MarketsFarm — While corn imported from the U.S. was the grain of choice for Alberta feedlots for the past few months, feed barley has slowly become more in demand. Erin Harakal, trade manager for Agfinity Inc. at Stony Plain, Alta., explained that some feedlots were already having their cattle feed on grass as summer approaches. […] Read more

Feed weekly outlook: Feedlots shopping for new-crop barley

Wastewater regulation eased for Nova Scotia on-farm processing
Nova Scotia has introduced regulatory changes that allow on-farm processing operations to better manage wastewater on their smaller scale. The changes, which took effect May 11, come at the request of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture (NSFA) — which has said that owners of small farm-level processing facilities shouldn’t be treated the same as […] Read more

U.S. seeks another CUSMA dispute panel on Canadian dairy quotas
Canada announced revised policies last week
Ottawa | Reuters — The Biden administration is requesting that a second dispute settlement panel be formed under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) to review a trade dispute with Canada over dairy import quotas, it said on Wednesday. The U.S. alleges that Canada’s dairy tariff-rate quota allocations deny eligible U.S. applicants, including retailers, access to Canadian […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybean, wheat futures fall
CBOT corn closes higher
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures fell on Wednesday, pressured by weather forecasts that will allow farmers to make good progress on the end of their planting tasks as well as concerns about demand from China. Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures also were weaker, with the market setting back on reports that Russia […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures weaken on cash market pressure
CME hog futures close mixed
Chicago | Reuters — CME Group cattle futures dipped on Wednesday, pressured by weakness in the cash markets, traders said. Hog futures were mixed, with prices closing well off their session highs after contracts hit technical resistance. The nearby June hogs contract rose 0.025 cent to 109.05 cents/lb., while most-active July futures fell 1.1 cents, […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: AAFC projects normal yields, increased pulse production
MarketsFarm — A return to yields closer to long-range averages will result in greater production for most pulse crops in 2022-23, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s monthly outlook for principal field crops released last Friday. Many of the projections are based on the assumption that normal weather conditions will return to most of the […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Canola sideways for now
MarketsFarm — The ICE Futures canola market may have seen some large price swings over the past few weeks, but remains relatively rangebound overall with values sitting just below their all-time highs. The upward momentum is slowing down, said David Derwin, a commodities investment advisor with PI Financial in Winnipeg. However, he added, it remains […] Read more

CBOT weekly outlook: Prices likely to trend downward
MarketsFarm — With weather in the U.S. becoming more favourable for spring planting, combined with other factors, prices on the Chicago Board of Trade CBOT) are expected to push lower, according to Scott Capinegro of Barrington Commodity Brokers at Barrington, Ill. “If you’re getting it planted and it rains, the stuff is off to a […] Read more

Food crisis fuels fears of protectionism compounding shortages
Davos | Reuters — A growing world food crisis is precipitating protectionist moves by countries which are likely to compound the problem and could lead to a wider trade war, business leaders and policymakers at the World Economic Forum said. In a sign of the escalating squeeze on food supplies and rising prices, a government […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn futures touch six-week low
Wheat weakens, soybeans strong
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures dropped 1.8 per cent to a six-week low on Tuesday, pressured by a government report that farmers have made good progress in their much delayed planting tasks during the past week, traders said. “This is likely to ease previous concerns that the delays to planting could lead to […] Read more