EU flags in front of the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels. (Jorisvo/iStock/Getty Images)

EU offers farmers aid, more land to grow due to Ukraine war

Brussels | Reuters — The European Union will distribute 500 million euros (C$692 million) to help farmers and allow them to grow crops on fallow land to mitigate food price spikes and potential shortages resulting from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Published on Wednesday, the proposals by the EU’s executive European Commission also include assistance to […] Read more


Concept art for the rear view of a Ram electric truck. (Ramtruck.ca)

Stellantis’ battery plans take shape in Italy, Canada

LG and Stellantis set up j.v. for Windsor gigafactory

Milan/Ottawa | Reuters — Stellantis took significant steps in its battery production plans in Europe and North America on Wednesday as carmakers race to meet rising demand for electric vehicles. The maker of Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat and Jeep vehicles said its Automotive Cells Co. (ACC) joint venture with Mercedes-Benz and TotalEnergies would build a […] Read more






CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 10-, 20- and 50-day moving averages (pink, brown and dark red lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures mixed

CBOT cattle futures weak

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures were mixed on Tuesday, with deferred contracts firming on expectations that supplies will remain tight until the summer, traders said. The front-month hog contract eased on follow-through selling after hitting technical resistance and closing well below its peak on Monday. Cattle futures also were weaker, pressured […] Read more

CBOT May 2022 soybeans (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, dark green and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy futures rise on strong exports

Corn, wheat futures mixed

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures firmed on Tuesday on signs that export demand for U.S. supplies remained firm even as South American farmers harvest their crops. Corn and wheat futures were mixed, with nearby contracts easing and deferred offerings rising. “It is really a mixed bag out here,” said Mark Gold, managing partner […] Read more


Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA’s logo on a tower in Jundiai, northwest of Sao Paulo in southeastern Brazil, on June 1, 2017. (File photo: Reuters/Paulo Whitaker)

JBS says U.S. domestic and international businesses to remain strong

Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazilian meatpacker JBS, which operates multiple food processing facilities in the U.S. and one of Canada’s largest beef packing plants, said its North American operations will continue to drive performance. Speaking at a conference call to discuss fourth-quarter results, management said JBS will benefit from strong U.S. domestic demand for […] Read more

CME April 2023 live cattle (candlesticks, right column) with CME April 2022 feeder cattle (dark red line, left column). (Barchart)

Klassen: Deferred live cattle futures underpin feeder cattle prices

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $2-$4 on either side of unchanged. Major feedlot operations in Alberta continue to carry large numbers of market-ready cattle. The backlog of fed cattle appears to be worse than earlier anticipated. Yearlings were featured at auction barns in the main feeding regions of Alberta. Feedlot […] Read more