File photo of autumn colours around Lake Diefenbaker in Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park. (Nancy Anderson/iStock/Getty Images)

Prairie Forecast: Summer tries to hang on

Issued Sept. 27, covering Sept. 27 to Oct. 4

For being this far into fall, the weather models have been surprisingly accurate. Heck, I didn’t even need to send an update for the last issue! Not sure if I can be as optimistic for this forecast period, as we are moving deeper into fall and starting to see the first hints of winter trying […] Read more

The Cascadia grain terminal at the Port of Vancouver is co-owned by Viterra and Richardson International. (Viterra.ca)

Transport Canada to review Bunge-Viterra marriage plans

Competition Bureau also to probe proposed deal

Canada’s federal transport department will conduct its own review of U.S. grain giant Bunge’s plans to buy and merge with Viterra — with an eye particularly on both companies’ stakes in Canadian port terminals. Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez announced Tuesday that his department will review the deal under the mergers and acquisitions provisions of the […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Lower beef production forecasts support feeder complex

Major feedlots seen aggressive on quality calves

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2-$4 on either side of unchanged. Calf markets were steady to $5 higher on average, with stronger buying interest on preconditioned weaned steer calves. Light calves weighing under 500 lbs. appeared to jump $10-$20 in certain regions. This past week, focus of finishing feedlots switched from […] Read more

On the morning of Dec. 30, the nearby January canola contract apparently hit a new all-time high.  Photo: File

Tightening canola stocks projected, AAFC says

Wheat, barley, oat, pea stocks also projected lower

MarketsFarm –– Canadian canola carryout supplies for the current marketing year will likely end up tighter than earlier expectations, according to updated supply/demand balance sheets from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) that account for recent production and stocks data from Statistics Canada. Canola ending stocks for 2023-24 are now forecast to tighten to only one […] Read more


(Viterra.ca)

Canada books stronger August deliveries of most major grains

Wheat, canola up; barley, durum down

MarketsFarm — Deliveries of most major grains in Canada were higher in August than a year ago, according to Statistics Canada. The federal agency issued its monthly deliveries report on Tuesday, showing total deliveries last month came to 5.103 million tonnes, up nearly 15 per cent from the previous August. Wheat deliveries (excluding durum) tallied […] Read more

(Richardson International video screengrab via YouTube)

Canola crush shows solid start in new crop year

Soybeans see lowest August crush ever

MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada on Tuesday reported Canada’s second largest August canola crush on record. The 829,490 tonnes of the oilseed processed last month is only bested by the 830,335 tonnes in August 2020. The July 2023 canola crush set a new all-time record of 961,683 tonnes. Last month’s canola crush was 31 per cent […] Read more


(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Market uncertainty, election weigh on Manitoba pork sector

Volatility remains a feature, Manitoba Pork GM says

MarketsFarm — Cam Dahl, general manager of Manitoba Pork, has felt the highs and lows of the province’s pork industry over the past few months. While he expects Manitoba’s feed grain harvest to provide some relief to feed prices for pork producers, Dahl also mentioned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the African swine fever situation in […] Read more

Lentils. (Seb_ra/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: India dispute leaves lentils’ future uncertain

India was Canada's top customer in 2022-23

MarketsFarm — As tensions between Canada and India remain very high, the future direction for Canadian lentils continued to be uncertain. “Your guess is as good as mine,” Marcos Mosnaim of Export Packers said as to what could happen, adding “Canada has to be careful. I don’t know what India will do.” Prime Minister Justin […] Read more


CBOT November 2023 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans higher, corn lower, wheat flat amid positioning

Traders eye potential U.S. government shutdown

Reuters — Chicago soybean futures ticked higher on Tuesday while wheat futures settled flat and corn futures fell as traders adjusted positions ahead of U.S. government stocks data due later this week, analysts said. Worries about a possible U.S. government shutdown hung over the markets. Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) November soybean futures rose five […] Read more

CME October 2023 feeder cattle with 20- and 50-day moving averages and most-active November 2023 feeder cattle (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle dip to three-week low

Live cattle also drop, hogs mixed ahead of USDA report

Chicago | Reuters — Chart-based and fund selling dragged Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures to their lowest level in more than a week on Tuesday while feeder cattle hit a three-week low, traders said. Most-active lean hog futures also came under pressure. Steep losses on Wall Street set a negative tone for cattle futures, […] Read more