(Dave Bedard photo)

Cost index up for CN, down for CP in grain revenue formula

CP expects lower labour costs, CN higher

Expected labour costs were the major difference in a new ruling on the index that determines how much revenue each of Canada’s big two railways get to keep in the coming crop year from hauling Prairie grain. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) on Thursday announced its decisions on the volume-related composite price index (VRCPI) for […] Read more

CBOT July 2021 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange, green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn mixed on continued liquidation, tight supply

Soybeans slide on profit-taking; wheat up as U.S. dryness expands

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures ended mixed on Thursday as traders took profits following a strong run-up in the market, while global supply concerns offered support. Soybeans slipped as soyoil stepped back from recent highs, while wheat ticked higher as dryness expands across the U.S. Great Plains. The most-active corn futures on the […] Read more


(IMNATURE/iStock/Getty Images)

Ontario’s RMP rolling out ‘later than usual’

Details pending, Agricorp says

Ontario farmers’ coverage under the provincial Risk Management Program (RMP) won’t be affected by ‘a bit later’ rollout this spring, the program’s handlers say. Agricorp, the province’s farm program delivery agency, reiterated in a statement Tuesday that the RMP “will be available in 2021 (and) program details will be shared with customers as soon as […] Read more

CBOT July 2021 corn with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, wheat, soybeans ease on profit-taking

Focus on weather as corn, soy stocks ebb

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn, wheat and soybean futures eased on Wednesday on profit-taking after climbing in earlier trading as traders assessed weather risks to crops in Brazil and the U.S. The most-active corn contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) lost 10-1/2 cents to $6.44 per bushel, while the nearby May contract […] Read more



CBOT July 2021 wheat with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, wheat, soy step back after reaching new eight-year highs

Wheat at highest since February 2013 after U.S. crop rating fall

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn, wheat and soybean futures ended Tuesday lower after extending a rally to eight-year highs, supported by corn supply worries as adverse weather cast early doubts over harvest prospects in top exporters Brazil and the United States. A sharp decline in weekly U.S. wheat crop ratings also kept the focus […] Read more


(Canest-transit.ca)

Feds to legislate end to Montreal port strike

Conservatives expected to support Liberals' back-to-work bill

A strike by longshore workers at the Port of Montreal faces federal back-to-work legislation billed Tuesday as the government’s “least desired course of action.” Labour Minister Filomena Tassi on Tuesday announced the introduction of Bill C-29, which “would end the work stoppage at the Port of Montreal and ensure the safe resumption and continuation of […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

StatsCan’s projected canola area on low side of expectations

Wheat acres expected lower, barley up

MarketsFarm — As the market grapples with new planting projections from Statistics Canada, one thing was abundantly clear to MarketsFarm Pro analyst Mike Jubinville: this canola forecast isn’t enough to rectify tight ending stocks. In StatsCan’s survey-based principal field crop areas report, released Tuesday, the federal agency pegged canola acres for 2021-22 at 21.53 million, […] Read more


(Kansas City Southern video screengrab via YouTube)

Rail shippers pick sides as CP, CN bid for Kansas City Southern

Richardson, Conagra among firms supporting both bids

Winnipeg | Reuters — North America’s freight rail customers, from grain shippers to logistics companies, are choosing sides as Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway fight to buy Kansas City Southern. A takeout of KCS would be the first major North American railroad combination in more than 20 years and create the first network […] Read more

CBOT July 2021 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn nears eight-year high on tight supplies

Wheat, soybeans at 2013 peak

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures climbed on Monday to their highest since June 2013 as concerns about South American supplies buoyed the market. Strength in corn pulled wheat and soybeans to eight-year highs. Chicago Board of Trade most-active July corn ended limit up at $6.57-1/2 per bushel (all figures US$). July soybeans gained […] Read more