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FCC delivers 2023 Economic Outlook

The chief economist with Farm Credit Canada says we are better off in the ag sector with a low Canadian dollar to the U-S.

The lower Canadian dollar makes our products more competitive in the global market.

J.P. Gervais expects to see a decline in the Loonie for the first half of the year before starting to recover/

"There will likely be a global economic slowdown of some kind. We've seen central banks across the world, it's not just happening in Canada and the US, raise interest rates to rein in inflation in all parts of the world really. So that should in and of itself slow down economic growth to the point that perhaps the demand for oil could slow down as well a little bit. And that explains sort of the drop in the first six months of the year for the loonie in our forecast."

In terms of the overall global economy, Gervais believes it will start to gain strength in the second half of 2023.

There's a lot of concern about a recession and what that will mean.

Gervais says while we'll see a slowdown, it will be different from what we've seen in the past because the labor market is so strong.

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Trending Video

Supplemental Nitrogen on Soybeans: Can Early Nitrogen Increase Yield?

Video: Supplemental Nitrogen on Soybeans: Can Early Nitrogen Increase Yield?

Can supplemental nitrogen help soybeans reach higher yield potential? Technical Agronomist Tim Sickman walks through an ongoing trial at the Nutrien Innovation Farm in Owensboro, Kentucky, exploring whether a modest amount of nitrogen applied at planting can support higher-yielding soybean environments.

The trial compares 30 pounds of supplemental nitrogen across both 15- and 30-inch rows, along with treatments that include sulfur and micronutrients. Similar trials conducted in 2024 and 2025 delivered a six- to seven-bushel yield response, prompting the team to expand the research this season.

Early observations show that treated soybeans are slightly taller and averaging about two additional nodes on the main stem. These added nodes could create more opportunities for blooms and pods, but the true results will come at harvest when the team evaluates pod development, seed fill and final yield.

In This Video:

Why high-yield soybeans may need supplemental nitrogen

Results from the 2024 and 2025 trials

Nitrogen treatments in 15- and 30-inch rows

Fertilizer placement and application methods

Differences in plant height and node counts

Potential effects on pod development and yield