For this forecast period the weather models are showing a fairly quiet weather pattern will only a couple of chances of light snow as weak systems track along the boundary between the cold Arctic air to our north and milder air to the south. This is the big question mark for this forecast period: just where will this boundary be?

Prairie forecast: Spring battle between warm and cold continues
Forecast issued March 19, covering March 19 to 26, 2025

Crop merchant Louis Dreyfus posts drop in annual profit
Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) on Wednesday reported a drop in annual profit, the latest global crop merchant to see earnings curbed by subdued prices last year in staple grains caused by ample harvests and easing demand in China.

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures mixed Tuesday
Cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange were mixed on Tuesday, seeing continued strength in the front months at the close while edging lower in the more deferred contracts.

U.S. grains: Chicago grains down on U.S.-Russia call, planting intentions
Chicago wheat futures traded both sides of unchanged on Tuesday, holding near a March high underpinned by concerns over U.S. crop conditions. Traders also awaited the outcome of a call between the leaders of the U.S. and Russia over the war in Ukraine.

Pulse Weekly: Manitoba conditions on the right track
MPSG executive director more worried about tariffs than growing conditions
With six weeks left until the start of seeding, Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers executive director Daryl Domitruk said there are no "red flags" to be seen in current conditions.

With beer drinking down in U.S., barley farmers now fear tariffs
Tariffs could hurt U.S. barley exports to Mexico, Canada
Reciprocal tariffs from Canada and Mexico may raise costs and limit export opportunities for U.S. barley growers, at a time when beer demand is also falling.

Klassen: Feeder cattle market jumps back to historical highs
For the week ending March 15, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $8-$12 higher compared to seven days earlier. Prices fully recovered from the prior week with values quoted at or near historical highs. Finishing feedlots were aggressive across all weight categories due to strength in the nearby and deferred live cattle futures. Once again, […] Read more

Trump administration aims to make faster meat processing permanent
Agency plans rulemaking to formalize speed increases
Chicago/Washington | Reuters – The Trump administration said on Mar. 17 that it plans to permanently allow U.S. poultry and pork processing plants to operate more quickly, raising concerns among advocacy groups about worker health and food safety. The U.S. Department of Agriculture decision is a victory for meat companies and industry associations such as the National Chicken […] Read more

Cancelling consumer carbon price a ‘step in the right direction’ says Canadian Federation of Agriculture
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture says new Prime Minister Mark Carney's removal of the consumer carbon tax will provide much-needed relief for farmers.

U.S. grains: Wheat climbs on fears of wind damage to US crop
Chicago wheat futures surged on Monday as wind storms in U.S. grain belts caused concerns about crop damage and traders hoped reduced Russian exports could generate more demand for U.S. supplies, according to analysts.