Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta producers are reporting large variations among buyers in their dockage assessment on canola, says a provincial crop market analyst. “On dockage alone, producers have reported from one to over three per cent differences in dockage on the same sample of their canola,” said Neil Blue. “These differences were reported both in cases of comparing […] Read more

Don’t like the grade or dockage assessment?
For $50, the Canadian Grain Commission will give you an independent assessment of the quality of your canola

Cash grain brokers an option for marketing your crops
But since they don’t take physical possession of grain, brokers don’t have to be licensed with the grain commission
Reading Time: 2 minutes Numerous cash grain brokers have become established across the Canadian Prairies. Could using the services of a cash grain broker be part of your marketing plan? “By definition, a broker is a matching agent who arranges a transaction between a buyer and a seller, and for that service, is paid a commission,” said provincial crop […] Read more

Three crop marketing pros share their No. 1 tip
Reading Time: 3 minutes We asked the Hedging Edge experts for their No. 1 marketing tip for this fall. Here’s what they had to say. Neil Blue Provincial crop market analyst “My No. 1 tip — and this isn’t an earth-shaking one — is shop around. That means knowing your product first — getting a grade from potential buyers, […] Read more
High canola crush margins should boost demand
Reading Time: < 1 minute Recent strong canola crush margins may have a positive impact on producers, says a provincial crop analyst. While companies don’t release their actual crush margin, it can be estimated from canola, meal and oil futures markets, said Neil Blue. “The current calculated margin is over $100/tonne, and this compares to about $40/tonne last August,” said […] Read more

Last chance to comment on producer car rules
The Canadian Grain Commission is looking to license producer car loading facilities
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Canadian Grain Commission is seeking feedback on proposed changes to the licensing of some groups in the grain industry. If a grain-handling operation meets the definition of an elevator or grain dealer under the Canada Grain Act, it must be either licensed or exempted by the grain commission. Licensing implies that a bond or […] Read more

Look to sell when speculators mis-price the market
Commodity fund investors don’t always pay attention to market fundamentals
Reading Time: 2 minutes Some speculation in commodities markets is a good thing, but large amounts of speculative money these days means price swings can be very dramatic, says a provincial crop market analyst. And that can create opportunities. “It has been estimated that over a trillion dollars is involved in the commodity futures and options trade,” said Neil […] Read more
Ignore market chatter with AgriProfit$
Reading Time: < 1 minute Still watching the markets before finalizing your seeding plans? There are a number of factors affecting markets, and the challenge is filtering all the information, says provincial crop market analyst Neil Blue. “Rather than being caught up in day-to-day market chatter, most producers deal with the cropping decisions by considering some basics in addition to […] Read more
Plunging shipping rates could help Canadian exporters
Reading Time: < 1 minute The recent drop in bulk ocean shipping costs strengthens Canada’s ability to compete with other countries, particularly those closer to Canada’s export markets, says provincial crops analyst Neil Blue. High rates just prior to the 2008 recession, prompted shipping firms to build new vessels and there’s now lots of shipping capacity. That’s set the stage […] Read more