Updated — A global financing firm operating at higher altitudes in Canada’s food and agrifood sector now plans to expand its business down to the farm and ranch level. The Canadian arm of Rabobank — an Amsterdam-based farmer co-operative lender, providing banking, leasing and real estate services in more than 38 countries — announced Tuesday […] Read more

Rabobank to offer Canadian farm-level lending
Dutch co-operative bank's Canadian arm to loan directly to farmers, starting on Prairies

Oats face an uncertain year
Reduced acres expected in 2023
MarketsFarm — When comparing oat prices at the start of 2023 compared to one year ago, they appear to be night and day. Despite modest price increases over the past month, some western Canadian oat bids are less than half of what they were last year. In Alberta, the high-delivered bid for oats as of […] Read more

Feed weekly outlook: Corn imports still weigh on domestic feed market
MarketsFarm — Ample corn imports from the U.S. continue to keep the western Canadian feed grain market under pressure, with barley bids in Lethbridge trending lower through the early days of 2023. “We started the year with cash barley trading at roughly $450 (per tonne) in Lethbridge, it’s since declined to roughly $435,” said Jim […] Read more

Klassen: Feeder market looks upward
Quality of available cattle contributes to volatility
Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were quite variable. Compared to three weeks ago, Alberta prices were steady to $2/cwt higher while in Saskatchewan, prices were $8-$10/cwt higher on average with lighter-weight cattle jumping as much as $15. For example, in central Alberta, higher-quality 800-lb. steers were trading from $230 to $235 and 600-pounders were valued […] Read more

Prairie cash wheat: Bids lower as futures take a hit
CWRS values mixed; CPSR and durum down
MarketsFarm — Coming out of the holiday season, most western Canadian wheat bids were slightly lower for the week ended Thursday, as wheat futures in the U.S. continued to be bearish. U.S. wheat exports continue to fall behind last year’s pace, as cheaper Russian wheat floods the market due to a potential record crop and […] Read more

Feed weekly outlook: Little price movement for feed grains
MarketsFarm — With the holiday season come and gone, feed grain buyers were getting back into the swing of things at the start of 2023, according to one trader. “I think January will probably fill up pretty quickly as we’re in the first week of January and we’ve been booked into January for a bit,” […] Read more

Klassen: Feeder market to start 2023 on firm tone
Counter-seasonal behaviour expected
There were no market reports last week due to the holiday season; however, I still received a few calls from cattle producers regarding the feeder market outlook for the first quarter of 2023. The feeder market finished 2022 at 52-week highs. Steers averaging 500 lbs. were readily trading over the psychological $300 level while 900-lb. […] Read more

Prairie cash wheat: Bids lower despite supportive factors
March CBOT, K.C. wheats up on week
MarketsFarm — Despite concerns related to cold weather in the U.S., war in Ukraine and rising numbers of COVID-19 infections in China, most western Canadian wheat bids were lower for the week ended Thursday. Profit-taking in wheat futures was evident on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), as March contracts for both Kansas City hard […] Read more

Feed weekly outlook: Grain, price movement ongoing over holidays
Colder weather stymies deliveries
MarketsFarm — With the Christmas break come and gone, more grain is being delivered to feedlots, according to one Lethbridge trader. Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities Ltd. said that despite the holiday season, in which lighter activity is expected, there was still some movement in feed grain prices. Wheat and barley were both valued at […] Read more

No leadership change prior to grain groups’ merger
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Barley’s senior leaders are staying on as the farm group heads toward amalgamation with Alberta Wheat. Following its AGM earlier this month, the organization said Acme producer Tara Sawyer is staying on as chair and Roy Newman, who farms in the Blackie area, will continue to serve as vice-chair. “During this critical time period […] Read more