File photo of a federal office building in downtown Winnipeg. (Dave Bedard photo)

AAFC raises canola stocks projections

StatCan's early acreage estimates due out this week

MarketsFarm — Canola ending stocks for both the current marketing year and 2023-24 were raised slightly by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in its latest supply/demand projections, released Friday. The government agency lowered its canola export forecast for 2022-23 by 200,000 tonnes from March, now pegging movement at 8.4 million tonnes. With domestic usage left […] Read more

(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Red wheats up slightly on week

Prairie durum values down on week

MarketsFarm — Despite adverse weather conditions in both Canada and the U.S., as well as poor growing conditions south of the border, western Canadian wheat bids saw slight increases for the week ended Thursday. A spring snowstorm descended on eastern Saskatchewan, western Manitoba and North Dakota on Wednesday and Thursday, with some parts seeing up […] Read more


Trucks wait for crossing into Poland at the Rava-Ruska border checkpoint in Ukraine’s Lviv region on April 17, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Roman Baluk)

Poland pledges aid for farmers as PM slams EU response

PM says EU offer a 'drop in the ocean'

Warsaw | Reuters — European Union measures to help farmers affected by a glut of Ukrainian food imports are too little too late, the Polish prime minister said on Friday, after the government approved 10 billion zlotys (C$3.23 billion) in aid for Polish agriculture. Central European countries are trying to thrash out a deal with […] Read more

File photo of a canola field in northern France’s Normandy region. (Brasil2/iStock/Getty Images)

France confirms S-metolachlor herbicide ban with 18-month deadline

Ban would mostly affect corn, sunflower crops

Paris | Reuters — France will proceed with a ban on major crop uses of herbicide S-metolachlor owing to concerns over water pollution, with farmers able to use the product for another 18 months, the agriculture ministry said on Friday. The decision follows a ruling in February by health and safety agency ANSES that main […] Read more


CBOT July 2023 soybeans with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Cheap Brazilian soybeans destined for U.S.

U.S. weather, Ukrainian exports also in focus

Mexico City | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures closed the week down on Friday, extending losses as cheap Brazilian beans were being snatched up by the U.S., the second-largest soy producing country in the world. A drop in prices due to abundant local supplies and cooling demand have made Brazil an attractive origin for soybeans, […] Read more

CME June 2023 live cattle with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle mixed, cash-futures spread remains wide

Hogs firm after touching new lows

Chicago | Reuters — The Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s spot live cattle futures eased on Friday, after prices in some cash cattle markets dipped lower than last week, traders said. Still, traders cautioned, the spread between cash and deferred futures prices remains wide — a spread that could tighten in the coming weeks as the U.S. […] Read more


A New Holland unit on display at the Yugagro exhibition in Krasnodar, Russia in 2021. (Media.cnhindustrial.com)

CNH sheds Russian business

New Holland, Case IH maker had suspended shipments last year

The maker of Case IH and New Holland tractors and combines is selling its business activities in Russia for about US$60 million. CNH Industrial, which employs about 200 people in Russia, announced the divestment in a release Wednesday without naming the buyer. CNH in March last year suspended all shipments and supplies to Russia and […] Read more

File photo of grain silos and other buildings at harbourside at Saint Nazaire on France’s west coast. (Sissoupitch/iStock/Getty Images)

French agency drops fumigant ban on non-EU grain exports

Limit on phosphine won't apply if use required for export

Paris | Reuters — French health safety agency ANSES on Thursday cleared the use of phosphine pesticide in contact with grains exported outside the European Union when importing countries require the process, averting a halt to shipments from the EU’s top grain exporter. In late October ANSES cleared the use of phosphine tablets used for […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Quiet times appear to be ahead

Significant weather event would maybe move prices

MarketsFarm — As feed grain prices on the Canadian Prairies remain relatively stable, the market appear to be “moving to a quiet summer,” according to Brandon Motz of CorNine Commodities at Lacombe, Alta. “Demand remains neutral to weak, and farmers are holding on to their grain that’s left in the bin,” Motz explained, noting feedlots […] Read more

CBOT July 2023 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago grains down on export data, weather

EU transit plan, Black Sea inspections temper Ukraine fears

Reuters — Chicago grains closed lower Thursday on lower-than-expected U.S. soybean export sales data, and favourable weather that would allow for planting to accelerate in the Midwest farm belt. Grains prices were also impacted by crude oil falling. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said soybean weekly export sales totalled 103,000 tonnes, below forecasts. “Export sales […] Read more