CME December 2020 live cattle with 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Futures slip on seasonal pressure

Slaughter backlogs remain a drag on live cattle

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell on Monday, pressured by a softening in seasonal demand and the continued impact from backlogs at slaughterhouses, traders said. Lean hogs also eased on profit taking, while feeder cattle also followed live cattle for a loss. CME October live cattle futures fell 1.525 cents, to 108.35 […] Read more

(Video screengrab from Alberta Agriculture and Forestry via YouTube)

Federal fund, Alberta government back irrigation upgrades

Infrastructure Bank lends cash for system improvements

Eight irrigation districts in Alberta are set to tap into the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s new $1.5 billion pool of funding earmarked for irrigation, to receive loans worth about $407.5 million. The Alberta and federal governments on Friday announced a total investment of $815 million — including repayable CIB funds, provincial support and irrigation district contributions […] Read more


Violife’s vegan cheese-substitute lines include cheddar-style slices. (ViolifeFoods.com)

Becel maker Upfield to relocate Ontario plant

Company to make vegan cheese substitutes, other spreads at Brantford

The maker of Becel margarine, Imperial spreads and, most recently, vegan near-cheese Violife plans to boost its Canadian manufacturing capacity with a move from Toronto to Brantford, Ont. The Canadian arm of Amsterdam-based Upfield said Wednesday it has bought a 164,000-square foot industrial building at Brantford and “brings a significant investment involving the purchase of […] Read more

CME December 2020 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Domestic demand boosts hog futures

Feed grain prices drag on feeder cattle

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures leapt to their highest price since May 2019 on Friday on strong domestic demand for pork, while feeder cattle futures tumbled to a three-month low. Gains in the swine market extend a rally driven by rising cash prices for hogs and demand from consumers. “Domestic demand has been […] Read more


File photo of a wheat crop in Argentina. (Gracieross/iStock/Getty Images)

Argentina approves drought-tolerant GM wheat

Variety would need Brazil approval before going commercial

MarketsFarm — Argentina has become the first country in the world to approve cultivation and consumption of a genetically modified wheat variety, the country’s National Commission for Science and Technology (CONICET) announced Thursday. “This is the first approval in the world for drought-tolerant genetic transformation in wheat,” CONICET said in a statement. Argentina is the […] Read more

CBOT November 2020 soybeans with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybean futures hit 2018 highs as supplies tighten

USDA cuts domestic soy ending stocks; traders expect more demand from China

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures surged to their highest prices since March 2018 after the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday said inventories will dwindle to a five-year low. Corn futures advanced to a one-year high, while wheat futures slumped in a setback from a five-year high reached on Thursday. […] Read more


The USDA building in Washington, D.C. (Art Wager/iStock/Getty Images)

USDA’s WASDE bullish for soy, corn, wheat

MarketsFarm — The October world agricultural supply and demand estimates (WASDE) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows lower U.S. ending stocks for soybeans, corn and wheat. Projected U.S. soybean ending stocks for 2020-21 were lowered to 290 million bushels from last month’s projection of 460 million. Last year, carryout stocks were at 523 […] Read more




CBOT December 2020 wheat with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: CBOT wheat falls after hitting highest since 2015

Chicago corn, soybean futures ease

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures dropped 1.9 per cent on Thursday, falling from their highest in more than five years, as traders locked in profits ahead of a key U.S. government report. Soybeans and corn also eased from recent peaks but losses were kept in check by strong export demand. […] Read more