A Western blot analysis, used to detect specific proteins in tissue samples, is used to confirm BSE in cattle. (Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

China’s buyers expect Brazil’s beef back soon despite BSE cases

Beijing | Reuters — Chinese beef importers said Monday the suspension of exports by top supplier Brazil due to two cases of BSE has had no immediate market impact, with some still making purchases in anticipation of a quick resumption of trade. Brazil said on Saturday it had confirmed two cases of ‘atypical’ bovine spongiform […] Read more

CBOT December 2021 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy, wheat slide on stronger U.S. dollar, export concerns

Market awaits USDA crop forecasts ahead of corn, soy harvests

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn, soybean and wheat futures slipped Tuesday as a stronger dollar, export concerns and early U.S. harvest activity weighed on the complex ahead of the U.S. Agriculture Department’s monthly supply and demand report, due out Friday. Analysts anticipate USDA’s Sept. 10 outlook to increase estimates of U.S. corn and soybean […] Read more


Chickpeas. (CalypsoArt/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Chickpeas find high-priced silver lining

MarketsFarm — Like many other crops across Western Canada, chickpeas weren’t immune to hot and dry growing conditions over the summer. This year’s domestic chickpea crop is only expected to weigh in at 63,000 tonnes, according to Statistics Canada — less than one-third of the five-year average of 189,600 tonnes. In Saskatchewan, some parts of […] Read more



CME October 2021 live cattle (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end up off six-session skid

Hogs up but still rangebound

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed higher Wednesday on short-covering after a six-session decline and expectations of firming cash cattle prices, traders said. However, the rally was capped by falling wholesale beef prices, with the U.S. grilling season poised to wind down after Monday’s Labour Day holiday. CME October live […] Read more

CBOT December 2021 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans sag on export worries after Ida

Wheat futures follow downward

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures fell about two per cent on Wednesday, with the benchmark December contract hitting a seven-week low as worries about shipping delays from the U.S. Gulf Coast triggered a round of long liquidation, analysts said. Soybean futures touched a two-month low and wheat followed the weaker trend. Commodity funds […] Read more



(Bondarillia/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Tight Canadian supplies to cut into exports

MarketsFarm –– Canadian pulse supplies during the 2021-22 marketing year will be the tightest of the past decade due to drought during the growing season, with the country likely to be a much smaller player in the international export market for peas, lentils and chickpeas as a result. Statistics Canada pegged the country’s 2021-22 pea […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Ag department lowers crop production, export estimates

Expectations knocked down for most major Prairie crops

MarketsFarm — Canadian crop production will be down significantly in the 2021-22 marketing year, cutting into exports for all of the country’s major grains, oilseeds and pulse crops. That’s the estimation from the latest supply/demand estimates from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), released Thursday. Total field crop production for all crops is forecast to decrease […] Read more

Barley south of Ethelton, Sask. in early August 2017. (File photo by Dave Bedard)

Feed weekly outlook: No surprises in latest barley numbers

MarketsFarm — Following the release of monthly supply and demand estimates from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Thursday, Brandon Motz of CorNine Commodities at Lacombe, Alta. wasn’t surprised at how low the numbers dropped, particularly for barley. Motz commented the harvest hasn’t been as good as initially thought, noting the AAFC report confirmed the situation […] Read more