Insights and Stories on Crops

Oct. 13, 2009 at 4:39 pm CDT

(Resource News International) — Recent strength in the canola futures market has also translated into firm cash bids as harvest delays and the slowdown of farmer selling has resulted in favourable basis levels being offered across Western Canada. The best cash prices are usually found in Alberta, given the province’s […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Oct. 13, 2009 at 3:56 pm CDT

Oct. 13 — Markets are mixed today after a strong showing yesterday, particularly by the U.S. grains, as a result of cold weather over the weekend. Financial indexes are showing mixed results as the U.S. dollar drops 0.18 cents. Energy markets continue to show strength with crude closing up 88 […]

By Brian Wittal

Oct. 13, 2009 at 2:59 pm CDT

Bayer CropScience says it has completed sequencing the entire genome of rapeseed/canola (Brassica napus) and its constituent genomes present in Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea.  This provides Bayer with a unique level of insight into the previously unknown genetic code of canola and will speed up the development of new […]

Oct. 13, 2009 at 11:17 am CDT

In an article that’s unlikely to be popular in the farm community, the Toronto Star newspaper says Canada’s commodity food production system is the result of having an informal cheap food policy. Writer Margaret Webb, author of Apples to Oysters: A Food Lover’s Tour of Canadian Farms, says most of […]

Oct. 12, 2009 at 1:12 am CDT

British Columbia’s government is “risking the reputation” of the province’s wines by allowing the official Olympic designation to be used on wines labelled “Cellared in Canada,” one opposition ag critic argues. Canadian wine companies have recently come under renewed fire for their marketing of non-VQA wines containing blends of bulk […]