MarketsFarm — Opinions are wide-ranging on what Canadian farmers plan to plant in 2020, ahead of Statistics Canada’s first round of acreage estimates, due out Thursday. Prior to lockdown measures put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, StatsCan was scheduled to release its first principal field crops area report for 2020 on April 24. […] Read more
Trade estimates vary ahead of StatsCan’s acreage report
Klassen: Yearlings trade lower, calves ratchet higher
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were $4-$6 lower; mid-weight feeder cattle traded $2 higher to $4 lower. Lighter calves and grassers were quite variable. In Alberta, these cattle ranged from unchanged to as much as $8 higher on average while in the eastern Prairie regions, calves traded $4 lower to $4 higher. […] Read more
Pandemic threatens federal field research this year
But crop commissions urge AgCanada to follow example of universities, private researchers
Reading Time: 2 minutes COVID-19 threatens to sideline Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s field, greenhouse and lab research this year, but Prairie wheat and barley commissions that help to fund it want as many projects as possible to go ahead. In a statement issued April 24, AgCanada seemed to all but rule out field work this spring. “In response to […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Slaughterhouse closures lead to adjustments
MarketsFarm — The closure of one of Canada’s largest beef slaughterhouses will lead to adjustments in the cattle feeding sector, as animals will be fed longer but on different rations. Cargill’s meat processing plant at High River, Alta. slaughters roughly 40 per cent of all the cattle butchered in Canada. The plant is to be […] Read more
Klassen: Uncertainty defines feeder market
'Hope' factor remains supportive
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were down $3-`$5 on average while calves were unchanged to down $2. Sales were characterized by low volumes and limited buying interest. Feedlot operators are hesitant to step forward in the current environment, with packing plants on both sides of the border reducing capacity. At the same […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Prices steady, demand quiet
MarketsFarm — Demand for feed grains has slowed down on the Prairies due to uncertainty in cattle markets posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many cattle processing and packing plants across North America have closed or slowed production due to lack of staff, leading to widespread issues in feed grain supply chains. “The lack of forward […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Strong demand supports prices
MarketsFarm — Feed grain prices on the Prairies have been stronger, and well supported by strong demand. Nelson Neumann of Agfinity in Lethbridge said strong feed barley prices were due to an uptick in exports from the Prairie provinces. “That provided a nice support to the price floor,” he said, noting market participants had previously […] Read more
Focus on production this year — not prices — say market watchers
Farmers are being advised to have a marketing plan in place, but otherwise focus on production
Reading Time: 5 minutes It’s a good time to take a break from chasing prices, say market watchers. “This year, more than most I’ve seen in recent years, could be a good break for growers who have stretched their rotations to try and grow the crop they feel is most economically advantageous,” said Mike Jubinville, senior markets analyst with […] Read more
Keeping up is hard to do during these trying times
But here are some key information sources and some of the many news stories dealing with the pandemic
Reading Time: 4 minutes Even if you weren’t calving or getting ready to seed — and had good internet — it would be hard to keep up with all the developments affecting your farm or ranch during the pandemic. Here is a partial list of advisories and new stories at press time (March 31). Government The provincial government has […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Barley, wheat remain firm
Feed corn values follow U.S. ethanol lower
MarketsFarm — Prices for feed barley and wheat have firmed up across the Prairies amid the COVID-19 pandemic, said trader Allen Pirness of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge. However, he also noted corn prices have fallen due to the steep decline in the U.S. ethanol industry. The Saudi Arabia/Russia crude oil price war put enormous […] Read more
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