AAFC made some small tweaks in its estimates for the 2022/23 wheat crop.  Photo: Greg Berg

AAFC tweaks some numbers as canola, pulses remain unchanged

MarketsFarm – While Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada made some changes in its October supply and demand estimates from September, the department didn’t make any alterations to its data for canola, pulses and special crops. The department released its report during the late afternoon of Oct. 21. Of the grains and oilseeds, AAFC’s most notable revisions […] Read more


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

(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Bids dip with U.S. futures

Loonie down 0.4 U.S. cent on the week

MarketsFarm — Spring wheat bids in Western Canada moved lower during the week ended Thursday, as losses in U.S. futures and a firmer tone in the Canadian dollar weighed on values. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were down $2-$4.50 per tonne during the week, according to price quotes […] 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

CBOT December 2022 soft red winter wheat (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (dark green line), 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, soy end higher but below session peaks

Weaker U.S. dollar supportive

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat, corn and soybean futures edged higher on Friday, recovering from overnight weakness on spillover support from friendly outside markets, traders said. “Equities went from lower to sharply higher, the dollar from higher to lower, and I think that spurred some buying in grains,” said Don Roose, president of U.S. […] 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



File photo of vessels on the Mississippi River south of New Orleans on Nov. 5, 2017. (Dave Bedard photo)

Shallow Mississippi River expected to persist as dry winter hits U.S. South

River levels at historic lows this fall

Reuters — Low water levels on the Mississippi River are likely to persist this winter as drier-than-normal weather is expected across the southern U.S. and Gulf Coast, U.S. government forecasters said on Thursday. Drought, which currently spans 59 per cent of the country, is expected to continue or worsen in the middle and lower Mississippi […] Read more

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

U.S. grains: Soy futures rally on strong exports

Chicago corn, wheat also firm

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose 1.4 per cent on Thursday as strong export data buoyed hopes that overseas buyers will book more deals in coming weeks. Corn and wheat futures also were firm, with short-covering and technical buying underpinning the market after prices for both commodities dropped near the low end of […] Read more