(Dave Bedard photo)

AAFC supply/demand estimates mostly unchanged

Wheat exports up, but domestic usage cut

MarketsFarm –– Supply/demand estimates for Canadian crops were largely left unchanged in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) latest projections, with only the wheat numbers seeing small adjustments in the report released Tuesday. Projected Canadian wheat exports for the 2022-23 marketing year were raised to 24.3 million tonnes, up by 200,000 from the February estimate. Domestic […] Read more

The minister is on the case: federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau checks out the cab of a new Case IH Magnum tractor during her visit to the Ag in Motion show on July 20, 2022. (Greg Berg photo)

Federal report shows farmer concerns remain regarding emissions targets

AAFC report polled farmers, industry for thoughts on fertilizer emissions policy

A new Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC) report shows farmers remain concerned about federal emissions reduction targets — and whether those targets remain voluntary. The “What We Heard” Report, released Wednesday, is the result of consultations between AAFC and the agricultural sector to gather feedback on how best to support farmers and producers to achieve […] Read more


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

U.S. grains: Chicago corn turns higher

CBOT soy, wheat fall on long liquidation

Mexico City | Reuters — Chicago corn futures turned higher Wednesday, and wheat and soy closed down, as technical trading and investor unease about the economy roiled agricultural commodity markets. Investors scrambled to liquidate long positions, traders said, even before the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point and indicated […] Read more

Commercial vessels  –including vessels which are part of the Black Sea grain deal — wait to pass the Bosphorus strait off the shores of Yenikapi during a misty morning in Istanbul, Turkey on Oct. 31, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Umit Bektas)

U.S. pushes back against Russian demands linked to Ukraine grain deal

Russian food, fertilizer already carved out from sanctions, U.S. says

United Nations | Reuters — The United States pushed back on Russian demands that Western sanctions be eased before it allows Ukrainian Black Sea grain exports beyond mid-May, saying there were no restrictions on Russian agricultural products or fertilizer. Moscow’s demands include allowing the Russian Agricultural Bank to return to the SWIFT banking system and […] Read more


File photo of fresh palm fruits and palm oil. (Slpu9945/iStock/Getty Images)

USDA’s Indonesia desk predicts increased palm oil production

An El Nino event could weigh on that outlook

MarketsFarm — Indonesia, the world’s largest producer of palm oil, is forecast to see a three per cent rise in production in 2023-24, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service post in Jakarta. The country’s USDA post anticipates 46 million tonnes of palm oil production, which would be up from 44.7 during […] Read more

Chickpeas. (Grigorenko/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Pulse weekly outlook: Steady world trade expected in 2023

IGC sees firmer demand for dry peas in particular

MarketsFarm — World trade in chickpeas and lentils is expected to remain relatively steady in 2023, with solid demand from South Asia underpinning markets, according to the latest outlook from the International Grains Council. The IGC sees the world trade in chickpeas in 2023 at about 1.9 million tonnes, which would be unchanged from 2022, […] Read more


CBOT May 2023 soybeans with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago soy closes lower

Brazil production, Fed in focus for soy; wheat, corn still capped by Black Sea deal extension

Reuters — Chicago soy futures reversed gains to close lower on Tuesday, pushed down by rising estimates of Brazilian production, while corn and wheat dipped as markets kept a cautious eye on an expected Federal Reserve rate hike. Wheat and corn continue to be capped by the extension of a Black Sea export corridor from […] Read more

File photo of a CN locomotive. (Dave Bedard photo)

CN, mechanics avert strike with tentative deal

Ratification votes pending

Canadian National Railway and the union representing its mechanics and intermodal and clerical workers have reached a tentative labour deal, averting a potential strike. CN, Unifor Local 100 and Unifor Council 4000 on Monday announced they have reached four new tentative collective agreements to cover about 3,000 railway employees, who had voted earlier this month […] Read more


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

U.S. grains: Soy closes higher on rising crude oil, stocks values

Ukraine Black Sea grain deal extended for at least 60 days

Mexico City | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soy futures rallied from a three-month low to close higher on Monday, catching a tailwind from U.S. stocks reassured by the announcement that UBS agreed to buy battered rival Credit Suisse, analysts said. Gains in oil prices also pushed up soybeans, which are used in ethanol […] Read more