(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Markets facing uncertainty

MarketsFarm — Feed grain markets in Western Canada are facing some uncertainty amid tight domestic supplies and reports of transportation issues bringing up corn from the United States. “It’s very strange,” said Susanne Leclerc of MarketMaster Ltd. in Alberta. “You see stories like that (reporting on feedlots running low on grain), then you talk to […] Read more

A Russian army service member fires a howitzer during drills at the Kuzminsky range in Russia’s southern Rostov region on Jan. 26, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Sergey Pivovarov)

CBOT weekly outlook: Potential for conflict, interest rate hikes affects prices

MarketsFarm — The ongoing standoff between Russia and the West over Ukraine, along with speculation regarding key interest rates from the U.S. Federal Reserve, were two major factors on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) during the week ended Wednesday. The potential for a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine had caused a sharp hike in […] Read more


History tells us that when U.S. inflation exceeds six per cent, this is usually the onset of a recession.

Interest rates and inflation

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

Economic headlines over the past year have been dominated by interest rates, inflation, real earnings and consumer spending. For cattle producers, most of the information doesn’t appear to be relevant for day-to-day operations. However, longer-term, these factors have a large effect on the bottom line for the cattle operation. It’s prudent that cattle producers realize […] Read more




CBOT March 2022 oats (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, brown and dark green lines). (Barchart)

Oat prices, acres to rise in 2022, analyst says

MarketsFarm — An independent crop market analyst told Saskatchewan oat growers he is bullish for the crop in 2022. Brennan Turner, founder and former CEO of online crop marketing platforms FarmLead and Combyne Ag, delivered a presentation at the Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission’s (SaskOats) annual general meeting in Saskatoon on Wednesday. Turner, a Foam Lake […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Alberta bids see slight gains

MarketsFarm — Alberta feedlots are only buying feed barley and wheat on a hand-to-mouth basis as demand remains unchanged, according to a local trader. “A lot of the feedlots we work with are buying what they needed and getting covered,” said Agfinity Inc. senior trader Erin Harakal from Stony Plain, Alta. High-delivered bids are $12.93 […] Read more

File photo of a chickpea crop in India. (Nikhil Patil/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Chickpea prices reverse direction

Markets correcting lower, buyer says

MarketsFarm — The chickpea market in Western Canada is undergoing a correction, according to the manager of a pulse buying and processing company in Saskatchewan. With the exception of Desi chickpeas, all varieties of the pulse have seen prices go down two to five cents per pound over the past month, according to Prairie Ag […] Read more


ICE March 2022 canola (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola strength shows no signs of fading

MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts started the new year on a firm footing, with little sign that the ongoing strength will end anytime soon. “Is canola expensive? Yes, but everything is expensive,” said analyst Mike Jubinville of MarketsFarm. While canola may look overpriced by some metrics, he noted the high prices were necessary to […] Read more