Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybeans firmed on Thursday on signs of resurgent export demand but corn drifted lower in subdued trade as the market awaited key monthly reports due Friday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Wheat fell despite better-than-expected weekly export sales data. At the Chicago Board of Trade, November soybeans settled up […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soy firms modestly on export demand
Husky oil spill hits Prince Albert water supply; farmers also scrambling for alternative sources for livestock
Reuters – An oil leak from a Husky Energy Inc pipeline into a major Canadian river has forced a second city in the province of Saskatchewan to stop drawing drinking water, officials said on Monday, widening the impact and cost of the spill. The heavy oil and diluent leaked from Husky’s Saskatchewan Gathering System pipeline on […] Read more
Don’t get whacked by market swings, says broker
On the price side, there are lots of opportunities right now — but you need a plan to take advantage of them
Reading Time: 3 minutes Good news for grain growers: Commodity markets have turned up — and the recovery of crude oil prices deserves the thanks. “With crude now moving up to $50 a barrel, it looks like it could potentially go even higher yet into the fall market as demand is starting to exceed supply on the global side,” […] Read more
Diesel prices seen staying lower
CNS Canada –– Diesel prices in Canada are expected to stay relatively cheap this spring despite some recent strength in the crude oil market. In a normal cycle, diesel prices would usually be on the move right now, but they have been mired at their current level for the last few months, according to Tom […] Read more
Oilpatch slowdown steers couple back to farming
Kelly Hansen thought he had put farming behind him, but he and wife Jocelyn have been drawn back to the land
Reading Time: 2 minutes While many are suffering because of the downturn in the oilpatch, the Hansen family is using the slowdown as an opportunity to get into farming. Kelly Hansen grew up on a farm near Dapp, but left when he was 16 and was happy to put farming behind him. “But as things changed, I wanted to […] Read more
Crude’s slide hampers demand for Canadian biofuel
CNS Canada — The trickle-down effect of slumping crude oil prices is being felt in the Canadian biofuel market and softening demand for corn and soybeans. Traditionally, ethanol is cheaper than gasoline, which encouraged processors to blend more than the mandated amount, according to Andrea Kent, president of the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA). “When […] Read more
Oil bust could mean skyrocketing property taxes
Some Alberta municipalities are being hit hard as oil companies stop paying
Reading Time: 2 minutes With oil prices bottoming out around $30 a barrel, oil companies are scrambling to save money — sometimes at the expense of farmers. “Some companies are just deciding not to pay the annual rentals,” said Daryl Bennett, who represents the Action Surface Rights Association in southern Alberta. Last year, the Surface Rights Board had more […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Equities spike drives CME live cattle limit-up
Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures climbed to their three cents/lb. daily price limit on Thursday following a turnaround in crude oil prices that helped pare recent deep U.S. stock market losses. February and April live cattle closed at 130.25 and 131.175 cents, respectively. Live cattle’s trading limit will be expanded […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: Corn expected to move higher, soy sideways
CNS Canada –– Corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade have a bullish tone, according to one analyst, while soybeans are trading sideways to slightly higher. But any anticipated gains could be taken away as quickly as they come, by turbulence in outside markets. “I think there’s an opportunity to buy corn and sell […] Read more
Loonie’s boost for commodity prices likely limited in 2016
CNS Canada — The Canadian dollar has been steadily depreciating through 2015, sinking to an 11-year low relative to its U.S. counterpart as the end of the year creeps closer. Even if the loonie stays weak in 2016, however, two analysts expect the upside potential it brings to agricultural commodity markets has mostly run out. […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
