MarketsFarm — The speculative short position in canola grew to is largest level in nearly three months in early June, as investors covered longs and put on more bearish bets, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). As of Tuesday (June 6), the net managed money […] Read more
Fund short position grows in canola
Traders net long in soy, K.C. wheat
Western Canada covered in smoke as wildfires loosen grip on Quebec
Over 200 of 449 wildfires now out of control
Ottawa | Reuters — Smoke shrouded Western Canada on Monday as wildfires flared again in the main oil-producing province of Alberta, while firefighters in Quebec doused some of the worst early-season blazes, allowing thousands of evacuees to return home. Canada is enduring its most destructive start to wildfire season, with about 4.8 million hectares — […] Read more
Drought expands across Canadian Prairies
Dry conditions push eastward in Manitoba
MarketsFarm — Warm and dry conditions across much of the Prairies in May caused drought conditions to worsen, especially in Alberta, according to the latest Drought Monitor report from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. As of May 31, an estimated 79 per cent of the Prairie region was classified as abnormally dry (D0) or in moderate […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs extend climb on bargain-buying
Cash prices support cattle futures
Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange set a one-month high on Monday on short-covering and bargain-buying as the July contract extended its rebound from life-of-contract lows set in late May, traders said. CME July lean hogs settled up 1.975 cents at 91.6 cents/lb. after reaching 93.125 cents, the […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn climbs on dry conditions
Wheat follows corn higher, soybeans mixed
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures rose to a nearly two-month high on Monday as traders fretted about disappointing weekend rains and dry conditions stressing crops in portions of the Midwest crop belt, analysts said. Wheat futures followed, finding additional support from rising tensions in the Black Sea region. Soybean futures settled mixed, with […] Read more
Prairie cash wheat: Hard red spring wheat bids rise
MGEX wheat rally offsets rising loonie
MarketsFarm — Spring wheat bids in Western Canada were mostly higher during the week ended Thursday, as a rally in Minneapolis spring wheat futures countered the bearish influence of a rising Canadian dollar. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were up by $8.80-$10.70 per tonne across the Prairies, according […] Read more
Canada extends Ukraine tariff-free access
Access to supply-managed sectors tightened
Winnipeg | Reuters — Canada on Friday extended Ukraine’s tariff-free access for most goods, but tightened access for eggs, poultry and dairy — sectors protected under the Canadian supply-management system. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said tariff relief for Ukrainian goods such as steel — a temporary measure started a year ago — would continue for […] Read more
Calgary-area MLA named Alberta’s new ag minister
RJ Sigurdson to handle ag file, Horner moves to finance
The Alberta government’s caucus lead on emergency medical services (EMS) reform has been promoted to handle the agriculture file in a post-election cabinet shuffle. RJ Sigurdson, MLA for the constituency of Highwood, just south of Calgary, was sworn in Friday by Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani as Alberta’s new minister of agriculture and irrigation, replacing Nate Horner. […] Read more
USDA’s June WASDE report brings few notable changes
Canadian wheat harvest expectation unchanged
MarketsFarm — Very few major changes were made in the latest edition of the world agriculture supply and demand estimates (WASDE) published Friday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For the 2023-24 crop year, USDA pegged total domestic wheat production at 1.665 billion bushels, slightly higher than the 1.659 billion in the department’s May estimates. […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans up as soyoil touches one-month high
Traders watch U.S. crop weather forecasts
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures exceeded a three-week high on Friday as demand from end-users helped push soybean oil above a one-month peak, traders said. Spillover support from soyoil’s rally lifted soybeans while corn futures slumped, traders said. Soyoil has advanced more than 22 per cent since dropping on May […] Read more