CNS Canada — Feed barley bids in Alberta have shown some strength post-harvest and look to remain firm heading through the winter. However, the threat of U.S. corn imports will likely cap the upside. “Barley’s been on the rise here,” said Jared Seitz of Agfinity at Spruce Grove, Alta. Some U.S. corn was crossing the […] Read more

Firm feed barley market capped by U.S. corn

High-quality durum still top of mind for buyers
Winnipeg | CNS Canada — Following two years of varying qualities for Canadian durum, the world still wants higher-quality grain, according to Rhyl Doyle. “The world still wants (No. 1) CWAD and last year although the profile was mostly (No. 3) CWAD, they still wanted 1 CWAD. So there are a spectrum of markets for […] Read more

Chinese protein preference becoming big obstacle for canola
Winnipeg | CNS Canada — As China’s consumption of higher-protein foods continues to grow, so too does its selectiveness for which oilseeds it will pursue on the open market. So far, it’s a race canola does not seem to be winning. “The big demand factor in China is protein, rather than vegetable oil,” said Felix […] Read more

Durum production seen vulnerable heading into 2018
Winnipeg | CNS Canada — Western Canada and the northern U.S. could be in trouble for next year’s durum crop if rain doesn’t come, while large global stockpiles could also keep commodity prices low, according to analysts here at the Grain World conference. “Will it rain in the durum areas of Canada and the United […] Read more

Global buyers of quality wheat face disappointment in Canada
Winnipeg/Chicago | Reuters — Buyers looking to Canada for high-quality wheat to make bread as drought roils output in the northern U.S. may be thwarted, as dry weather has also hit crops there. Wheat plants with the high protein content needed to bake bread have shrivelled in the U.S., one of the world’s top exporters, […] Read more

Cargill’s Q3 profit up on ingredient, protein demand
Chicago | Reuters — Global commodities trader Cargill reported a higher quarterly profit on Wednesday as strong earnings from its food ingredients and protein units more than offset lagging results from South American grain trading and processing. The privately held company has been streamlining its operations to focus on higher-margin businesses such as food ingredients […] Read more

Watch to see if cattle eating cobs when grazing standing corn
There’s a high incidence of mouldy corn this year and if cattle aren’t eating the cobs, they need supplemental feeding
Reading Time: 2 minutes Providing supplemental protein and grain is one option if cattle are grazing mouldy standing corn. “Some corn crops left for late-season grazing have been damaged by the fall weather,” said provincial beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “High humidity, frequent rainfall, and frosts have created ideal conditions for moulds to form. Saprophytic moulds that cause […] Read more

Tight high-protein supplies underpin Minneapolis wheat
CNS Canada — Spring wheat futures in Minneapolis are outpacing the Chicago and Kansas City winter wheats to the upside, and tight world supplies of higher-protein wheat should remain supportive until the 2017 North American crop becomes better known. “A lot of it is the protein market,” said analyst Bryan Strommen of Progressive Ag in […] Read more

Cargill posts net profit on special gains; revenue down
Reuters — Global commodity trader Cargill on Wednesday said it turned in a quarterly net profit, boosted by special gains that offset poor results from trading and oilseed processing. Revenue for the privately held company declined for the eighth straight quarter. Minnesota-based Cargill reported net income of $15 million for the fourth quarter ended May […] Read more

Just what are functional foods, anyway?
Here’s a brief primer on the health benefits that functional foods are supposed to deliver
Reading Time: 2 minutes The term ‘functional foods’ has been around for decades, but what does it mean? “While there is no legal definition for functional foods, a common definition is that a functional food provides health benefits beyond basic nutrition,” said Ava Duering, an analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. This is because they contain bioactive food compounds […] Read more