
Federal agriculture minister leading on election night
CPC, NDP ag critics prevail; BQ critic in tight race
Canada’s incumbent agriculture minister was among the MPs expected to hold onto their seats in Monday’s snap federal election, in which Justin Trudeau’s Liberals return with a second minority government. As of Tuesday morning just after midnight CT, Marie-Claude Bibeau was leading in her Sherbrooke, Que.-area riding of Compton-Stanstead by a spread of over 3,300 […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end mixed, hogs lower
Futures under pressure as equity markets slump
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended mixed on Monday as late-session bargain buying only partly offset pressure from adequate cattle supplies and global economic concerns that threatened to blunt demand for beef. “The cattle market can’t seem to catch a break. Boxed beef has been trending down and there are […] Read more

CFA’s Hay West program up and running
Program website now online
A revival of the “Hay West” initiative, aimed at shipping feed from Eastern Canada to supplement drought-dented supplies in the West, has gone live. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture on Friday announced its Hay West 2021 initiative is “now operational and seeking applicants to both receive and supply hay.” Applicants interested in either supplying or […] Read more

Supply/demand pushing up flax prices
Corrected, Sept. 23 — MarketsFarm — Prices for flax have skyrocketed in 2021, as the amount to be harvested has fallen while demand has increased, according to Dale McManus of Johnston’s Seeds at Welwyn, Sask. Johnston’s was paying $38 per bushel for golden flax picked up off of the farm, he said, and brown flax […] Read more

U.K. meat industry warns of threat to supplies from CO2 crisis
CO2 shortage is caused by closure of fertilizer plants
London | Reuters — Some of Britain’s meat processors will run out of carbon dioxide (CO2) within five days, forcing them to halt production and impacting supplies to food retailers, the head of the industry’s lobby group warned on Monday. A jump in gas prices has forced several domestic energy suppliers out of business and […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans slump with harvest pressure, equities, oil
Favourable weather boosting U.S. corn, soy harvests
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures retreated on Monday as harvesting accelerated across the Midwest farm belt and sinking energy and equities prices weighed on market sentiment. Benchmark November soybean futures touched their lowest point in nearly three months, while December corn fell for a third straight session and hit a one-week […] Read more

U.S. extends travel restrictions at Canada, Mexico borders
Washington | Reuters — The United States on Monday extended restrictions at its land borders with Canada and Mexico through Oct. 21 that bar nonessential travel such as tourism by foreigners despite Ottawa’s decision to open its border to vaccinated Americans. Canada on Aug. 9 began allowing fully vaccinated U.S. visitors for nonessential travel. The […] Read more

Baltic Dry Index hits 12-year high
Canadian grain exports slow either way
MarketsFarm — Strong demand to move cargo coupled with weather-related shipping constraints in a number of key corridors has helped take ocean freight rates to their highest levels in more than a decade. The Baltic Dry Index (BDI), a major indicator of shipping rates, settled Friday at 4,275 points, marking its highest level since November […] Read more

Prairie cash wheat: Prices rise as worldwide stocks fall
U.S. December wheat futures up on week
MarketsFarm — Continued tightening of worldwide wheat stocks has raised spring wheat prices in Western Canada during the week ended Thursday. As winter wheat planting in North America and Europe begins, dry conditions remain a threat not only in North America, but also in Argentina and Russia. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also predicts […] Read more

Grain exports running well behind year-ago pace
Prices, low stocks keep lid on demand
MarketsFarm — Canadian grain exports are running well behind the year-ago pace through the first few weeks of the 2021-22 marketing year, as smaller supplies and high prices limit offshore demand. Total exports of all of the major grains, oilseeds and pulses as of Sept. 12 of 3.162 million tonnes are down by about 2.1 […] Read more