Alta. farmers reflect on 2018 harvest

Nov 19, 2018

Growers needed to be patient and resilient this year, one producer said

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

With harvest in the rearview mirror, Alberta farmers shared their observations from a unique season.

Snow played a big role in delayed regional grain harvests, said Renn Breitkreuz, a grain producer from Onoway, Alta. and chair of the Alberta Canola Producers Commission.

“It was another challenging harvest,” he told Farms.com. “It was delayed due to multiple snow events and frost. Consequently, there are pockets with crops still left in the field and there are quality issues related to the poor weather.”

But it wasn’t just the snow and moisture that caused crop issues. Parts of southern Alberta experienced drought for the third straight year, he added.

The combined impact from the snow and dry conditions could result in a lower provincial yield, Breitkreuz said.

“I think overall the average will be down from the previous year (43.5 bushels per acre),” he said. “Some areas got a reasonable volume of crops, but the quality is on the poorer side.”

Jason Lenz, a grain producer from Bentley, Alta. and chair of Alberta Barley, also reflected on the harvest season.

The snow caused Lenz to finish harvest about two weeks later than usual, he said.

“It was a little frustrating for sure,” he told Farms.com. “We learned that you have to be patient and resilient through everything. We had six different snowfalls in about a 40-day period and weren’t able to really get harvesting until Oct. 17.”

Dry weather caused a mixed bag of yield and quality, he added.

“Some fields yielded as expected, and some did better than expected,” Lenz said. “I think that’s just because of how dry it was in the area and that the rains we did get were kind of spotty.”

Video: Will the 2025 USDA December Crop Report Be a Market Mover/Surprise?

Historically, the USDA December crop report is a non-event or another dud report as the USDA reserves any final supply changes to the final report in January of the following year in this case 2026. But after the longest U.S. government shutdown in history at 43 days and no October crop report will they provide more data/surprise and make an exception?
Our China U.S. soybean purchase tracker is now at 26.6% or a total of 3.2 mmt but for traders it’s taking too long to unfold.
The final Stats Canada production report was bearish canola and wheat projection a record crop in both (it adds to the global glut of supplies) and bullish local corn and soybean prices in Ontario/Quebec thanks to a drought. It will not help the fund flow short-term, the USDA may need to offset it?
A U.S. Fed interest rate cut of another 25-basis point next Wednesday (probability 87.1%) could help fund flow and sentiment in stock and ag commodities into year end.
More inflows into Bitcoin this past week saw prices rebound back above 90,000 with support at 82,000 and resistance at 96,000.
A V-shaped bottom in cattle suggest the lows are in after Mexico reported another new world screwworm case. Lower weights, seasonal demand and higher U.S. beef select/choice values with a continued closure of the Mexican border to cattle will result in a resumption of higher cattle futures into yearend.
Australia is expected to produce its 3rd largest wheat crop ever at 36 mmt adding to the global glut of supplies.
Reports of ASF in hogs in Spain the largest pork exporter in Europe could see the U.S. win more pork export business long-term.
If the rains verify into next week of 3-5 inches for Brazil it would go a long way to fixing the dry regions from the last 2-months, but the European weather model has been wrong for the past 2-months!
Natural gas futures are surging to the 3rd price count as frigid hold temps set in.
CDN $ is also surging to end the week on a very resilient economy and better employment numbers suggesting no interest rate cuts next week.
Finally, the CFTC report showed funds were net buyers of soybeans but sellers of corn, canola and wheat. In real time the funds have gone back to selling as they take some profits.