(Country Guide file photo)

Currency analysts watch for interest rate decision

CNS Canada — The likelihood of the Bank of Canada cutting interest rates on Wednesday is already priced into the loonie, according to one analyst — but if the bank instead decides to hold rates steady, the beleaguered currency could move higher. The Canadian dollar was trading around US69 cents (US$1=C$1.45) near midday Tuesday, which […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola stuck in sideways range

CNS Canada –– ICE Futures Canada canola contracts posted small losses during the week ended Wednesday, but remained rangebound overall. That sideways activity is expected to continue over the next month or so, as large supplies and increased farmer selling, on the one side, is countered by solid end-user demand and the weaker Canadian dollar. […] Read more



Keep your eyes on the dollar

Keep your eyes on the dollar

Prairie farmers should care about the current state of world currencies in the world market

The past two years have seen some major political and economic shifts around the world. The Russia/Ukraine standoff in the Crimean region resulted in economic embargoes and sanctions against Russia. This threw a major kink into trade in that region, causing serious economic hardships. It caused internal inflationary pressures to build, devaluing the Russian ruble […] Read more



(Bruce Fritz photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Lower loonie to boost U.S. demand for sunflowers

CNS Canada — Manitoba sunflowers are looking better than they have in recent years, despite minor pest pressure, in one agronomist’s view — and a lower Canadian dollar could be useful for producers looking to sell. Sunflower prices aren’t seeing a lot of movement right now, but demand is good — and with a lower […] Read more



Crude oil price has little impact on cattle market

Crude oil price has little impact on cattle market

A review of the numbers fails to show any correlation between the two

Over the past month, I’ve received many inquiries from cattle producers in regards to the relationship between crude oil prices and the cattle market in Western Canada. Cattle prices have remained near historical highs while crude oil values have dropped by nearly 60 per cent since the summer of 2014. Often we are confident that […] Read more


All crops not equal in face of weakening dollar

CNS Canada –– With the Canadian dollar falling to its weakest levels relative to its U.S. counterpart in six years, the general sentiment holds it should be good news for exporters, such as Canadian grain farmers. However, any net benefit may depend on what exactly is being exported and who is doing the buying, according […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola spikes as loonie falls

CNS Canada — ICE Futures Canada canola contracts finished higher for the week ended Wednesday, tracking the U.S. soy complex for much of the period but ultimately shooting higher due to the Canadian dollar’s sudden free-fall. The weaker currency helped improve domestic crush margins and also made canola more attractive to exporters pricing in U.S. […] Read more