File photo of cattle in an Alberta feedlot. (Geralyn Wichers photo)

Klassen: Feeder market falters at record highs

Risk premiums in market seen eroding

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2 to as much as $8 lower on average. Calf markets were relatively unchanged to $10 lower. There was moderate demand for top quality grass yearlings but plainer types experienced softer buying interest. Pre-conditioned calves held value but unweaned bawlers appear to set back $5-$10. Seasonally, […] Read more

File photo of Lake Winnipeg at Grand Beach Provincial Park. (IanChrisGraham/iStock/Getty Images)

Prairie Forecast Update: Wet weather for southern Manitoba, southeastern Saskatchewan

Update issued Oct. 2, covering Oct. 2-4

The strong area of low pressure that the weather models have been forecasting to impact the eastern half of the Prairies on Tuesday and Wednesday is starting to take shape. The latest model runs show the low pushing northward into western Manitoba early on Tuesday morning and then moving off toward northwestern Ontario by late […] Read more


CBOT December 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago wheat up off three-year low after steep sell-off

CBOT corn rises, soybeans flat as Brazil plantings race forward

Reuters — Chicago wheat futures rebounded on Monday on what one analyst characterized as “bottom-picking” after prices dropped more than six per cent to three-year lows on Friday. Corn followed wheat higher, but soybeans prices remained low after news reports of Brazilian farmers planting at a rapid clip. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) late […] Read more

CME December 2023 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs extend selloff on supply view

Cattle futures book gains

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell sharply for the second day in a row, hitting a four-month low as traders adjusted their expectations for prices to reflect the U.S. government’s bigger-than-expected supply view. “We simply don’t need the sow base we currently have or need lower prices to clear the […] Read more


File photo of ducks on a farm at Gironde in southwestern France. (Esperanza33/iStock/Getty Images)

Canada puts temporary ban on France’s poultry, eggs

CFIA move to 'manage the risk' from bird flu vaccination plan

Imports of live birds and unprocessed poultry and eggs from France are barred from Canada effective Sunday (Oct. 1), pending a risk assessment of France’s duck vaccination program for avian flu. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced the temporary ban Tuesday, following France’s move to require mandatory vaccination against highly pathogenic avian flu (HPAI) […] Read more

(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Fund net short position grows in canola

Net long in CBOT soybeans seen declining

MarketsFarm — The managed money net short position in the ICE Futures canola market more than doubled during the week ended Tuesday on a combination of long liquidation and new bearish bets going on the books, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). As of Sept. […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. wheat, barley production increases in 2023

MarketsFarm — The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued its small grains 2023 summary on Friday, showing a 10 per cent increase in all wheat production in 2023 of 1.81 billion bushels. While oat production dipped one per cent at 57 million bushels, barley output rose six per cent at 185 million. U.S. wheat in 2023 […] Read more


CBOT December 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20-day moving average, MGEX December 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. December 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago wheat hits three-year low

Soybeans, corn drop after U.S. grain data

Reuters — Chicago wheat futures cratered more than six per cent on Friday, hitting a three-year low after U.S. government data pegged wheat production above analysts’ expectations. Soybean futures also closed sharply lower on larger-than-forecast domestic stockpiles, and the drop in both commodities dragged down corn prices. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated the […] Read more

CME December 2023 lean hogs with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs limit down on USDA report

Chicago cattle also end lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures tumbled by the daily trading limit on Friday under pressure from stronger-than-expected productivity in U.S. herds, analysts said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in a quarterly report issued after trading ended on Thursday, surprised analysts by reporting the average pigs saved per litter reached 11.61 […] Read more