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Opinions divided ahead of StatCan production report

Agency's previous estimates model-based

MarketsFarm — Ahead of the crop production report from Statistics Canada (StatCan) due out Friday, trade expectations are above and below what the federal agency estimated in September. In August, and in September, StatCan issued production reports based on a satellite model and without any input from farmers filling out surveys. That has caused some […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Grain prices expected to hold firm

'The farmer doesn't seem super interested in selling'

MarketsFarm — Feed prices on the Prairies are likely to remain steady through to the new year, according to Brandon Motz of CorNine Commodities at Lacombe, Alta. “I think the markets for now are to be flat,” he said, noting there has been talk in the market of 25 trains of U.S. corn that have […] Read more


Photo: Reuters/Ben Nelms/File

Canadian grain deliveries during October mostly higher

Among grains, flax sees largest percentage decline

MarketsFarm — Deliveries of major grains in Canada during October witnessed several gains compared to a year ago, according to the latest report from Statistics Canada (StatCan) released Thursday. All grain deliveries for October 2022 exceeded 5.43 million tonnes for a 19.3 per cent increase from the previous October. During last month, total wheat deliveries […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: More corn, oats in feed rations

'Very weird situation to be seeing again'

MarketsFarm — As prices for feed barley and wheat increase, more feedlots are turning to corn, according to Susanne Leclerc of Market Master Ltd. at Edmonton. “A lot of places are switching to corn. The desirability of feed barley has been coming down,” she said. “So it will be interesting to see which way the […] Read more


The Canadian barley crop is significantly larger than last year.

Feed barley market strengthens

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

Statistics Canada’s August model-based crop estimate came in at 9.4 million tonnes, up from the 2021 output of seven million tonnes and up marginally from the five-year average of 9.2 million tonnes. Supplies are sharply higher than last year but the domestic feed market has rallied nearly $60/tonne from the pre-harvest lows. What is going […] Read more

Canada’s beef cow inventory has declined for the third consecutive year and is at its lowest since 2015.

Canadian cattle numbers see significant drop, strong demand for beef continues

Prepared by the staff of Canfax and Canfax Research Services, divisions of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association

Canada’s cattle inventory declined in 2022, with cows and heifers for beef replacement down substantially. Concerns about a second year of drought across the Prairies pushed more heifers into feedlots early in 2022. Prices for fed and non-fed Canadian cattle maintained their upward price momentum from spring to summer on a tight supply outlook, as […] Read more


File photo of barley being loaded off the combine. (Collab Media/iStock/Getty Images)

Feed weekly outlook: Grain supplies good, freight costs higher

'They don't have as many drivers as normal'

MarketsFarm — There are still sufficient supplies of feed barley and wheat to be had on the Canadian Prairies — but there are issues with getting that feed from point to point, according to Erin Harakal, senior trader at Agfinity at Stony Plain, Alta. “I do think there are enough supplies from what we have […] Read more

Concerns of a recession being just around the corner and global economic issues are weighing on consumers.

Beef demand reacting to inflationary pressures

The Markets with Deb McMillin, from the November 2022 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Fed cattle Canadian fed cattle prices are not experiencing the price strength that has been seen recently in the U.S., which is abnormal but has been the case a few times this year. Western Canadian feedlots were not as current as was expected for October. Reduced weekly kill numbers and decreased beef exports are contributing […] Read more


A farmer in China piles wheat.  Photo: Reuters/File

China top destination for Canadian wheat through two months

MarketsFarm – China was the main destination for Canadian wheat through the first two months of the 2022/23 (Aug/Jul) marketing year, according to the latest trade data from Statistics Canada. Canada exported 534,000 tonnes of wheat to China in August and September, accounting for about 20 per cent of Canada’s total wheat exports-to-date. Japan, Bangladesh […] Read more

Photo: File

Feed weekly outlook: Tight logistics underpinning Prairie feed market

MarketsFarm – Canada’s barley crop may have improved considerably in 2022 compared to 2021’s drought-stricken crop, but the logistics of getting that grain to Alberta’s feedlot alley are keeping prices well supported. Canada grew 9.4 million tonnes of barley during the 2022 growing season, which was up by 35 per cent from the previous year. […] Read more