CNS Canada –– Early seeding operations are already underway in parts of Western Canada, and the general sentiment is that farmers are planting more peas and lentils at the expense of most everything else. Statistics Canada releases its first survey-based acreage estimates of the year on Thursday. “I think we’ll see a surge in pulse […] Read more
Canada’s pulse acres set to rise, wheat likely lower
No big surprises in livestock report
But a jump in the number of replacement heifers is a promising sign for the future
Reading Time: < 1 minute There were few surprises in Statistics Canada’s latest Canadian livestock inventory estimates, says provincial livestock market analyst Jason Wood. “Due to lower domestic slaughter and exports, inventory estimates reported a marginal increase in Canadian cattle,” said Wood. “In Alberta, total cattle inventories saw a 0.4 per cent increase, while hogs increased 1.7 per cent in […] Read more
Farmers tangled in red tape
Reading Time: < 1 minute Government rules and paperwork hit farmers harder than other small business owners, according to a survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Three in four farmers surveyed cited government regulation and paperwork as serious concerns for their business, versus 69 per cent of businesses in other sectors. Among the “alphabet soup of regulations and […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat falls on poor export data
Chicago | Reuters –– Wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade fell 1.5 per cent on Thursday on disappointing U.S. export sales data, traders said. Corn and soybeans also fell, retreating from six-week highs set this week, on improving crop prospects in South America. At the CBOT, March wheat settled down 7-1/4 cents at […] Read more
StatsCan stocks numbers confirm rapid export pace
CNS Canada — Canada’s grain and oilseed exports appear to be in fine form, based on the latest stocks figures on Thursday morning from Statistics Canada. Stocks of wheat, canola and oats are all down compared to last year’s. In wheat’s case, there were roughly five million fewer tonnes in farmers’ bins at the end […] Read more
StatsCan stocks report to add piece to supply/demand puzzle
CNS Canada — The supply/demand balance sheets for Canada’s wheat, barley and canola crops will likely see some adjustments after Statistics Canada’s stocks report is released Thursday. The report on grain and oilseed stocks as of Dec. 31, 2015 will provide a better indication of feed usage to date, while also helping confirm the official […] Read more
Investor says land-grab fears not justified
Bonnefield Financial has raised more than $300 million to buy and lease back Canadian farmland
Reading Time: 5 minutes We’ve all heard it: rumblings in coffee shops and at conferences about land grabbers buying up good farmland. And those rumblings have only grown louder over the past few years, as investors such as the Canadian Pension Plan buy large parcels of cropland in the Prairies. But by and large, those fears can be put […] Read more
A statistical portrait of Alberta ag
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s Agriculture Statistics Yearbook 2014 is now available. The tables and charts provide both a current and historical perspective, with individual sections on sectors such as crops, livestock, and food and beverages, as well as industry measures and indicators such as farm income, agri-food exports, economic indicators, and the Census of Agriculture. Alberta […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola seesaws with StatsCan report
CNS Canada — ICE Futures Canada canola contracts posted modest losses for the week ended Wednesday, with the January contract falling slightly below the key technical benchmark of $470 per tonne. Still, at least one analyst said he thinks canola is well positioned to climb higher. A bearish Statistics Canada report on Friday pegged canola […] Read more
Durum at a standstill despite fresh numbers from StatsCan
CNS Canada — Even fresh domestic production numbers aren’t able to move Canada’s durum prices, one analyst says, as the market stays stagnant on lacklustre processing demand from North Africa and Europe. “I think the trade was anticipating this number for a long time,” said Jerry Klassen, manager of the Canadian office for Swiss-based GAP […] Read more