Smoke rises from a wildfire in Alberta’s Strathcona County, east of Edmonton, on May 5, 2023. (Photo: Video screengrab from @hellohildy on Twitter via Reuters)

Alberta fairs, auctions offer space for evacuated livestock

Central areas catch break with moisture, cooler weather; CN service resumes

Alberta’s ag societies and livestock auction marts are offering up pen space for producers forced to evacuate animals away from dozens of wildfires in the province’s northern and west-central regions. As of early Thursday evening, the province was tracking 76 active wildfires, of which 22 were listed as “out of control” and 17 as “being […] Read more

File photo of a barley seedling. (SusanHSmith/iStock/Getty Images)

Feed weekly outlook: Short-term premiums add to fluctuations

Truckers seen trying to stay as local as possible

MarketsFarm — Although most feed grain buyers were fairly well covered through spring seeding, Susanne Leclerc of Market Master Ltd. at Edmonton said some were looking for feed to get through the coming weeks and offered premiums. “Which is a shock for seeding season,” she said, suggesting it’s best to shop around, with prices fluctuating […] Read more


Photo: Canada Beef Inc.

Klassen: Feeder market remains firm on fed cattle strength

Alberta's disastrous wildfires may disrupt calf marketings

Compared to last week, western Canadian prices for yearlings over 800 lbs. were quoted steady to $4 higher; feeders between 600-800 lbs. were relatively unchanged while calves under 600 lbs. were $5-$10 higher. The market for calves under 600 lbs. was hard to define due to limited volumes. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Canada’s expected flax area smallest since 1950

Other commodity prices outperforming flax

MarketsFarm — Blue flowery fields of flax will be fewer and farther between in Western Canada, according to Statistics Canada’s (StatCan) first survey-based seeding intentions report for 2023-24. In a report released late last month, StatCan projected only 689,000 acres of flaxseed to be planted this spring, an 11.6 per cent decrease from the year […] Read more


Photo: File

Rain, drought highlight different growing areas

Eastern Prairies to see improved rains

MarketsFarm — Depending on which region you’re in, you could be stuck in a severe drought or facing rains that will help alleviate that dryness or push back when fields should be dry enough to begin spring planting. That’s the assessment from Drew Lerner, president and senior agricultural meteorologist at World Weather Inc. at Overland […] Read more

Smoke rises from a wildfire near Wildwood, Alta., about 100 km west of Edmonton, on May 5, 2023. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire/Handout via Reuters)

Alberta ‘crossing fingers’ for rain amid wildfires

CN mainline traffic west of Edmonton suspended

Reuters — Firefighters were counting on rain and cooler weather forecast for Monday to help them quell a dramatic start to Alberta’s wildfire season. The province declared a state of emergency on Saturday in response to wildfires in northern and central regions that have displaced nearly 30,000 people and prompted energy producers to shut in […] Read more


K.C. July 2023 hard red winter wheat with 20-day moving average and Minneapolis July 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line). (Barchart)

Prairie cash wheat: U.S. futures lift spring wheat bids

Durum prices down on week

MarketsFarm — Western Canadian spring wheat bids were the beneficiaries of rising U.S. futures prices for the week ended Thursday. Wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) were under pressure early in the week due to healthy yet ineffective rains over wheat-growing areas in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Agriculture raised the […] Read more

A smoke column rises from a wildfire on May 4, 2023 near Lodgepole, Alta., about 30 km southwest of Drayton Valley. (Photo: Alberta Wildfire handout via Reuters)

Fire and floods across Western Canada force evacuations

Western Alberta towns of Edson, Drayton Valley ordered to evacuate

Reuters — A week of record-hot weather in Western Canada has forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes, as wildfires rage in parts of Alberta and rapid snow melt triggers flooding across interior British Columbia. By Friday, more than 13,000 people were under evacuation orders in Alberta. As of late Friday afternoon, 91 fires […] Read more


Photo: File

Feed weekly outlook: Futures pressure Canadian prices

Some buyers still seeking coverage

MarketsFarm — Prices for feed grains in Western Canada continue to ease off, but seasonal activity isn’t the only reason contributing to the declines. Erin Harakal, trade manager at Agfinity Inc. at Stony Plain, Alta., said futures markets are also playing their part in pressuring feed grain prices. “Especially with the wheat markets due to […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle supplies remain snug

Feedlots expect significantly cheaper barley come harvest

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $3-$4 on either side of unchanged. Premium low-flesh yearlings were one off bids $15-$20 above average. Cattle buyers commented that there were larger volumes of fleshier yearlings. Cattle with heavier butter levels were discounted from our listed values by $5 to as much as $10. […] Read more