Unlike price jumps caused by supply shortages, which tend to be short lived, it’s a rise in demand that’s pushing grain and oilseeds to all-time highs, says market analyst Mike Jubinville.

Grain prices reach near-record highs with no end in sight

They could go higher yet, but take advantage now to lock in some of next year’s crop, say experts

Reading Time: 4 minutes The best cure for high prices is prices — as the old saying goes — but Canadian grain producers may be able to ride the current highs for a little longer yet. “We’re approaching all-time highs in a number of commodities right now, and historically, the faster things go up, the faster they inevitably go […] Read more

Grain exporters say inspection certificates from the grain commission can be redundant and should be phased out in favour of regulated private contractors.

Grain act, grain commission review revived

Mandatory inspection fees and the powers of the grain commission will be hotly debated

Reading Time: 6 minutes Two pillars of Canada’s $26-billion grain industry are again under review — a process reviving long-standing divisions between some farmers and grain companies over industry regulations. The Canada Grain Act and Canadian Grain Commission, which administers it, deal with grain buyer licensing, grade standards, grading disputes, quality control and producer payment protection. Some submissions are […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Feds predict three per cent increase in canola acres

Stocks nevertheless expected to tighten

MarketsFarm — Canadian farmers will seed more canola in the upcoming 2021-22 crop year, but solid demand will still cause ending stocks to tighten, according to the first new-crop supply/demand projections from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), released Monday. The department forecast seeded canola area in the spring of 2021 at 21.37 million acres, up […] Read more

(File photo)

Feed weekly outlook: Offshore demand still lifting Prairie barley

MarketsFarm — Solid offshore demand for Canadian barley remains the key driver in the domestic feed market, keeping prices high. “It’s certainly not driven by southern Alberta, it’s driven by Vancouver and the export business,” said Allen Pirness, of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge, on the continued strength in barley bids. Typically, arbitrage opportunities would […] Read more


Grain groups post new videos

Grain groups post new videos

Chops and Crops along with Alberta Barley’s AGM available on YouTube

Reading Time: < 1 minute With in-person conferences cancelled, Alberta’s wheat and barley commissions have posted several new videos on their YouTube channel. One is a virtual version of the annual ‘Chops and Crops’ roundtable, in which reps from nine commodity commissions (canola, wheat, barley, pulses, potatoes, oats, sugar beet, pork and beekeepers) discuss policy issues with Agriculture Minister Devin […] Read more

A barley crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on July 30, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Feed weekly outlook: Barley market’s eye on exports, corn prices

MarketsFarm — Strong export demand for Canadian barley and rising corn prices in the U.S. are expected to continue to keep feed prices well supported in Western Canada. “Feed grains are being squeezed by lower imports of U.S. corn into Western Canada,” analyst Chuck Penner of Leftfield Commodity Research said in a presentation Tuesday for […] Read more


(Groupe Soufflet video screengrab via YouTube)

InVivo in talks to acquire French agribusiness Soufflet

Firms see limited overlap outside grain trading

Paris | Reuters — Co-operative group InVivo has entered exclusive talks to acquire family-controlled Soufflet in a deal that would create one of Europe’s biggest agricultural businesses with 10 billion euros (C$15.5 billion) in sales, the French firms said on Wednesday. The potential consolidation comes as France, the European Union’s largest agricultural producer, is trying […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Higher feed grain prices continue to pressure feeders

Compared to mid-December, western Canadian yearlings traded $3-$5 lower; mid-weight calves are down $4-$6 while calves under 550 lbs. remained firm. Buyers exhibited a defensive tone on heavier yearlings and discounts were more severe on fleshier cattle last week. There is absolutely no risk appetite for 850-plus-lb. cattle at this time of year. Demand for […] Read more


Producers, particularly in hard-hit northern areas, will need to pay closer attention to disease issues this year, said agronomist Kristina Polziehn. She pointed to situations like this one — a pea field near Valleyview (pictured in late July) — that saw very high levels of aphanomyces root rot after receiving nearly two times the amount of normal moisture.

What’s on your radar for the coming year?

Three agronomists share some lessons learned from 2020

Reading Time: 5 minutes It’s impossible to know what you might have learned if you had been able to go on farm tours or visit fellow producers last year. So getting crop intel heading into this year’s growing season will require tapping into your networks and asking others what’s on their radar. In that spirit, we asked three agronomists […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Barley, wheat prices very likely to increase

Increases seen tied to rising U.S. corn

MarketsFarm — Two Alberta traders believe strong feed grain prices will continue to push higher over the next week of January, with much of the upswing tied to the rise in corn prices in the U.S. “As corn edges higher, becoming the preferred direct replacement to barley, your barley floor comes up and wheat starts […] Read more