It's Not A Typical La Nina On The Prairies

MarketsFarm gave their market outlook last week.

 

Bruce Burnett, the Director of Weather and Market Information gave the weather presentation as part of the online event.

 

He says the La Nina weather we have been experiencing this year in Western Canada has not been typical.

 

"Really this is exactly the opposite from what we would expect during a La Nina. Typically, what we would see is strong northerly flows, so below normal temperatures. The storm track usually is running through, I would call it the traditional parkland areas. Let's say from the Peace River region down to Winnipeg in sort of a direct line where most of the precipitation falls, and that certainly hasn't happened this year."

 

He notes normally with a La Nina we would see more snow and colder conditions in Canada, with a return to colder temperatures expected next week.

 

Burnett says some areas of the prairies went into the winter with fairly dry conditions adding that moisture is going to be the theme for this year.

 

The biggest concern is on the eastern side of the prairies - parts of Saskatchewan and into Manitoba.

 

"The areas that were drier than normal were up in Northern Alberta, essentially Northeastern Alberta across through into the Southern Peace, as well as in Manitoba where it has been the driest so far this winter. That's a significant concern here I would say for the Eastern third of Saskatchewan and most of Manitoba there's not adequate snow cover."

 

According to Burnett, the April through June long range forecast is calling for cooler than normal temperatures which could mean some delays with seeding especially in the Northern Prairies.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.