Tag Archives: farming

Grain transportation impacts local businesses

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How have the grain transportation issues affected you? Please comment!

A simple drive down area grid roads will give you a good indication of the impact of the shortage in allocation of rail cars for grain. Even when still covered with snow or blending into the surrounding snowy landscape, long raised ridges reveal the presence of grain storage bags in many fields.

With bins still full from last year’s record crop, if farmers can’t make deliveries to terminals, they have nowhere else to put the grain.

North West Terminal CEO Jason Skinner said it was in December the rail car allocation began to drop. Comparing December 2013 to February 2014 with December 2012 to February 2012, the number of rail cars available has been “significantly” less.

North West Terminal, Unity, SKAs has been noted in numerous media reports on the issue, compounding the problem is the fact that demand to ship grain is high as a result of the record crops last year.

Skinner said the situation will definitely affect the bottom line for NWT. Like other grain companies, they are incurring demurrage costs and contract delay penalties. He also noted once shipping opportunities are lost, “you don’t get those back.”

The inability to deliver and sell grain affects cash flow for farmers and, with seeding time near and input bills coming up, the terminal gets many calls asking about the opportunity to deliver grain.

Senior editor Mark Szakonyi, based in Washington, D.C., covers railroads, U.S. transportation and trade policy, sourcing and ocean shipping for JOC.com. He reported NC president and CEO Claude Mongeau as describing the 2013-14 winter as “brutal and unusual.”

Mongeau also gave Szakonyi the following information on rail car issues in Canada: with extended cold periods over the winter, there was little opportunity for CN to make up delays; speeds had to be reduced by about 9 per cent; air brake systems malfunction in extreme cold, requiring trains to be shortened anywhere between 10 and 15 per cent.

With the railroads running shorter, slower trains, other businesses also have been affected. For example, Sifto Salt in Unity, SK, reports they have also been having trouble getting rail cars for shipping their bulk product.

How have the grain transportation issues affected you? Please comment!

NWT posts profitable financial results for 2013

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 The board of directors of North West Terminal Ltd. is pleased to announce positive financial results for the company following operations in 2012-13. For the period beginning Nov. 1, 1012 and ending Oct. 31, 2013, NWT posted net revenues from consolidated operations of $133.5 million and an EBITDA of $9,136,654. This resulted in a net profit of $4,762,492, or $1.45 per share.

The financial performance of the company is behind the same period last year when the company posted revenues from operations of $132.7 million, an EBITDA of $11,422,627 and a net profit of $5,329,571, or $1.63 per share. Management reported earnings were down from the previous year primarily because of reduced shipping and tighter margins in both the grain and bio-products divisions. The overall reduction in profits was offset by dividends from investments and revenue from a leasing arrangement for the purposes of transloading crude oil.

“The board of directors is very pleased with the company’s financial performance,” says NWT’s President John Leier. “It should be noted that these results are for the past fiscal year. We are finding the current year somewhat more challenging with all the shipping delays that are being experienced. NWT continues to work hard on adding value and improving service for farmers from this region of the province. That is one of the major advantages of being a locally owned company as this is our primary focus.” Leier farms near Denzil.

North West Terminal

NWT is an independent farmer-shareholder owned company headquartered near Unity. It owns and operates an inland grain terminal and a bio-production facility at its Unity location.

Harvest almost complete

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SaskAg Crop Report for West-Central Saskatchewan, Oct. 1 – 7

Harvest is essentially complete in the region: 97 per cent of the crop is combined. The five-year average (2008 to 2012) is 83 per cent combined. The amount of rainfall in the region last week ranged from nil to 36 mm (Dinsmore area). Sixty-seven per cent of the flax and 69 per cent of the canaryseed (two minor crops) have been combined. Yields well above the 10-year average are being reported.

Spring wheat grades are rated as 79 per cent 1CW, 17 per cent 2CW and four per cent 3CW.

Although some areas received rain last week, topsoil moisture conditions are still very dry. Twenty per cent of the crop land has adequate topsoil moisture, 50 per cent is short and 30 per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 28 per cent adequate, 45 per cent short and 27 per cent very short.  Many areas in the region have not had a significant rainfall in over a month and a half. In crop districts 7A and 7B, over 43 per cent of the cropland, hay land and pasture is very short of topsoil moisture.

Producers are busy with fall weed control operations, hauling bales and bringing cattle home from pastures.

Above average yields in most of province

Of the crop that has been harvested, average to above-average yields are being reported in most areas. Spring wheat average yields are reported as 47 bushels per acre, durum 44 bushels per acre, barley 69 bushels per acre, canola 38 bushels per acre and peas 43 bushels per acre. Average yields vary from region to region, depending on seeding conditions and growing season moisture.  Provincial spring wheat quality is estimated to be above average. Grades for spring wheat are estimated as 59 per cent 1CW, 31 per cent 2CW, nine per cent 3CW and one per cent CW feed.

Crop progress before the rain

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With our area escaping the rain experienced during the September 24 to 30 period covered by the latest Crop Report from Saskatchewan Agriculture, we continued to be ahead of the rest of the province in harvest progress.

West-Central Saskatchewan (Crop Districts 6B – Hanley, Outlook, Loreburn, Saskatoon and Arelee areas; Crop District 7 – Rosetown, Kindersley, Eston, Major, Kerrobert, Macklin, Wilkie and Biggar areas)

The west-central region is the most advanced area of the province,  with 95 per cent of the crop combined and four per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut. Crop districts 7A and 7B recorded very little rain and so combines continued to roll in those areas. Rain ranged from nil to 62 mm (Hanley area). Spring wheat combined ranges from 90 to 100 per cent; oats 50 to 100 per cent; barley 40 100 per cent; canola 80 to 100 per cent and flax 10 to 100 per cent combined. Flax and canaryseed crops are being combined. Many farmers have completed harvest and others hope to finish within the week.

With some areas receiving very little rain, topsoil moisture conditions continue to deteriorate and are rated as 16 per cent adequate, 37 per cent short and 47 per cent very short on cropland. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 22 per cent adequate, 30 per cent short and 48 per cent very short. Many areas in the region have not received a significant rainfall in over a month. Crop districts 7A and 7B are reporting over 40 per cent of the cropland, hay land and pasture is very short of topsoil moisture. Crop and combine fires have been reported in many areas.

Pasture conditions are rated as three per cent excellent, 13 per cent good, 43 per cent fair, 28 per cent poor and 13 per cent very poor.

The majority of the crop damage was caused by strong winds (of up to 80 km per /hour) that damaged some swathed crops. Producers are busy finishing harvest, working fields and starting fall weed control.

Provincially

Seventy-nine per cent of the 2013 crop is now combined, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. Significant rainfall recorded last week slowed harvest progress in most areas of the province. Fifteen per cent is swathed or is ready to straight-cut. The five-year average (2008-2012) for this time of year is 74 per cent combined and 18 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.

Harvest progress is most advanced in the west-central region, where 95 per cent of the crop is combined. Seventy-two per cent is combined in the southeast; 85 per cent in the southwest; 68 per cent in the east-central region; 74 per cent in the northeast and 88 per cent in the northwest.

Rainfall throughout the province ranged from nil to 81 mm. Many areas received over 35 mm of rain, and heavy precipitation was reported in the southwestern, east-central and northeastern regions. Many areas in the southwestern, southeastern and east-central regions have been experiencing rain delays for a couple of weeks.

Across the province, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as five per cent surplus, 65 per cent adequate, 19 per cent short and 11 per cent very short. Topsoil moisture on hay and pasture land is rated as two per cent surplus, 63 per cent adequate, 24 per cent short and 11 per cent very short.

Pasture conditions are rated as nine per cent excellent, 43 per cent good, 29 per cent fair, 16 per cent poor and three per cent very poor.

Rain and strong winds caused the majority of the crop damage. The rain has resulted in bleaching and sprouting of some cereal crops. Wind has caused some shattering losses in swathed canola and ripe crops.

Farmers are busy combining, hauling bales and completing fall weed control operations.

 

Harvest progress most advanced in West Central Sask.

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SASK. AG CROP REPORT FOR THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 17 TO 23, 2013

Harvest is progressing well despite recent rains in many areas of the province.  Saskatchewan farmers now have 71 per cent of the 2013 crop combined, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Weekly Crop Report.  Twenty-one per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut.  The five-year average (2008-2012) for this time of year is 60 per cent combined and 23 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.

Harvest progress is most advanced in the west-central region, with 86 per cent of the crop combined.  Sixty-two per cent is combined in the southeast; 79 per cent in the southwest; 60 per cent in the east-central region; 68 per cent in the northeast and 73 per cent in the northwest.

Of the crop that has been harvested, average to above-average yields are being reported in most areas; however, they vary from region to region.  Spring wheat average yields are reported as 46 bushels per acre, durum 44 bushels per acre, barley 68 bushels per acre, canola 38 bushels per acre, and peas 43 bushels per acre.

harvest

If you look carefully, you can see a double rainbow in the sky above this harvested field. Taken September 23, 2013 in West Central Saskatchewan

West-Central Saskatchewan (Crop Districts 6B – Hanley, Outlook, Loreburn, Saskatoon and Arelee areas; Crop District 7 – Rosetown, Kindersley, Eston, Major, Kerrobert, Macklin, Wilkie and Biggar areas)

The west-central region is the most advanced area of the province with 86 per cent of the crop combined and 10 per cent swathed or ready to straight cut.  The five year average (2008-2012) for this time of year is 56 per cent combined.  Crop district 7A has 91 per cent combined, 6B 83 per cent combined and 7B has 84 per cent of the crop combined.  Little to no rain was received last week, helping farmers stay in the field.

Estimated yield ranges for the region are reported as follows: winter wheat 30 to 50 bu/ac, spring wheat 30 to 60 bu/ac, durum 37 to 60 bu/ac, oats 65 to 100 bu/ac, barley 50 to 80 bu/ac, fall rye 30 to 40 bu/ac, flax 25 to 35 bu/ac, canola 30 to 48 bu/ac, mustard 1000 to 2000 lb./ac, lentils 1200 to 2400 lb./ac, peas 30 to 60 bu/ac and canary seed 750 to 1500 lb./ac.  Overall, quality is good and many farmers are expecting to wrap up harvest in the next week or two.

Topsoil moisture conditions continue to deteriorate and are rated as 13 per cent adequate, 49 per cent short and 38 per cent very short on cropland. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 14 per cent adequate, 44 per cent short and 42 per cent very short.  The region has not received significant rainfall in over a month and all crop districts are reporting that almost half of acres are short of topsoil moisture.

Crop and combine fires have been reported in many areas.

Producers are busy finishing harvest operations, working fields and starting fall weed control.

Significant harvest progress

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combine and grain truck

The combine rounds a grain truck on its way back to the field to pick up and process more golden swaths of canola.

The latest Saskatchewan Crop Report released by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture September 12, covering the week of September 3 to 9, reports great harvest progress and bounteous crops.

Province-wide, the report said:

Significant harvest progress was made this week, allowing Saskatchewan farmers to move ahead of the five-year harvest average. Thirty per cent of the 2013 provincial crop is combined and 36 per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. The five-year average (2008-2012) for this time of year is 28 per cent combined and 31 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.

Harvest is most advanced in the southwestern region, where 46 per cent of the crop is combined. Twenty-eight per cent is combined in the southeast; 23 per cent in the east-central region; 38 per cent in the west-central region; 15 per cent in the northeast and 16 per cent in the northwest. Warm weather over the past few weeks has helped speed crop development.

Of the crop that has been harvested, above-average yields are being reported in most areas. Spring wheat average yields are reported as 43 bu/ac, barley 66 bu/ac, canola 35 bu/ac, lentils 1600 lb./ac and peas 42 bu/ac. Average yields vary from region to region, depending on seeding conditions and growing season moisture.

Thunderstorms later in the week dropped over 60 mm of rain in some parts of the south. Province-wide, the week’s rainfall ranged from nil to 86 mm. Grasshoppers, wind and heavy rains caused the majority of the reported crop damage.

Across the province, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as three per cent surplus, 59 per cent adequate, 30 per cent short and eight per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as one per cent surplus, 54 per cent adequate, 35 per cent short and 10 per cent very short. Some areas in the western and central regions are very dry, affecting pasture productivity.

Farmers are busy desiccating, swathing and combining.

And in West-Central Saskatchewan:

Thirty-eight per cent of the 2013 crop is combined and 38 per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut. Most areas recorded no rain during the week, allowing combines to keep moving in the field. Rainfall in the region ranged from nil to 8 mm (Craik area). Crop districts 6B and 7A have 41 per cent combined and Crop District 7B has 32 per cent combined. Crop reporters are indicating yields are well above average in most areas of the region.

Topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 31 per cent adequate, 46 per cent short and 23 per cent very short on cropland. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 21 per cent adequate, 44 per cent short and 34 per cent very short. All crop districts in the region are reporting over half of the cropland and hay land is short of topsoil moisture. Crop District 6B is reporting 44 and 50 per cent of cropland and hay land and pasture, respectively, are very short of topsoil moisture. Soil conditions are very dry in the region, as most areas have not had a significant amount of rain for a month or more. Dry conditions have resulted in a few grass, stubble or combine fires.

Grasshopper populations are high, but very little damage was reported as most crops are into the maturity stages. Dry conditions are causing the majority of crop stress.  High winds in crop districts 7A and 7B caused some canola swaths to blow around. Producers are busy harvesting and hauling hay.

 

Saskatchewan Agriculture Crop Report

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swathing canola

Saskatchewan Agriculture’s crop report for August 13 to 19, says “warm weather with very little rain interruptions over the past week has helped speed crop development.  Harvest operations have begun in many areas of the province.” The many areas include Unity as swaths were down in some of the canola fields nearby. The photo above was taken north-east of Unity, near Cloan, Aug. 20.

With reference to crop districts 6B and 7, West-Central Saskatchewan, the report reads as follows:

Warm weather has helped with crop maturity over the past several days. One per cent of peas have been combined in the region. Seven percent of canola, three per cent of mustard, 12 per cent of peas and nine per cent of lentils have been swathed or are ready to straight cut. Very little rain was recorded for the week ranging from nil to 7 mm (Perdue area). Most of the region has been missing the moisture that other areas have received over the past few weeks and soil conditions were very dry in some areas. Most crop reporters are indicating harvest operations are 10 days to two weeks behind normal compared to the last couple of years.

Topsoil moisture conditions are rated as one per cent surplus, 53 per cent adequate, 39 per cent short and seven per cent very short on cropland. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as one per cent surplus, 44 per cent adequate, 42 per cent short and 13 per cent very short. All crop districts in the region are reporting at least one third of the crop and hay land is short of topsoil moisture.

Very little crop damage was reported in the region. Dry conditions and bertha armyworms are causing the majority of crop stress. Producers are busy getting ready for harvest.

Crop Report – Aug. 6 to 12

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pea field

Bright-green peas in the field east of Unity, near Wilkie, Aug. 13 confirm the statement in the Saskatchewan Crop Report for the West-Central District that “Most crop reporters are indicating harvest operations are 10 days to two weeks behind normal compared to the last couple of years.”

Farmers are reminded that the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance deadline to select winterkill coverage for fall rye and winter wheat is Aug. 25.

The Crop Report for our area also said, “Most areas of the region recorded some rainfall for the week which will help crops on dry soil fill as harvest operations get underway. Most of the region has been missing the moisture that other areas have received over the past few weeks and soil conditions were very dry in some areas … Rainfall reported in the past week ranged from nil to 52 mm (Kindersley area). The highest cumulative rainfall in the region since April 1, 2013, has been recorded at Major, SK (352 mm).”

Saskatchewan Crop Report

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hay bales, grain and canola

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture in its Crop Report August 1 said, province-wide, “Saskatchewan livestock producers … (have) 82 per cent of the 2013 hay crop cut and 60 per cent baled or put into silage” while 84 “per cent of spring wheat, 82 per cent of canola, 81 per cent of lentils and 88 per cent of peas are in good to excellent condition.”

Specific to west-central Saskatchewan, including Unity and Luseland, “Livestock producers have 90 per cent of the hay crop cut and 77 per cent baled or put into silage. Hay quality is rated as 15 per cent excellent, 80 per cent good and five per cent fair….Very little crop damage was reported in the region. Dry conditions and disease (smut, sclerotinia and ascochyta) are causing the majority of crop stress.”

To read the whole Crop Report, click here: http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/crprpt130801