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U.S. livestock: Supply concerns drive CME live cattle to new contract high

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed higher and reached a new contract high on Wednesday amid concerns about tightening U.S. supplies, brokers said. Strong recent gains have left the market technically overbought and due for a setback, brokers said. “We’ve had a nice rally here,” said Matt Wiegand, commodity broker […] Read more


Corn west of Mitchell, Man. on Oct. 17, 2018. (Dave Bedard photo)

Feed weekly outlook: Corn imports pressure grain prices in Lethbridge

MarketsFarm — With harvesting operations winding down, high-delivered bids for feed barley and wheat in Alberta are higher compared to the same time last month and last year. However, there is still some volatility in feed grain prices, according to one Lethbridge-based trader. “I think most (of the increase) was (due to) demand, but as […] Read more

ICE November 2022 canola (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, green and black lines). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola’s wide crush margins supportive

MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts backed away from nearby highs during the week ended Wednesday, but historically wide crush margins should keep the market well supported going forward. “The crush margins are unsustainably high,” said Ken Ball of PI Financial in Winnipeg, pointing to margins that currently work out to over $200 per tonne […] Read more


Markets adjusting to barley, corn production estimates

Markets adjusting to barley, corn production estimates

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

The western Canadian yearling market rallied $8-$10/cwt throughout August. While yearling prices were percolating higher, barley prices in Western Canada were grinding lower. Farmers started harvesting barley in southern Alberta during the third week of August and progress will accelerate across the Prairies through September. Most feedlots had their feed grain requirements covered with U.S. […] Read more

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

U.S. grains: Soy, wheat, corn fall as export concerns rise

Low depths on Mississippi hinder export traffic

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures fell to a 2-1/2 month low on Thursday, under pressure from the ongoing U.S. harvest and signs of weak overseas demand, traders said. Poor export demand also weighed on the corn and wheat markets as investors remained wary of an economic downturn. “The grain and […] Read more


Barley. (Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Barley values steady, wheat rises

MarketsFarm — As the harvest across most of the Prairies begins to wind down, price movement for feed barley has remained fairly stable, according to Erin Harakal, senior trader for Agfinity at Stony Plain, Alta. “October is getting covered is what’s happening. There’s not too much room left for October,” Harakal said, noting the midway […] Read more

(Keshin/iStock/Getty Images)

Quinoa production improves in 2022-23

Yields swing closer to average level

MarketsFarm — Compared to last year, Canada’s 2022-23 quinoa harvest has significantly improved, with yields exceeding expectations, according to Michael Dutcheshen of Saskatoon-based NorQuin. “Last year was a tough year for Canadian farmers for all crops, with quinoa no exception. This year is looking a lot more positive. We seem to have missed the hot […] Read more


ICE November 2022 canola (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, purple and black lines). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Rising canola prices hit a one-day thud

"There's a day where we need to take a pause"

MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola rose like Icarus over the past few weeks, but just like that Greek mythological figure, it flew too high, only to come back down to Earth. After the November canola contract rose in seven of its last eight sessions — in the middle of harvest, no less — and gained […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Prairie barley market still strong

Availability of trucks remains an issue

MarketsFarm — The feed barley market remains strong despite the influx of freshly harvested supplies, with little competition from other feed sources. “The markets have been coming up steadily, with what feels like no harvest pressure,” said Suzanne Leclerc, owner of Market Master Ltd. in Edmonton. “People were hoping the market would get lower and […] Read more