File photo of an irrigated alfalfa stand in Saudi Arabia. (JohnnyGreig/E+/Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia highly dependent on grain imports

Alfalfa more profitable for domestic growers

MarketsFarm — While Saudi Arabia is a giant among the oil-producing countries of the world, the desert kingdom does produce small amounts of grain. With a population that’s about one million less than Canada’s, Saudi Arabia is extremely dependent on importing its grain from overseas. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) attaché in Riyadh explained […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Alberta fed cattle lead feeder market higher

Traders expecting more barley acres this year

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $3-$5 higher while calf prices advanced $1-$3 on average. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis of $360/cwt last week, up $3-$10 from a week earlier. Using a 60 per cent grading, live prices would be equivalent to $216. Feeding margins have improved […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Prices continue to soften as April approaches

Seeding start in Alberta remains a question mark

MarketsFarm — Corn is still moving into feedlots in southern Alberta as it approaches not only the end of its contracts, but also the end of winter. “We’ve been seeing here in Lethbridge prices at $395-$400 per tonne ($10.03-$10.16 per bushel),” said Erin Harakal, trade manager at Agfinity Inc. at Stony Plain, Alta. “It seems […] Read more

New funding for crop variety trials

New funding for crop variety trials

Reading Time: < 1 minute Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), the Western Grains Research Foundation and the Alberta Oat Growers Commission have announced $782,400 in funding for Alberta Regional Variety Trials. RDAR’s contribution is for $582,300 over three years.  The trials are independently conducted on small test plots at multiple sites across Alberta. They compare the performance of newly registered […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market eyes feed grain complex

Downside expected in new-crop barley prices

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded steady to $2 higher on average. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $353-$357/cwt delivered last week, up from the average price of $348/cwt delivered seven days earlier. Strength in the fed cattle market continues to support the […] Read more

Canada Malting’s processing plant in Montreal. (CanadaMalting.com)

France’s InVivo makes bid for United Malt

Bid would include Canada Malting business

Reuters — United Malt Group has received an indicative, non-binding offer from Malteries Soufflet, a branch of French agribusiness InVivo, the Australian commercial maltster said on Tuesday, valuing it at A$1.5 billion (C$1.36 billion). The A$5 per share offer represents a 45.3 per cent premium to United Malt’s last close of A$3.44. Trading in shares […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Domestic grain prices slipping

Prairie wheat, barley on par with U.S. corn

MarketsFarm – Feed wheat and barley prices in Western Canada have slowly trended lower over the past few months, with prices for both grains now on par with imported corn from the U.S. into Alberta’s key Lethbridge feedlot alley. All three grains are trading at around $410 per tonne into Lethbridge, according to Jim Beusekom, […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Little change in barley acres expected

Malt barley prices mainly steady

MarketsFarm — As spring planting approaches, Peter Watt of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) said there likely won’t be a big shift in barley acres that will be planted in 2023. “Producers have made their [planting] decisions for the most part. You might see people adjust their plans a little bit based on […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Corn the choice crop in feedlots

'Bigger feedlots are looking for volume'

MarketsFarm — Copious amounts of corn are still being delivered to feedlots in southern Alberta despite slowly declining prices for other feed grains. “Corn is coming down over the last little bit,” Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities Ltd. in Lethbridge said. “You think that there would be a little bit more barley hitting the market. […] Read more

Photo: File

Record winter crop production expected for Australia

Summer crop production seen down on year

MarketsFarm — Australia will see its highest-ever winter crop production thanks to record wheat and canola harvests, according to the latest crop report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) released Monday. Winter crop production in Australia is estimated at 67.6 million tonnes, up 8.4 per cent from ABARES’ crop […] Read more