Barley production below the 10-year average will cause prices to trade above their 10-year average, Jerry Klassen writes, noting the barley market cannot afford a 2026 crop problem.
Tag Archives Market Talk
Barley market poised to strengthen
Market Talk: Despite expected larger ending stocks, we’re expecting the barley market to percolate higher over the next couple of months
Feeder cattle outside finishing feedlots
Market Talk with Jerry Klassen
The feeder cattle market has been trading near or at historical highs over the past couple of months. The higher prices have caused many cattle producers to question the number of feeder cattle that will be available later in spring. Canadian feedlot operators have experienced favourable margins throughout the winter which has enhanced demand for […] Read more
Corn and barley feed market outlook
Market Talk with Jerry Klassen
Feedlot operators and feed grain traders are focusing on new crop production. The USDA held their annual Agriculture Outlook Forum on February 27 and they expect U.S. farmers to increase corn planted area by 3.4 million acres. In Canada, traders and government analysts are expecting a year-over-year increase in barley acres from three per cent […] Read more
Questions surround 2024 cattle market
Market Talk with Jerry Klassen
Feeder and fed cattle traded at historical highs over the past year. I’ve received many calls and emails from cattle producers asking questions regarding the market fundamentals moving forward. Can producers expect prices to stay at higher levels or is the market vulnerable to downside potential? During August and September 2024, there were fears that […] Read more
Stronger demand and lower supplies boost price
Market Talk with Jerry Klassen
The December live cattle futures made a low of $173.50 on September 9. At the time of writing this article, the December contract was $189. During September and October, the live cattle futures rallied about $16. In the U.S., the four largest packing firms handle 85 per cent of all steer and heifer purchases. Apparently, […] Read more
Cattle market transitioning to expansion
Market Talk with Jerry Klassen
The fed and feeder cattle markets have been quite volatile over the past couple of months. Cattle producers have been overwhelmed with discussions to explain the recent price behaviour. On August 3, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that job growth during July was lower than expected. The live and feeder cattle futures dropped […] Read more
Feed grain outlook for the 2024-25 crop year
Market Talk with Jerry Klassen
Barley and corn prices have been trading near five-year lows throughout the spring and summer. Despite the year-over-year decline in Canadian barley and U.S. corn acres, optimal weather has resulted in trend yield projections on both sides of the border. Production will be down from year-ago levels for both barley and U.S. corn crops; however, […] Read more
U.S. beef demand coming in stronger than anticipated
Market Talk with Jerry Klassen
Beef demand appears to be stronger than expected in the first quarter of 2024. There is a higher probability that the economic momentum will continue into the second and third quarters before softening late in the October through December period. Consumer spending at U.S. grocery stores and restaurants was higher than expected during January. In […] Read more
Constellation of cattle futures prices and futures markets spreads
Market Talk with Jerry Klassen
The live and feeder cattle futures markets experienced sharp downward price behaviour during the final quarter of 2024. Although the price weakness was being influenced by the nearby fundamentals, the deferred live and feeder cattle contracts were also trending lower. In this article, I’m going to discuss market behaviour referred to as the “constellation of […] Read more
Cattle prices turning lower
Market Talk with Jerry Klassen
I’ve been overwhelmed with calls over the past week as the recent issue of Canadian Cattlemen reached dinner tables and coffee shops. In the October issue, I hinted that the cattle market was turning over and would likely trend lower in the latter half of 2024. I always judge how successful my articles are by […] Read more
