Excessively cold temperatures in Alberta may be causing headaches for both feed grain buyers and sellers, but prices remain relatively steady for what’s moving.
The cold weather hasn’t really led to a significant increase in demand, but “it’s definitely made the farmer grumpy,” said Brandon Motz of CorNine Commodities in Lacombe, Alta.
“In general, the feed grain markets remain relatively flat,” he said, noting grain was still moving as adjustments were made for the weather.
While a solid export program and tight barley supplies were supportive for prices, large corn shipments continue to come up from the U.S., keeping the barley market steady.
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As the harvest in southern Alberta presses on, a broker said that is one of the factors pulling feed prices lower in the region. Darcy Haley, vice-president of Ag Value Brokers in Lethbridge, added that lower cattle numbers in feedlots, plentiful amounts of grass for cattle to graze and a lacklustre export market also weighed on feed prices.
Corn is steady as well, with activity in the U.S. futures and Canadian dollar typically balancing each other out.
Motz estimated there was probably as much corn going into rations as wheat and barley combined.
“Corn is definitely a real player; the question is, does that continue as we move into spring?” he asked.
“There seems to be lots (of corn) available, so as long as those trains can keep getting filled down south and the elevators can handle the transload, we can keep going,” he added.
Looking ahead to the spring, the tight barley situation and relatively solid prices “could buy a few acres,” according to Motz.
— Phil Franz-Warkentin writes for MarketsFarm, a Glacier FarmMedia division specializing in grain and commodity market analysis and reporting.
