Red-winged blackbirds fly over a U.S. sunflower crop in 2017. Pic: Supercaliphotolistic/iStock/Getty Images

Bird repellent gets emergency approval for sunflowers

Manitoba sunflower growers can now apply Avian Control repellent to keep blackbirds away during their 2025 harvest season

A product called Avian Control has received emergency-use approval to become the first chemical bird repellent available to Manitoba sunflower growers, in time for use this harvest.



Toby checks out a southern Manitoba sunflower field in this file photo. (Glen Hallick photo)

Manitoba sunflower yields better than anticipated

Some crops may be left over winter

MarketsFarm — With most of Manitoba’s sunflower harvest believed to be almost complete for 2023, yields have proven to be better than expected, according to Dennis Lange at Manitoba Agriculture. “I’ve heard good comments from some in the industry that the sunflower crop looks pretty good this year,” Lange said, noting Manitoba yields were estimated

Dry weather slashes EU bumper crop expectations

Reuters – The European Union’s crop monitoring service further reduced its yield forecasts July 24 for this year’s harvest, citing dry and hot weather. Crop prospects in the bloc have taken on extra significance since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a major wheat, corn and sunflower exporter, has disrupted Black Sea exports and raised uncertainty over


File photo of a sunflower crop in Manitoba. (MysticEnergy/Getty Images)

Manitoba sunflowers doing well with fewer acres

Few pest, weed problems appear so far

MarketsFarm — Despite fewer acres under hot and dry conditions, things are going well for Manitoba’s sunflower crop. Out of the 88,000 acres planted for sunflowers across Canada, 77,000 of them are in Manitoba, according to Statistics Canada’s (StatCan) principal field crop acreage estimates released June 28. Both figures represent the fewest number of acres

File photo of barley being unloaded at a grain terminal in Ukraine on June 23, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Igor Tkachenko)

Ukraine’s farm output could take 20 years to recover, study suggests

Some crop sectors may recover more quickly

Kyiv | Reuters — Ukraine’s agricultural sector could take 20 years or more in parts to recover from the ravages of Russia’s full-scale invasion, according to a Kyiv-based research centre. Ukraine is a major global grower and exporter of wheat, corn, sunflower and sunflower oil, but its production has fallen sharply since the war start



(Laura Rance photo)

Corteva cuts U.S. jobs while exiting Russia

California plant produces seed for sunflower growers

Chicago | Reuters — Seeds and pesticides company Corteva will eliminate U.S. jobs next year, as its exit from Russia reduces demand for its commercial sunflower seeds produced in California, the company said on Monday. Corteva will cut 51 positions from a Woodland, California facility, run by its Pioneer Hi-Bred International subsidiary, that supplied Europe


Flags in front of the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. (Inakiantonana/E+/Getty Images)

EU cuts estimate of drought-hit maize crop, raises import outlook

Commission cuts soft wheat exports, raises imports

Paris | Reuters — The European Commission on Friday cut its estimate of this year’s drought-hit maize harvest in the European Union to a new 15-year low while again raising its projection for this season’s maize imports. European maize (corn) crops endured severe drought and several heatwaves during the crucial summer growth period. The Commission