Philip Shaw

Spring is getting closer in southwestern Ontario, but the latest forecast is talking about 15 centimeters of snow for tomorrow night. So, your loyal scribe might have to wait a little bit longer. Today I found myself at the London Ontario farm show pretending to be interested in tractors bigger than my imagination. I was…

It is mid-winter, but farmers really should think of it as midsummer in our agricultural commodity markets. In the southern hemisphere crops are actively growing as well as being actively harvested. At the same time, we are expecting the Safrinha crop to chase combines across the fields in the next few weeks putting a lot…

This week has been kind of cold and miserable in southwestern Ontario, but I did see the first signs of spring with tractors and wagons rolling by my farmyard as you go into Dresden Ontario.  There is something about the rumble of empty grain wagons that I abhor.  When I’m pulling them, myself it usually…

It is mid-winter, but farmers really should think of it as midsummer in our agricultural commodity markets. In the southern hemisphere crops are actively growing as well as being actively harvested. At the same time, we are expecting the Safrinha crop to chase combines across the fields in the next few weeks putting a lot…

It seems like a long time ago now, but when you really think about it March of 2021 isn’t that far away. It was in March of 2021 where I was invited to speak on the global grain markets from a Canadian perspective in Kiev Ukraine.  Your loyal scribe had developed a relationship with a…

As we head into the end to February many of us are increasingly forming our ideas for our farms in 2023.  Next week we will have an exodus from Ontario and Quebec as many farmers travel to the Louisville farm show, where they will not only get a bit different farming culture but might pick…

This is the day that you don’t want to be called Phil.  As all of you know if you’ve watched any type of media today you’ve heard that Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow which means that we will have another six weeks of winter.  Of course, it is almost unofficial within some commodity circles that…

It seems like eons ago when I first related some of my thoughts about agricultural biotechnology and how it was going to change the world. For instance, at the time I had a common saying that someday our streets here in southwestern Ontario would be lined with palm trees. I was thinking the wonders of…

It has certainly been a mild start to 2023. We’ve had a bit of rain in southwestern Ontario over the last few days somewhat unusual for the middle of January.  However, I cautioned a Manitoba grain merchandizer friend of mine living in Ontario to not get too used to this weather. Just like the Argentinian…

Last week I traveled northeast of Toronto to speak about the grain markets at the York region Soil and Crop Improvement Association. I always like traveling to the farm country on “top of the city” as they say.  It’s a reference to the many farmers north of Toronto who farm in the shadow of city. …