(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle market experiences diverse price behaviour

Manitoba calves hold a premium over Sask., Alta.

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded steady to $2 higher while calf prices were unchanged to $4 lower. Yearling supplies are limited and there appeared to be a surge of buying interest for 850-lb. thin-fleshed replacements. Alberta fed cattle basis levels for the second quarter of 2023 have above average and the

Photo: File

Australia looking at record wheat, canola crops

Near-record winter crop output expected

MarketsFarm — Australia is forecast to harvest record-large wheat and canola crops in 2022-23, with improved crop prospects in many parts of the country more than offsetting losses in others. That analysis comes from the latest crop report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), released Tuesday. Total production of


CBOT January 2023 soybeans (candlesticks, right column) with 20-day moving average (yellow line) and CBOT January 2023 soybean meal (purple line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans firm on exports, meal strength

Chicago wheat hits fresh 13-month low

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybeans climbed on Tuesday, supported by fresh export sales and contract highs in soybean meal as weather concerns threaten Argentina’s crop, traders said. Wheat ended the session lower after trading near even much of the day, falling to fresh 13-month lows on strong global supplies. Corn followed wheat lower, despite

CME February 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle fall on wholesale beef weakness

Feeder cattle, February hogs also lower

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange slid on Tuesday, pressured by falling wholesale beef prices. “We had a really disappointing box beef value fall off to start the week yesterday, and a little follow through today,” said Matthew Wiegand, risk management consultant at FuturesOne. Most retailers have completed purchases


(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Speculative short position grows in canola

Managed money still net long in soybeans

MarketsFarm — Speculators in the ICE Futures canola were busy liquidating long positions and adding to the short side of the market during the last week of November. That’s caused the net short position to grow to its largest level in two months, according to the latest Commitments of Traders (CoT) report compiled by the

CBOT March 2023 soft red winter wheat with 50-day moving average, MGEX March 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. March 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat slides to 13-month low

Soybeans slip despite demand hopes

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat dropped on Monday, pressured by higher global supplies despite stronger-than-expected weekly U.S. exports, analysts said. Corn eased, pressured by lower wheat, though dry conditions in South America added support. Soybeans ended lower, underpinned by export demand and strong meal trade, though wheat weighed on the oilseed as well, traders


CME January 2023 feeder cattle (candlesticks, right column) with CBOT March 2023 corn (orange line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle firm as corn inputs slide

Live cattle climb higher in deferred months; February hogs also up

Chicago | Reuters — Feeder cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange firmed for the fifth consecutive session, as corn, a significant input for producers, continues to fall, traders said. “The feeders have sort of been hobbled for a long time because of the elevated feed price,” said Dennis Smith, livestock analyst and broker at

(Stoller Group video screengrab via YouTube)

Corteva to buy biological plant stimulant firm Stoller

Corteva paying US$1.2 billion cash

One of the majors in seed and crop protection is set to further expand its reach in the crop biologicals sector with a deal to buy the Stoller Group. Corteva Agriscience said Wednesday it had signed a “definitive agreement” to buy Houston-based Stoller in an all-cash acquisition worth US$1.2 billion (C$1.61 billion), which it expects


(Thinkstock photo)

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

Canadian dollar also down on week

MarketsFarm — Spring wheat bids in Western Canada moved lower during the week ended Thursday, as U.S. wheat futures posted losses — although softness in the Canadian dollar did provide some underlying support. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were down by $3.50-$6.40 per tonne across the Prairies, according

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

U.S. grains: Wheat plunges to three-month low on export competition

Corn also down on weak demand, soybeans rise after selloff

Winnipeg | Reuters — Chicago wheat extended losses on Friday to a fresh three-month low as modest weekly U.S. exports kept traders’ focus on competition from cheaper Black Sea supplies. Corn also fell, while soybeans rebounded, consolidating after a selloff in the previous session over disappointing U.S. biofuels levels. The most-active wheat contract on the