grain prices Archives - Page 3 of 4

Cargill posts net profit on special gains; revenue down

By GFM Network News August 10, 2016

Reuters — Global commodity trader Cargill on Wednesday said it turned in a quarterly net profit, boosted by special gains that offset poor results from trading and oilseed processing. Revenue for the privately held company declined for the eighth straight quarter. Minnesota-based Cargill reported net income of $15 million for the fourth quarter ended May […] Read more

Livestock, Markets

Lower feed costs weigh on supply-managed goods

By GFM Network News June 10, 2016

CNS Canada –– Relatively soft feed grain prices over the past year mean producers of supply-managed commodities, such as milk and eggs, have also received lower prices for their products. Such is the interpretation of industry participants accounting for declines in the latest Farm Price Index data released by Statistics Canada. The livestock and animal […] Read more

Columns

Who’s selling the grain here?

This farm couple asks for another opinion about who should be marketing their grain

By Brian Wittal March 18, 2016

During the winter conference season I had several conversations with farmers over coffee and lunches. One farm couple brought me into their discussion around who should be marketing grain on their farm: the “farmer” husband or the “bookkeeping” wife? This couple has been married and farming for 15 plus years, with a couple of kids. […] Read more

Columns, Crops

Watch those pricing signs

Grade and protein spreads change during the year. Take advantage of change to increase your profits

By Brian Wittal February 9, 2016

My last column talked about futures spreads, and how you understand what’s happening in the marketplace by watching how and why spreads change over time. Now, a look at more pricing signals: grade and protein spreads. During the era of the Canadian Wheat Board, grade and protein spreads changed very little throughout the marketing year. The CWB, […] Read more

Cereals, Columns

Understanding today’s wheat basis

It’s not always simple to calculate the true basis these days. Here’s an example

By Brian Wittal April 23, 2015

In my previous article I was remiss in detailing the fact that there are costs for freight, elevation and handling that must be accounted for within the wheat basis that the grain companies post. To clarify a few things I am going to do a complete calculation of price, costs and basis levels starting with […] Read more

Cereals, Features

Ten things to know about grain contracts

Cheryl Mayer explains 10 steps to better understanding and profiting from your grain contracts

By Leeann Minogue February 20, 2015

In a 2013 study, Jared Carlberg, a professor at the University of Manitoba, found that only 17 per cent of farmers read their entire grain contracts. This matters. How can we know whether or not we’re getting a good deal if we don’t know the details in the documents we’re signing? At a session at […] Read more

General, Markets, Reuters

Cargill profit surges as lower grain prices spur demand

By GFM Network News January 8, 2015

Reuters — Replenished grain supplies following a bumper North American harvest bolstered global commodities trader Cargill’s bottom line in its latest quarter as lower prices lifted demand for crops and padded margins on meat sales. Privately-held Cargill, based in Minnesota, reported net earnings of $784 million for the second quarter ended Nov. 30, up 41 […] Read more

Crops, Markets

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans and wheat up on spillover from soymeal

By Michael Hirtzer, GFM Network News October 29, 2014

Chicago / Reuters – U.S. soymeal surged 7 per cent on Wednesday, increasing this week’s gains to the largest in six years as a slow start to a record soybean harvest coupled with slow traffic on the nation’s railroads forced crushing plants to cover short cash positions in the futures market. Soybeans jumped nearly 3 per cent and corn […] Read more

Cereals, Columns, Marketing

Changing times, yet again for grain prices

With risks of global change and bad  harvest weather, farmers can take action 

By Brian Wittal October 20, 2014

Over the past month a number of things have happened that are going to impact world grain prices. Reports from the Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture are saying that due to conflicts they expect that at least 15 per cent of the crops in Eastern regions will be lost because they have not been tended to […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner

Markets will soften heading into summer

By Jerry Klassen May 13, 2014

Fed and feeder cattle prices have been percolating higher throughout the winter and early spring. Lower-than-anticipated beef production along with steady consumer demand drove fed cattle prices to record highs in Canada and the U.S. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $145/cwt to $146/cwt in early spring, which is approximately $12/cwt above […] Read more

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

U.S. grains: Corn sets contract lows on expectations for big US crop

U.S. livestock: Cattle strength continues

GFM Network News