September 9, 2024

Good Day,

Good-day to all of you hard working harvesters. Here in MB it has been a bit of a struggle. Not many days in a row without moisture, heavy dews so short days and the calendar is moving along. As we all know, harvesting in October is not an enjoyable experience. So let's hope for a good run in Sept. The forecast for Brandon is decent over the next few days so lets hope it holds.


From talking to producers in MB and SE SK looks like a decent crop. Good barley ( 80 -100) and wheat (60-90) yields. With average grades. Some of the barley is making malt but not as much as last year. If you do have malt varieties reach out to you broker and let him know. We are seeing some interest in malt now. Prices not super - $5.75 to $6.00 but better than feed. Let us know what you have if it isn’t contracted and we will shop it for you. Demand seems to be variety specific this year more than ever. 


The canola I am hearing of has not met expectations from the producers. Stands that should go 60 are running 45. Maybe the later stuff will be better but way too much heat in July. Oats here in MB have been turning out decent, 110 to 150 and mostly good test weights. Fall rye has been the major surprise. Have yields of up to 100 bus/acre on the OP. Hybrid is even higher, but as usual the hybrid is the rye with ergot issues. Acres were down but the much better yields have made up for that. We are struggling to get $6.00 for good 2 CW rye now. Most prices are in the $5.80 range.


Yellow peas have been on the down slope of that rollercoaster now. Need pretty special peas to get $10 for in MB. Not much demand to go into the US right now. Values are better the further west you go - seeing $10.25 delivered to facilities in Alberta.  There was talk of India coming back into the market but nothing has happened to date. I’m afraid that Justin's decision to attack the Chinese EV imports is going to put pressure on our yellow peas as well as the brutal hit that canola has taken. Last time he tried to push the Chinese around it took more than a year to recover. I don’t think he is worried that far out right now.


Still seeing strong values on Lentils and Green Peas. Green Peas are right around $14.00 picked up in the yard for #2 max 3% bleached. We have good options for up to 10% bleached. Large Green Lentils are holding $0.50/lbs picked up Oct/Nov - traded some in Yorkton for $0.51/lbs picked up last week. Red Lentils are holding $0.27/lbs picked up.


We have been asked by many of our producers if there is a way they can put a target in with us. Reed has developed a program that is quite simple to use. Easy to understand and easy to cancel if you want out. It will give us a defined length of time to get your grain traded at your specified price. If we have a target in place and the market runs past your price we will always give you the higher price. Something the line companies don’t do. Let us know if you have any targets you want to place with us, we will need: commodity to market, the target price and for how long.  We hope this will give you as producers another tool that can be utilized in marketing your grain.
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Example:

Just a reminder. We have seen a record amount of heated canola this summer so if you are holding old crop over for better prices check your bins.  Might even be a good idea to pull some out when you have a minute. I know “What minute?” We have seen too much that is dry, had cables in the bin and still started to heat. Make sure to check at the top before you start emptying. We have heard too many horror stories of 200 bushels on top of 5000 bushels that made it all 5% heated.  Unfortunately, we have had pressure on the heated prices but still way better than dumping it in a slough. 80% Heated picked up Manitoba is $3.00/bus. 40% is closer to $7.00/bus picked up. Price is dependent on movement time frame and location. Many crushers have relayed they are booked full for the next 30 days.


That is it for this month. We hope you have time to read this while going up and down the field or waiting for the cart to dump. We always appreciate feedback on what we write so let us know what you don’t want to see and what you would like us to add.


Have a great harvest. Stay safe as your family and loved ones need you home with them when harvest is over. 




Till next month,



Richard Chambers
Marketer - Brandon, MB
204-729-1354 - Office
204-761-8320 - Cell
[email protected]