The cattle sector is less than pleased by a Health Canada proposal that would put a ‘high saturated fat’ label on retail ground beef. The proposal is part of a suite of changes proposed for Canada’s Food and Drug Regulations. As well as adding a front-of-packaging (FOP) label requirement for foods deemed by Health Canada […] Read more

Beef sector calls for Health Canada label exception
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association wants ground beef exempted from proposed rules

Drought worsens in Alberta, but eastern Prairies wet
MarketsFarm — Highly varied precipitation across the Canadian Prairies in May saw drought conditions worsen in southern Alberta while parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan were becoming too wet, according to the latest federal Drought Monitor report. The report, released by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) for the period ended May 31, showed that overall, 19 […] Read more

Planting in Saskatchewan nearing its end
MarketsFarm — Spring planting across Saskatchewan reached 91 per cent complete as of Monday, according to the province’s latest crop report. That was an increase of 15 points over the week and the pace was only six behind the five-year average. However, Saskatchewan Agriculture stressed there are many acres in the eastern half of the […] Read more

Rain helps Ontario crops as last of seeding presses on
MarketsFarm — Rains were timely in helping with crop establishment, according to the latest report from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). As some spring planting remained to be completed, amounts of precipitation ranged from 12 to 55 millimetres. While herbicide applications on cereals continued in southern Ontario, planting in the […] Read more

StatCan releases satellite crop vegetation data
MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada’s crop condition assessment program (CCAP) on Thursday released its weekly normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values from April 11 to May 29 — telling the tale of weather extremes in the Prairie provinces. As of the fourth week of May, seeding was 95 per cent complete in Alberta, compared to the […] Read more

Nutrien to further boost potash output amid global shortage
Company will also speed up nitrogen capacity boosts
Reuters — Nutrien, the world’s largest fertilizer producer, said Thursday it will increase its Canadian potash production by 20 per cent to an annual 18 million tonnes by 2025, helping to address tight supplies that have contributed to a global food shortage. Potash prices have soared since the West imposed sanctions against Russia for Moscow’s […] Read more

Feed weekly outlook: Prices slip slightly
MarketsFarm — There has been scant movement in feed grain prices over the last week, according to Susanne Leclerc of Market Master Ltd. in Edmonton, who noted demand has backed off a little. Buyers have stepped away following rains throughout much of the province, including the drought-stricken south. In turn, she said, prices “softened slightly.” […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy futures rally to 10-year top
Corn firm, wheat falls
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rallied on Thursday, hitting their highest in nearly a decade and threatening their all-time high on signs of good export demand for U.S. supplies, traders said. Corn futures also rose, with cash market strength underpinning the tight supply situation. Wheat futures fell on improving weather for U.S. and […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures consolidate near peaks
Chicago hog futures fall
Chicago | Reuters — CME Group cattle futures stabilized near recent highs on Thursday, with strong cash markets and a round of speculative buying underpinning prices. Hog futures fell as the soybean futures market rallied to its highest in nearly 10 years, raising the prospect of higher feed costs. The U.S. Agriculture Department said on […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Weather in focus for canola traders
MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts hit their lowest levels in two months during the first week of June but uncovered support to the downside to recover on Wednesday and hold rangebound overall. While crush margins are still well off the levels seen at this time a year ago, they have improved over the past […] Read more