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

U.S. grains: USDA cuts soy, corn crop outlooks, trims demand

Large Russian wheat supplies temper war worries

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures jumped to a two-week high on Wednesday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unexpectedly cut its U.S. harvest forecast and raised imports by top soy buyer China in a monthly report. Soybean price gains were held in check, however, by expectations for large South American crops that […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Stronger barley prices limit upside for feeder cattle complex

Feedlot operators make barley purchases, price feeder cattle accordingly

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2 higher to as much as $5 lower. A softer tone was noted on yearlings in the eastern Prairie regions. Calf prices were steady to $4 lower on average compared to seven days earlier. Quality yearling packages fresh off grass held value but backgrounded heavier replacements […] Read more


CBOT December 2022 soft red winter wheat (candlesticks) with 20-, and 50-day moving averages (green and black lines), MGEX December 2022 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. December 2022 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat, corn slip ahead of key crop forecasts

Corn, soy consolidate as U.S. crop data watched

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures fell back on Tuesday, after jumping to a three-month high a day earlier, as signs of escalation in the war between Russia and Ukraine continued to raise concerns about the viability of Black Sea grain trade in the coming months. Corn futures slipped, and soybeans firmed, as investors […] Read more

Photo: Getty Images

U.S. grains: U.S. soybean, corn, wheat futures bounce after sell-off

Chicago | Reuters – U.S. soybean futures rose on Friday, with bargain buying in focus after prices fell to their lowest since late July a day earlier, traders said. Corn futures also ended firm after posting sharp declines on Thursday. All three commodities traded in both positive and negative territory, with concerns about tightening world supplies providing […] Read more


New biologicals on the market

New biologicals on the market

A roundup of inoculants, biostimulants, pre-plant soil biofumigants and more coming your way

[UPDATED: Oct. 26, 2022] Several new biological products are on the market or shortly will be. New inoculants, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, biostimulants and pre-plant soil biofumigants, among others, are a few products headed your way. Companies offering new biologicals are claiming these products increase root mass development and structure, enhance root and plant growth, improve plant […] 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


In August 2021, the Classen family used the water in their reservoir to backflood the tile drainage system to save some of their soybean crop, which was wilting and under extreme stress. They saw big results within 24 hours.

Take a ‘deliberate’ approach to water management

Backflood irrigation combined with tile drainage supported some of Joel Classen’s soybean yields through one of the driest summers on record

To prepare for future drought, Prairie farmers could consider using large ponds with controlled drainage structures and tile drainage for a “much more deliberate water management approach,” says David Lobb, a professor of soil science at the University of Manitoba.  “It’s possible to hold water back and use it when we need it in a […] Read more

CBOT December 2022 soft red winter wheat (candlesticks) with MGEX December 2022 hard red spring wheat (green open/high/low/close) and K.C. December 2022 hard red winter wheat (orange O/H/L/C). (Barchart)

CBOT weekly outlook: Tightening stocks underpin U.S. wheat, corn

USDA's soybean data seen as bearish

MarketsFarm — Tighter-than-expected quarterly wheat and corn stocks in last Friday’s report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture provided the biggest influence on the futures markets over the past week, with larger soybean stocks putting some nearby pressure on that market. Corn stocks in the U.S., as of Sept. 1, came in at 1.377 billion […] Read more


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

U.S. grains: Soy sags on recession fears, firm dollar

Corn inches higher, wheat down on day

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures ended down about one per cent on Wednesday on macroeconomic worries as the dollar bounced and brokers awaited more information on the size of the U.S. harvest, analysts said. Wheat futures closed lower after a choppy session but corn eked out a higher close as traders awaited fresh […] Read more

Photo: Canada Beef Inc.

Klassen: Demand fears cause feeder cattle market volatility

Barley values continue upward

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $4 higher to as much as $6 lower. Strength was noted in the eastern Prairie regions while the market was softer in Alberta. Western Canadian calves were extremely volatile, trading $5 higher to as much as $10 lower in some cases. It’s not uncommon for markets […] Read more