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

Strong demand supports sunflowers

MarketsFarm — Global demand for sunflower oil is steadily increasing, according to Scoular’s Robert Deraas. Deraas, director of the Scoular Co.’s sunflower and bird food division, explained Wednesday at CropConnect in Winnipeg that the majority of Canadian sunflowers are grown for oil purposes. Increases in demand are driven largely by health-conscious consumers who use sunflower

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Crop insurance: What’s new in 2020?

The organic sector, farmers with extended grazing and high-value crop growers can all expect more insurance options this year

Crop insurance coverage is poised for another increase in 2020, according to Manitoba Agricultural Services Corp. (MASC). AgriInsurance coverage will hit $3 billion this year, with similar premiums to 2019. Why it matters: Better production knowledge has yields, and coverage, trending up, while the organic sector and producers with extended grazing will get more safety


(JohnnyMad/Getty Images)

Variable yields supportive for mustard prices

MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada’s principal field crop production report last week estimated a significant drop in Canada’s 2019 mustard production. In September, the agency estimated Canadian mustard would total about 141,000 tonnes. However, due to challenging growing conditions and a slight reduction in acreage, the StatsCan estimates released Friday were revised downward to 134,600 tonnes.

ICE November 2019 canola with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola trade’s eyes on StatsCan report

MarketsFarm — Although Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) released its production forecast Wednesday, markets are focused on next week’s production report from Statistics Canada — a survey-based report which should provide a clearer picture of what’s to come. AAFC’s August report kept the canola production estimate at July’s 18.575 million tonnes. “Maybe we’ll see if


CBOT December 2019 corn with Bollinger bands, a gauge of market volatility. (Barchart)

CBOT weekly outlook: U.S. grain traders watch yields, demand

MarketsFarm — Soybean and corn prices on the Chicago Board of Trade remain at the behest of geopolitical pressures and questionable crop yields. Terry Reilly, a grains analyst with Futures International in Chicago, said traders are keeping a close eye on the U.S. Pro Farmer tour throughout the eastern Corn Belt region. The tour has

(FIle photo by Allan Dawson)

Winter wheat harvest varies by province

MarketsFarm — Depending where a farmer is located, Canada’s winter wheat crop has varied this year. Ontario has long been the country’s powerhouse for winter wheat. Statistics Canada projected the province’s farmers to seed just over one million acres this year, nearly 75 per cent of Canada’s total winter wheat acres. However, Marty Vermey, senior





(4loops/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Field pea acreage increasing

MarketsFarm — Last week’s report from Statistics Canada estimated that some acreage in Canada’s canola belt will instead go to field peas in 2019. Approximately 4.3 million total acres will be dedicated to field peas, StatsCan said, marking a 300,000-acre increase from estimates earlier in the year, and up from the 3.6 million acres seeded