CBOT September 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with MGEX and K.C. September 2021 wheat (dark greeen and orange O/H/L/C). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Winter wheat futures up sixth straight day

MGEX spring wheat falls

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. winter wheat futures rose for the sixth day in a row on Wednesday as adverse weather in key exporting countries raised supply concerns, traders said. Corn futures were steady to firm, with the front-month contract ending flat while new-crop offerings rose on support from dry soils that threatened to hamper […] Read more

A view near the Canadian end of the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Windsor and Detroit and is considered one of North America’s busiest trade routes. (Steven_Kriemadis/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. extends travel curbs at land borders through Aug. 21

Washington | Reuters — The U.S. government on Wednesday extended the closure of land borders with Canada and Mexico to non-essential travel such as tourism through Aug. 21 even as officials debate whether to require visitors to have received a COVID-19 vaccine. The latest 30-day extension by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) came after […] Read more


(Mysticenergy/iStock/Getty Images)

Exemptions, extensions to be granted for rail crossing upgrades

New amendments would exclude low-risk field-to-field crossings

Some farmer-owned field-to-field grade crossings over Canadian rail lines are now expected to be exempted altogether from looming federal requirements for safety upgrades. Proposed amendments to the Grade Crossings Regulations, announced June 18 by Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, this week cleared their 30-day public comment period. The amendments are expected to tweak rules which were […] Read more

(Lentils.ca)

Pulse weekly outlook: Lentil prices seen as too high, sales stalling

'Destination markets are not in desperation mode'

MarketsFarm — Prices for pulses, such as lentils for example, have been approaching the point where they are good for growers but getting too expensive for the destination markets, according to Marcos Mosnaim of Mercaris Commodities. “It’s a kind of an interesting scenario, where you see farmers not selling and prices to farmers keep going […] Read more


(Valerie Loiseleux/iStock/Getty Images)

‘Time is ticking’ on drought response for beef cattle sector

'We need answers like yesterday'

As Canada’s beef farmers and ranchers face drought, industry leaders are trying to find ways to secure feed and help those forced to sell rebuild their herds. B.C. ranchers are dealing with high temperatures that have “parched the grass that was there,” Kevin Boone, general manager of B.C. Cattlemen’s Association, said during a Canadian Cattlemen’s […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Hot, dry weather creates ‘significant uncertainty,’ AAFC says

MarketsFarm — Supply/demand balance sheets for Canada’s major crops only saw minor adjustments in the latest update Tuesday from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, with hot and dry growing conditions leading to “significant uncertainty” on the state of the country’s 2021-22 crops. Total field crop production in the country was forecast to decrease due to a […] Read more


CBOT September 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (black line) and K.C. September 2021 wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat climbs on deteriorating crop conditions

Corn rises as U.S. crop rating misses consensus

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures climbed on Tuesday to a two-month peak after official data underscored poor conditions for drought-hit U.S. spring wheat. Chicago corn gained, as a lower-than-expected weekly crop rating focused attention back to dry conditions in parts of the Midwest. Soybeans rebounded after being pressured by falling crude oil prices […] Read more

CME October lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (pink line), CME lean hog index (black line), CME August 2021 lean hogs (brown O/H/L/C) and CME October 2021 live cattle (dark red line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs firm on strong pork demand

October live cattle follow beef prices lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures gained on Tuesday on short-covering and continued firmness in the wholesale pork market, traders said. “August seems like its anchored by what’s going on in the cutout,” said Altin Kalo, economist at Steiner Consulting Group. “They’ve been surprised by the strength in the pork cutout.” […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Canada to admit vaccinated U.S. tourists

Border to open Aug. 9 after more than 16 months

Ottawa | Reuters — Canada on Monday said it would allow fully vaccinated U.S. tourists into the country starting from Aug. 9 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecedented 16-month ban that many businesses complained was crippling them. Inoculated visitors from countries other than the United States will be permitted to enter beginning on Sept. […] Read more