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

Nate Horner, shown here speaking Oct. 4, 2022 at Southland Trailers at Lethbridge, was named Oct. 21 as Alberta’s minister of agriculture and irrigation. (Alberta government video screengrab via YouTube)

Alberta reorganizes ag portfolio for returning minister

Horner to handle agriculture and irrigation file

Both Alberta and Quebec have re-upped with their incumbent agriculture ministers in cabinet shuffles this week — but incoming Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s shuffle will also streamline that province’s ag portfolio. Chosen by Alberta’s governing United Conservatives (UCP) on Oct. 6 to replace outgoing premier Jason Kenney, Smith on Friday announced Kenney’s incumbent minister of […] Read more


CME December 2022 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures rise on robust beef, pork demand

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog and cattle futures rose on Friday, with strong consumer demand for pork and beef pushing prices higher, traders said. Live cattle received a boost from concerns about tight supplies. “The big thing on the cattle is that the beef market seasonally found some really good strength,” said […] Read more

While feedlot placements are up in the U.S. the opposite is happening in Western Canada
with feedlot placements dropping sharply below year-ago levels through the summer period.

Cattle market digesting many variables

Large Prairie barley crop in 2022, but big shipments of feed to China

As of the third week of September, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis in the range of $180-$183/cwt delivered. Alberta finished cattle prices were rather flat throughout September. For March and April of 2023, feedlot operators have been able to forward-contract fed cattle on a dressed basis at $345/cwt delivered which […] Read more


CME October 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures extend gains

Chicago hog futures weak

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade live cattle contracts rose on Thursday, touching a fresh seven-year high, with tight supplies boosting cash market prices and lending support to futures. Hog futures eased after rising in five of the previous six sessions, but losses were kept in check by signs of good consumer demand. […] Read more

How to reinvent your farm life as you age

How to reinvent your farm life as you age

Mind Switch could be a good place to start

Harvest is in full swing on our farm, and I am not there — for a few days. Where is it written you cannot leave the farm during harvest? (Answer: on almost every page of the unpublished book, The Culture of Agriculture.) If you are one of the 2,800 folks who have stumbled upon “Finding […] Read more


CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures rise on cash market strength

November feeder cattle also end higher

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade hog and cattle futures rose on Wednesday, following gains made in the cash market earlier this week, traders said. CME December lean hog futures gained 0.9 cent to settle at 87.375 cents/lb. (all figures US$). The contract faced technical resistance at the high end of its 20-day […] Read more

Backgrounding feeding programs are often tailor-made to each beef
producer’s situation. The rate of gain can be achieved over short-45 day,
medium-90 day and longer-kept 120-day feeding programs.

Pencil out the economics of backgrounding

Working through a "what-if" scenario helps in deciding whether to feed

As most of the leaves have fallen, many spring calves are being weaned. It’s also when many beef producers determine whether their weaned calves are immediately sold or held for further feeding. Regardless of the final choice, backgrounding calves takes a bit of homework and should pay off with increased revenue if the goals, the […] Read more


CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 40-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures hit over seven-year high

CME lean hogs also close higher

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts rose on Tuesday and the front-month contract hit its highest in more than seven years on strength in the cash market, traders said. Hog futures were also firm, with chart-based buying after contracts broke through key technical resistance points on Monday. CME December lean hog […] Read more

File photo of cattle on feed near Champion, Alta., about 75 km north of Lethbridge. (James_Gabbert/iStock/Getty Images)

Klassen: Uncertain fed cattle market weighs on feeder cattle

U.S. feeder demand seen relatively sluggish

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearlings (900 lbs. and over) appeared to trade $6-$8 lower on average; yearlings weighing 800-900 lbs. off grass were unchanged. Backgrounded yearlings were also $6-$8 lower. Mid-weight calves were unchanged but calves under 600 lbs. were $3 to as much as $10 lower in some cases. Feedlot operators pulled […] Read more