“Preferential” loan rates are available to young farmers or agribusinesspeople planning start-ups through a new Farm Credit Canada lending program. Lawrence MacAulay, addressing the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s annual meeting Wednesday in Ottawa when he was still federal minister of agriculture, unveiled the federal ag lending agency’s new Starter Loan Program. The program, according to […] Read more
FCC offers up new Starter Loans
Ag seen gaining on slightly weaker loonie in 2019
CNS Canada — Farm Credit Canada (FCC) predicts the Canadian dollar will spend the year around the 75-U.S. cent mark — slightly softer than last year’s average of 76. “We’re going to see volatility throughout the year obviously but when we look at that season, or the full year average, we’re looking for it to […] Read more
Trade certainty doesn’t translate to higher loonie
CNS Canada — Even with more certainty around trade with the U.S., Canadians shouldn’t expect to see the dollar flying in value. “It’s hard for me to see the Canadian dollar gain value against the U.S. dollar in the short term, unless the Bank of Canada totally revises its stance towards interest rates,” said J.P. […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola facing uncertainty
CNS Canada — ICE Futures Canada canola contracts fell to their lowest levels in more than three months during the week ended Wednesday, but could still have more room to the downside given the general sense of global trade uncertainty. “Every commodity trader in North America or globally is scared to death right now,” said […] Read more
Farmland values rise, but interest rates curb market
CNS Canada — Prices of Canadian farmland were seen rising in 2017, with most sales happening in the first half of 2017 before interest rate increases and the drought in Western Canada hit. That’s according to the annual Farmland Values Report released Monday by Farm Credit Canada (FCC), based on 90 per cent of farmland […] Read more
Southern Ontario median farmland price jumps in 2017
The threat of interest rate increases hasn’t dampened the prices southern Ontario farmers are paying for land. The annual Valco study of land values showed an increase in value of 9.76 per cent for farmland sold in 2017 over 2016. This increase is the largest since 2013. The median price for land in the surveyed […] Read more
With interest rates on the rise, is it time to lock in?
Variable rates have been a winner for decades, but a fixed rate is an option worth considering
Reading Time: 2 minutes Is it time to lock into a fixed long-term mortgage? “Since 1975, the majority of the time the variable interest rate has been the better option and has saved producers money,” said provincial farm financial specialist Rick Dehod. However, the Bank of Canada recently increased its prime rate by a quarter of a percentage point […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola rangebound at harvest time
CNS Canada — ICE Futures Canada canola futures remain stuck in a rather narrow range, with seasonal harvest pressure weighing on the one side while solid demand provides support on the other side. “We’ve been in a sideways trading environment for 2-1/2 years, and I don’t see that changing,” said Mike Jubinville of ProFarmer Canada. […] Read more
What if interest rates went up here?
An immediate hike isn’t likely, but the U.S. move could signal future changes
Reading Time: < 1 minute Recent changes in U.S. interest rates could have a ripple effect for Alberta producers, says a provincial analyst. In mid-December, the U.S. Federal Reserve — the country’s central bank — announced it was lifting its key rate by a quarter-point to a range of 0.25 per cent to 0.5 per cent. The long-expected move put […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans bounce off six-year-low on bargain buying
Winnipeg | Reuters — U.S. soybeans rebounded on Tuesday off a more than six-year low, helped by China’s decision to cut interest rates, although fears of a cooling economy in the world’s largest buyer of the oilseed kept gains in check. Bargain buying and a bounce in other commodities, such as crude oil, nudged soybeans […] Read more
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