
U.S. grains: Wheat hits three-month low on supply prospects
CBOT soybeans, corn also decline
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell to their lowest level of 2021 on Thursday, pressured by improving global production prospects and a firmer dollar, which tends to make U.S. grains less competitive globally, analysts said. Corn and soybean futures also eased, following broad declines in commodities along with position-squaring ahead of key U.S. […] Read more

Ag ministers withdraw AgriStability reference margin limit
Program's compensation rate unchanged but 'remains on table'
In a move expected to provide $95 million in additional farm support per year, Canada’s ag ministers have agreed to remove the reference margin limit from the AgriStability farm income stabilization program. “That’s it! The ‘reference margin limit’ of the #AgriStability program is over! And it will be retroactive to 2020!” federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude […] Read more

USDA plans more pandemic programs for disadvantaged farmers
Review found disparities in farm aid distribution
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday it will dedicate at least US$6 billion to help smaller-scale and socially disadvantaged farmers who were hurt by the pandemic, along with producers of organic food and other specialty crops. The agency said it would also increase by approximately $5.6 billion payments made […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Canola still finding support
U.S. acreage estimates could sway futures
MarketsFarm — The ICE Futures canola market saw some wide price swings over the week ended Wednesday, dropping by more than $50 per tonne off its contract highs in the nearby May contract before recovering to trade just a few dollars off of those levels once again. Tight canola supplies, strength in world vegetable oil […] Read more

CBOT weekly outlook: Markets move ahead of USDA report
MarketsFarm — Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) market participants are awaiting next week’s prospective plantings report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), due out March 31. Ahead of the report, average trade estimates predict 93 million acres of corn, 90 million acres of soybeans and 46 million acres of wheat will be planted in […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans extend gains on veg oil rally
Corn rangebound, weather weighs on wheat
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures gained for a fourth straight session on Wednesday supported by tightness in vegetable oil markets as traders anticipate U.S. planting data next week. Nearby corn futures rose, while deferred contracts representing the 2021 crop softened ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s March 31 planting intentions and quarterly […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures climb as processing slows
Live cattle steady as beef prices level off
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures continued higher on Wednesday, reaching a 6-1/2 year high as optimism for consumer demand increases against tighter hog supplies. CME April lean hogs closed 1.3 cents higher at 97.775 cents/lb., after notching a life-of-contract high at 97.925 cents, while the most-active June contract added 0.8 […] Read more

Manitoba soil temperatures allow for spring fertilizer
Winter ban lifted, with cautions
Farmers across Manitoba are now cleared to apply spring fertilizers including livestock manure on their fields, thanks to sufficiently warm soil temperatures, the province said Tuesday. Though the winter nutrient ban has been lifted, the province cautioned producers to “assess current weather conditions and periodically check weather forecasts” if they’re applying anytime between now and […] Read more

JBS pledges net zero greenhouse emissions by 2040
Sao Paulo | Reuters — JBS SA, the world’s largest meatpacker, has committed to zeroing the balance of its global greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, the company said on Tuesday, amid criticism of its role in a Brazilian beef industry driving rainforest destruction. “We know it is very difficult to achieve this,” CEO Gilberto Tomazoni […] Read more

Klassen: Feeder market remains volatile
Feed grain values remain firm
Last week, western Canadian yearling markets were traded $2-$4 above week-ago levels from Monday through Wednesday; however, buyers backed away from the market on Thursday and Friday as feeder cattle futures fell nearly $7 from Wednesday’s high. By the end of the week, yearlings were relatively unchanged from week-ago levels. Calf prices were relatively flat […] Read more