CBOT March 2023 soybeans (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average and November 2023 soybeans (dark green o/h/l/c). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans end higher in choppy trade

CBOT corn mixed, wheat down; MGEX, K.C. wheats up

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures inched higher on Thursday while corn ended narrowly mixed after a choppy session as traders weighed poor crop prospects in Argentina against the expanding harvest of a massive Brazilian soybean crop and fears of rising interest rates, analysts said. Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) wheat futures fell on […] Read more

CME February 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle ease on profit-taking

February cattle lower after nearing eight-year top; hogs follow cash prices higher

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed lower on Tuesday on profit-taking after rising to the highest levels in nearly eight years, with worries about the health of the U.S. economy adding to bearish sentiment, analysts said. Benchmark April live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange settled down 0.425 cent at 164.675 […] Read more


NDP ag critic Alistair MacGregor speaks Feb. 3, 2023 in the House of Commons. (Alistair MacGregor video screengrab via Facebook)

Federal NDP ag critic to handle food inflation file

Mini-shuffle follows new critic portfolio

Canada’s federal New Democrats have appointed their critic for agriculture and agri-food to a new point position on a major issue for the fourth-ranked opposition party. After the House of Commons resumed sitting last Monday (Jan. 30), NDP leader Jagmeet Singh on Friday named Alistair MacGregor, MP for the Vancouver Island riding of Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, to […] Read more

Canadian Money

Monetary and fiscal policy weighs on Canadian dollar

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

The Canadian dollar has been trending lower since making a seasonal high of just over 80 cents U.S. in early April 2022. At the time of writing this article, the Canadian dollar was nearing two-year lows of around 75 cents U.S. Canadian fed and feeder cattle exports are running sharply above year-ago levels and export […] Read more


File photo of the produce section at a Canadian grocery store. (FatCamera/E+/Getty Images)

Competition Bureau to probe soaring food prices

Retail food prices seen outpacing inflation

Reuters — Canada’s competition watchdog said on Monday it would examine factors impacting soaring food prices and whether more competition in the grocery stores sector could help lower costs for Canadians. Price rises for store-bought food have been outpacing the broader annual inflation rate for 10 consecutive months, and grew 11.4 per cent in September, […] Read more

Photo: Canada Beef Inc.

Klassen: Demand fears cause feeder cattle market volatility

Barley values continue upward

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $4 higher to as much as $6 lower. Strength was noted in the eastern Prairie regions while the market was softer in Alberta. Western Canadian calves were extremely volatile, trading $5 higher to as much as $10 lower in some cases. It’s not uncommon for markets […] Read more


Photo: Canada Beef

Klassen: Steady demand underpins feeder cattle complex

Compared to last week, Alberta yearling markets traded $2-$4 on either side of unchanged; however, 800-pound-plus cattle in Manitoba and Saskatchewan appeared to trade $4-$6 higher. Yearling prices across the Prairies are now relatively even with no freight discounts from major southern Alberta markets. Calf markets are becoming more defined with larger volumes on offer. […] Read more

As higher protein prices hit consumers in the first half of 2022, chicken had a price advantage over beef and pork.

Chicken lords over beef with consumers

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay

Beef is still king of the meat case in U.S. grocery stores. But chicken wins hands down in per capita consumption and has done so for years. Beef is regarded as the meat treat and chicken the survival food for protein. Now that food inflation stalks grocery store aisles and talk is increasing about the […] Read more


CBOT November 2022 soybeans (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago grains firm on yield uncertainty ahead of USDA report

Grains also underpinned by U.S. dollar fall after inflation data

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat and soybean futures closed higher on Thursday as a weaker U.S. dollar lent support to dollar-priced commodities and traders squared up their positions ahead of a key government report. Meanwhile, corn futures firmed, supported by concerns about hot and dry weather stressing the U.S. Midwest crop through its final […] Read more