milk stage, but with hot and dry conditions forecasted, they should advance rapidly. Fall rye is turning and should be ready to harvest in a next couple of weeks.

Corn growth has occurred at a rapid pace with the continued hot and moist soil conditions. Corn in the Morden/Winkler area looks good as it received some earlier rain events that helped expedite growth. Corn staging varies from the V9 to tasseling, in the most advanced and well developing crops. Soybeans and edible beans that were showing stress from dry conditions have improved with recent rain. Soybeans staging in the Altona area are as much as 80 per cent in flower (R1) compared to Portage at about 50 per cent. Soybeans could use more rain to help with seed set, but are doing well. Green cloverworm and Thistle caterpillars have been found in some soybean fields, but not at economic levels.

Fungicide applications occurring on field peas and edible beans to prevent foliar disease development. Canola staging varies widely across the region. Some fields are 100 per cent done flowering with others still at 50 per cent. Majority of fungicide applications are complete other than some late reseeded fields. Some of those were sprayed by air since rain made fields inaccessible.

Bertha armyworm trap counts so far remain relatively low with a few more weeks of monitoring remaining. Grasshopper spraying has occurred in some fields in the Red River Valley, and some soybean fields in the northwest part of the region have been sprayed as well. Flax is flowering and foliar fungicides applied to fields at risk of disease development. Sunflowers staging is V10 to bud formation (R1).

Potato tubers are 2 to 4 inches in size and bulking. No late blight has been detected, but preventative fungicide application continues. Some minor early blight has been found. Overall low insect pressure from aphids and Colorado potato beetle, however some fields were sprayed for potato beetle.

First cut hay is mostly complete with yields running one quarter to half of normal. Hay production is well below average due to dry spring conditions. Second cut hay and pasture is looking better where rains were significant otherwise, fields are browning, as regrowth is minimal or non-existent. Producers are expressing concern with the poor hay crop and potential feed shortages. Straw, greenfeed, silage and other forages will be baled as a source of feed. Weaning calves early and creep feeding have been used to manage dry pasture conditions. Livestock water supplies are getting low, affecting water quality and dugouts are running out of water.

Eastern Region

Rainfall accumulations ranged from 2 mm to over 25 mm. Some areas west of Beausejour experienced intense, localized hailstorms, causing significant crop damage. Low spots with waterlogged soils have seen yellowing, particularly soybeans and wheat. Field access has been limited. Farms in northern parts of the region that had lower rainfall amounts in previous weeks, were particularly pleased to see more rain.

A few final fungicide applications on late seeded/re-seeded crop occurred by ground or plane, depending on field access.

Grasshopper scouting continued with some insecticide applications occurring in southern and northern districts. Most often, grasshoppers were controlled in cereals but limited acres of soybeans have also been sprayed. Amount of crop damage has been highly variable and, as a result, insecticide applications have been localized. Mowing of field margins and cutting bordering hay crops has sometimes caused grasshopper movement into cropland, resulting in the need for spraying.

Cereal armyworm scouting and damage has also warranted control in a significant number of acres of fall/spring cereals and some forage seed crops in the Lac du Bonnet and Whitemouth areas.

Green cloverworm feeding in soybeans continues, though still below economic thresholds. Diamondback moth larvae and lygus bugs noted at below threshold. Pre-harvest herbicide applications in winter cereals are expected to begin this week.

Winter wheat has reached the soft dough stage, while spring cereals were in the milk to early dough stage. Corn staging ranged from V10 to V12 with some earlier varieties tasselling (VT). Most soybean staging is late R1 to the R2 growth stage. Sunflowers staging is R2 (flowering) . Canola ranged from 70 per cent to completed flowering with pods set occurring.

Hayfields rated as good (20 per cent), fair (40 per cent), with the remainder poor to very poor. Pasture conditions rated as good (10 per cent) to fair (50 per cent), with the remainder poor to very poor. Beef producers baled their first cut hay, with reported yields of 50 to 60 per cent normal. Areas receiving 150 mm or more rainfall from the previous week had standing water in crop and hay fields.

Livestock have been rotated through pastures, as rains helped boost growth. Cutting of grass hayfields yielded 40 to 50 per cent of normal. First cut hay is 80 per cent cut and/or baled to date, mostly with good quality. Average hay yields were 1.0 tonne/acre for alfalfa, 0.75 tonne/acre for grass/alfalfa hay, 0.5 tonne/acre for other tame hay and a 0.25 tonne/acre for wild hay. Dugouts in some areas are still reporting very low levels. Availability of livestock water was rated as 100 per cent adequate.

Interlake Region

Temperatures were cooler this past week, with daytime temperatures ranging from 26 to close to 28°C. Minimum overnight temperatures ranged from 5 to 9°C. Crop growth has improved with rain, warmer temperatures and high humidity. Rainfall ranged from 4 mm to 20 mm, with some areas seeing as much as 25 mm to 40 mm in thundershowers. Any precipitation is welcome and all areas, particularly the north and east part of the region, remain short for moisture. Some crops still hang on from shower to shower. Topsoil moisture is currently adequate for 50 to 75 per cent of the crops and short to very short for the remaining acres.

The last seeded flax is flowering, bolls formed in most fields. Peas are shorter than normal, and in full flower/podding. Desiccation may occur in the earliest maturing peas by week end. Sunflowers are growing well, buds are forming and there is the odd early flower (R1). Early canola is done flowering. Stands are thin side and in some cases very stagey, due to earlier stresses, but branching is evident in many fields. In the driest areas, pods are short. Reseeded canola is looking good after the rains, and is flowering.

Most soybean staging R1 to R2, with a few fields at R3; majority of fields are short. As with all crops, stands are stagey and short due to early dry and cold conditions. Colour has improved in all fields. Nodulation is generally reported as excellent.

Most corn, both grain and silage has improved in both growth, colour and height with the rains and warm temperatures. It’s anticipated that silage yields will be higher than first expected. Grain corn staging, tasseling (VT) has started in the southern part of the region. Cereals have rapidly advanced with most in the late milk to dough stage. Some early barley is expected to be swathed this week. Fall rye and winter wheat are close to harvest as well.

Colour change is evident in many cereal crops, including oats. Crops have dried out on sandy ridges, evident in cereals and canola. There is some regrowth from the crown in oats, which will complicate harvest. Some greenfeed stands are thinner than normal, and in the driest areas are not doing well, especially if later seeded. Barley and oat greenfeed has been cut in the south part of the region, and will start to come off in the next week or so in the north. Some alfalfa was terminated after first cut, and seeded to barley or oats for greenfeed. Stands in the northwest are often poor; if there was enough moisture for germination, it was inadequate for further growth.

Grasshoppers are being monitored, some headlands and fields have received insecticide application. Concern has been mostly in pastures, cereal, forage grass fields and canola. Flax fields affected, have seen considerable injury. Armyworms have been reported in wheat and barley fields and are being closely monitored. Insecticide applications were made to a number of fields in the

Teulon area. Lygus bugs have been a problem in trefoil and seed alfalfa fields in the Arborg area and second insecticide applications are being done. Most diamondback moth larvae have matured to the pupal or cocoon stage and moths will be emerging. Bertha armyworm counts are relatively low. Some thistle caterpillar reported in soybeans. Aphids reported in some cereal fields, below threshold. Many reports of pupal casings of the beneficial wasps Cotesia sp. Producers are choosing beneficial-friendly insecticide options.

Green wild oats are now poking through maturing crops. In many cases, there were none present at the time of herbicide application, but germinated once the rains came. In some situations, herbicide resistant wild oats are evident above the crop canopy.

Forage availability continues to be a big concern for the region, especially as many producers have exhausted their surplus feed supplies. Producers are cutting everything possible. Rains have greened up some pastures, but in the driest areas, many just continue to just hang on. Yields are extremely variable depending on moisture levels; yields are coming in at 30 to 60 per cent of average production. Productivity is best on new stands, and fertilized stands. There is more hope for a second cut following rains, and may be better than first cut. As crops are short, availability of cereal straw will be limited. Timothy seed fields that were written off are being baled. There will be demand for corn stover.

Pastures are rated as fair (20 per cent), poor (20 per cent) to very poor (60 per cent). Hay fields rated as fair (30 per cent), poor (20 per cent) to very poor (40 per cent). Topsoil moisture for hay and pasture is rated as 50 per cent short and 50 per cent very short.

Dugout levels are quite variable; all are declining, some are dry. Water quality is a concern in low dugouts. Water supply is rated as 50 to 60 per cent adequate, but significant rain is needed for replenishment. Water hauling to pasture troughs is becoming more common in north Interlake. Some wells are being drilled deeper. Concern over adequate supply is increasing with continued dry conditions. The recent rains have not provided sufficient relief.

The post Corn, sunflower, soybeans enter reproductive phase, hay and forage yields far below normal appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

To the delight of many farmers, much of agro-Manitoba received badly needed precipitation between 1 a.m. July 8 and 7 a.m. July 10 Manitoba Agriculture’s weather stations show. (See map below)

While last week’s rains came too late to prevent yield loss in some fields, it stopped things from getting worse, Manitoba Agriculture oilseed specialist Dane Froese said in an interview July 11.

“This rain was just staving off complete destruction,” he said. “We really, really needed this rainfall in order to keep on with crop growth. Potential yield was declining day over day.

“Timely rains are going to be key to finish off this crop. We’re not expecting bin-buster yields.”

Froese added some areas might have some very good yields, but overall provincial yields will drop down from the previous two years. (See ‘Manitoba blessed’ at bottom)

“We’re probably going to be hitting those normal averages now. I don’t think we’re going to be above average now. We may even be slightly below.”

Why it matters: Manitoba farm gate revenue from crop production exceeded $4.1 billion in 2017, according to Manitoba Agriculture data. Those earnings are critical to not only the farmers who invest in producing those crops, but the larger provincial and federal economies.

Parts of the northwest received little or no rain last week, but many parts of the region had moisture earlier.

The Interlake, which had been missing the rains, received some, but parts of the region need much more, Froese said.

The rains’ impact will vary by crop and its condition.

“For fall rye and winter wheat and even spring cereals the yield and the size of the seed head was set way back when that crop was tillering and starting to joint,” Froese said. “However, rainfall now helps create a larger seed.

Soybeans ran out of moisture too in 2018, averaging 31.4 bushels an acre, down 15 per cent from the 10-year average of 36.

Keystone Agricultural Producers president Bill Campbell who farms at Minto is one of the many farmers thankful for the rain, even though ideally it would have come sooner.

“It’s better than not getting rain,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised that in some areas the yields have been compromised now. Even if we have ideal weather and rainfall from here forward I’m not sure we’re going to get maximum yield. But saying that, the crop can compensate. There’s still a pretty good chance to have a pretty good crop.”

It’s still a long way from the bin. Crops that received decent rains last week will need more in a week or two. Some need rain now.

Many annual crops in the Interlake are thin and uneven, while first-cut hay yields there are half of normal, Froese said, adding some fields weren’t cut because they were so poor.

Second-cut hay and pastures will benefit where the rain fell, but pastures will still need good management, Campbell said.

Canola OK?

Most canola crops will benefit from last week’s rains too because they were in the early reproductive stage, Canola Council of Canada agronomist Angela Brackenreed said in an interview July 11.

“I won’t say there wasn’t an impact from some of the drought conditions because I think there probably was, but it’s not like we’re fully podded yet,” she said.

The rains have some farmers wondering about spraying canola with a fungicide to control sclerotinia, a potentially devastating fungus disease.

Many farmers who normally plan to spray wrestled with it this year because the risk is lower because it was dry and/or because their crop was poor already. Now Brackenreed is getting calls from farmers wondering what to do.

“It typically takes three weeks of good moisture in the top couple of inches in the soil for sclerotia germination and then spore production,” she said. “So where are we going to be at in three weeks? Each individual producer needs to look at that.

“In a lot of cases that canola won’t be flowering anymore.”

If the field didn’t have spores before the rain and if flower petals are mostly gone in three weeks, the risk of infection is reduced, Brackenreed said. Sclerotinia spores infect fallen petals caught in branch crotches and then infect the plant.

Heavy rain can also drown apothecia (spore-producing bodies) and wash spores off of plants, but there’s no easy way to know if that has happened, she added.

On average, Manitoba farmers have harvested six bumper crops in a row, with yields exceeding the 10-year average, crop insurance data shows.

The last two came despite a drier-than-normal growing season — a pleasant surprise.

In fact, in 2017 yield records were set for seven major crops, including canola and red spring wheat.

Last year oil and confectionery sunflowers were the only major crops to set new average provincial yield records, but 10 major crops, including canola and red spring wheat, yielded above the 10-year average.

Although both growing seasons were dry, soil moisture reserves were higher in spring than this year. That, combined with timely rains, made all the difference.

This spring soils were drier and temperatures cooler resulting in poor germination in some fields. Frost set some crops crops back or led to reseeding.

Flea beetles, cutworms and grasshoppers added to crop stress.

“For things that are a little bit less determinant like canola, soybeans and corn we still have very good yield potential for those three crops.”

Manitoba Corn Growers Association agronomist Morgan Cott agrees.

“The timing is excellent because we’re not at reproduction yet,” she said in an interview July 11. “We still have several leaves to go.

“Some fields were definitely looking drought stressed.”

Manitoba’s corn crop is behind because of a cool spring, but it may seem worse because corn was so much more advanced by this time last year, Cott said.

The old saying is corn should be knee-high by the 1st of July. Last year many crops were shoulder-high. But by mid-July some cornfields ran out of moisture. While the provincial average yield of 121 bushels an acre was down 10 per cent from 133 bushels in 2018, it matched the 10-year average, crop insurance data from the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation shows.

Manitoba blessed with a string of bumper crops

On average, Manitoba farmers have harvested six bumper crops in a row, with yields exceeding the 10-year average, crop insurance data shows.

The last two — 2017 and 2018 — came despite a drier-than-normal growing season. It was a pleasant surprise for farmers.

In fact, in 2017 yield records were set for seven major crops, including canola and red spring wheat.

Last year oil and confectionery sun- flowers were the only major crops to set new average provincial yield records, but 10 major crops, including canola and red spring wheat, yielded above the 10-year average.

Although both growing seasons were dry, spring soil moisture reserves were higher than this year.

That, combined with timely rains, made all the difference.

This spring soils were drier and temperatures cooler resulting in poor germination in some fields.

Frost set some crops back or led to reseeding.

Flea beetles, cutworms and grasshoppers added to crop stress.

The post Rainfall prevents drought disaster appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

That’s according to the latest satellite data from the federal Crop Condition Assessment Program (CCAP), created in partnership between Statistics Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Crop development was much lower than normal across all three Prairie provinces.

“Dry conditions in the last few weeks preceding May 26 allowed seeding to take place normally, however the low moisture content of the topsoil is a concern and more rain is needed for normal crop growth,” Statistics Canada reported.

Rainfall across the Prairies was 40 to 60 per cent below normal in the previous two months, according to AAFC.

Meanwhile, spring precipitation in eastern Ontario and Nova Scotia was as much as 50 per cent above normal, according to the report. The conditions were delaying planting, and warmer and drier weather will be needed.

Detailed interactive maps are updated on a weekly basis by the CCAP and are available online.

The post Canadian crop development behind average appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

“The pollination stage is the critical part of the corn-growing period and I would say probably within the next three weeks we will know what yield is going to look like,” said Markus Haerle, chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario.

Dry weather has gripped many areas of the province for the past two months, making crop development highly variable. He said some fields have received spotty showers but many didn’t receive nearly enough.

“There might already be some impact on yields in certain areas of the province because of drought, but there’s still optimism since we got our rain the past few days.”

Producers in Ontario planted 2.16 million acres of corn this spring, slightly higher than last year’s 2.12 million acres.

Nationally, producers planted 3.63 million acres of corn this year — also a slight increase from 2016’s 3.56 million.

In Manitoba, the second-largest corn producing province, conditions are similar, with much variability being reported.

Daryl Rex of the National Sunflower Association of Canada is familiar with the corn situation and shares offices with the Manitoba Corn Growers Association. Manitoba corn development is highly variable, he said.

Moisture has been patchy with recent rain delivering amounts ranging from 50 millimetres near the international border to areas where fields barely received another 10 mm.

“The farmers that are fortunate to get the rain, should have, I’d say, a good average crop, whereas I’d expect some fields might be below average,” he said.

Some crops are tasselling down and starting to fill kernels, so timely rain would be especially appreciated now, he said.

Manitoba growers planted 428,000 acres of corn this spring, up from 410,000 acres in 2017 and 364,905 in 2016. Last year, growers in the province produced 50 million bushels of grain corn.

Producers in Ontario harvested 344 million bushels. last year, up from 330 million bushels in 2016.

Haerle said yields this year will depend on the usual factors such as soil type, moisture before planting and showers that have fallen since then, but dryness has persisted in many areas.

“In the middle of the province, which would be Prince Edward County, going north of Toronto, that’s probably the worst stretch where drought is basically going on still.”

Growers also faced problems in southern parts of the province, he said, such as in Essex County where they were forced to delay planting to late May or early June due to wet conditions and now are struggling with lack of moisture.

“Some crop looks just horrible,” he said.

“There’s not much you can do. Basically, pray for rain. Hope that the season is long enough that it can basically recoup out of the stress somewhat.”

Reports from Ontario’s agriculture ministry show maximum temperatures reached for the week of July 11-17 exceeded the 30-year average in 12 out of 12 recording stations and 10 out of 12 stations reported total rainfall since May 1 below the 30-year average.

Elora, at 129.3 mm of rain this year compared to the 206.4 mm average, and Peterborough with 141 mm versus the average of 200.9, are especially lacking in precipitation.

Manitoba Agriculture’s crop report for this week said corn in the southwest has started to show silks, while corn in the central region was silking and pollinating.

Corn futures in Chicago for the September contract were at $3.63 per bushel on Thursday (all figures US$). December corn closed at $3.7675 per bushel and March at $3.85.

— Terry Fries writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Glacier FarmMedia company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting. Follow CNS Canada at @CNSCanada on Twitter.

The post Ontario, Manitoba corn crops need rain appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

While rains are forecast to be fairly general across eastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba over the next week or so, they are expected to cause minimal damage and harvest delays there.

In the Peace, crop development is already behind thanks to a wet spring and there were concerns about what untimely precipitation might mean for farmers.

Micheal Seabrook, location manager for Crop Production Services at Fairview, Grimshaw and Hines Creek, Alta., was quick to dispel those worries.

The harvest, he said, is very well advanced in areas he covers, which includes farmland from just north of the Peace River to La Crete, about 360 km north of Fairview.

“My La Crete customers and a lot through to the Manning and Deadwood area are well advanced at the harvest. I would say for the most part from 70 to 80 per cent along,” he said.

Though rain is in the forecast, conditions now are dry due to persistent winds, and small amounts of rain are likely to have little effect, he said.

“We’ve had some pretty wicked winds that have kept things dry and kept things moving,” he said.

“You know how farmers are. We’ll wait and see what next week brings. The forecast will change 10 times between now and then,” he said.

More of a concern, he added, is when the first serious frost hits, with predictions for frost tonight and tomorrow night. He said it could affect some later-seeded canola, which is still fairly green.

However, he said, overall, farmers are optimistic.

While harvest might be behind a bit, it is a major improvement from a year ago. Snow struck the region on the third week of September last year and kept farmers out of fields until November.

“What’s rolling into the bins is good quality and clean,” he said.

“Right now, our peas are still standing. We’ve had good weather to get them off. They’re nice clean samples and coming off decent.”

Farmers in the Fairview and Grimshaw areas are 70 to 80 per cent done combining peas, with Hines Creek slightly behind that pace.

Most farmers are getting into canola, with some being combined around Fairview and about 80 per cent lying in swaths in the Fairview-Grimshaw region.

“Guys are pretty optimistic right now.”

Most farmers haven’t started wheat harvest yet, though it developed more quickly than many people thought it would due to a warm, dry August. Much of the wheat was seeded late and many farmers were expecting to take it off in October, but it now appears it could be combined sooner than that.

“With what’s going and the crop that’s there, we’ve got an average to above-average crop for the most part. The bushels are there,” Seabrook said.

Bruce Burnett, director of markets and weather analysis for Glacier FarmMedia, said general rain for this week and next should not concern many growers in areas outside of the northern grain belt.

Following scattered showers, which are predicted for the middle of this week and next, he said more harvest-friendly weather should return.

“The longer-term forecast looks fairly good. We’re going to return on the Prairies to a warmer, drier flow,” he said.

The rain comes as a mixed blessing to farmers, he said, depending on where they live. While many southern farmers could use the rain to replenish dry soils, farmers in central and northern areas need to finish their harvests first.

Soybeans, a key crop still in the ground in southern areas, should be able to weather the expected precipitation, Burnett said. The soybean harvest is still a week to 10 days away in most areas, he added.

— Terry Fries writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Winnipeg company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting. Follow CNS Canada at @CNSCanada on Twitter.

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A large area of southern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba has received less than 40 per cent of normal precipitation during the 30-day period leading up to June 5, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Much of east-central Alberta and west-central Saskatchewan has the opposite problem, having collected more than double the usual amounts of precipitation.

The southern Prairies need 0.5 to 1.5 inches of rain soon — “a $1 million-dollar” shower to accelerate growth, said Dave Reimann, grain market analyst at Cargill.

Spring wheat and canola in Saskatchewan, the biggest provincial producer of those crops, are seven to 10 days behind their normal development, despite being planted on time this spring, said Shannon Friesen, cropping management specialist for the provincial government.

High winds have compounded the problem, drying up what little moisture Saskatchewan and Manitoba have received.

Some crops have yet to poke through the soil and may not emerge at all without a significant rain in the next week, Friesen said, adding: “Some of those crops could be done.”

Minneapolis spring wheat futures have gained about 12 per cent since mid-May on concerns about hot, dry weather in the northern U.S. Plains, which border the southern Canadian Prairies.

Environment Canada is forecasting hot, dry weather for most of the next week across the southern Prairies, although some dry parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan may get periodic showers.

Canada is a major wheat exporter and the biggest global grower of canola, used to make vegetable oil.

Elsewhere, farmers who are planting later than normal may decide to sow additional acres of short-season crops, such as barley and oats, said FarmLink Marketing Solutions senior market analyst Neil Townsend.

Other farmers in Alberta’s wet Peace River region may expand canola plantings at the expense of spring wheat, which takes longer to grow, said Neil Arbuckle, national sales lead at the Canadian unit of seed and chemical dealer Monsanto.

“Although canola is costlier, even with a wheat price rally, canola could provide a higher return given the excellent yields farmers have been experiencing recently,” Arbuckle said.

Statistics Canada is scheduled to estimate Canadian plantings on June 29.

— Rod Nickel is a Reuters correspondent covering the agriculture and mining sectors from Winnipeg.

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“It’s a little too early to say what the final impact will be, but crops that saw that severe weather system did see some crop damage,” provincial crop specialist Pamela de Rocquigny said.

Amounts of rain varied across the province, ranging anywhere from 10 to 140 mm of rain, she said.

“Some areas are definitely wet and that’s having an impact on crop development and field operations, in terms of herbicide and fungicide applications,” she said.

“We see producers moving from ground applications to aerial applications just because field conditions are a little bit too wet.”

Those hardest hit have reported crop yellowing, slow crop development and some crop deaths, de Rocquigny said, but other areas are having better luck.

“The good news is that areas that haven’t received as much rainfall are actually in fairly good condition. We are seeing variability,” she said.

The full impact of the storms won’t be fully realized until approximately next week, she said, adding that she hopes for a change in weather.

“What we really need is just a stretch of some warm, dry weather,” de Rocquigny said. “I think crops have the capacity to recover from some of these excess moisture conditions that we do see.”

— Erin DeBooy writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Winnipeg company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting.

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