It’s sometimes known as the gap season in cattle markets — that slow time of year between the early spring and fall-winter sales runs. But there are decent profits producers can pick up now, said Rick Wright of Heartland Order Buying. “Cattle are actually bringing a profit and the buyers are a bit reluctant to

‘Gap’ season more active than normal for cattle sales
Poor pasture conditions cause an early-fall calf run prediction

Early harvest pressures Prairie barley prices
CNS Canada — Barley prices in Western Canada are falling as an early harvest is weighing on values. “Prices have moderated here,” said Allen Pirness of Market Place Commodities Ltd. Lethbridge, Alta. The surprise rally from last week ended as quickly as it began. Prices which started last week at about C$250 per tonne were

Southern Alberta crops struggle, but rest of province near five-year index
[UPDATED: Aug. 10, 2018]* CNS Canada — Farmers in Alberta have just started harvest, but early yield reports are showing reductions in southern areas. Dryland crops in southern Alberta are projected to come in at 74.6 per cent of the five-year index, according to Alberta’s Agriculture Financial Services Corp. Daniel Graham, manager of business risk

Dry weather not a problem for malt barley crop, so far
CNS Canada – The prairie malting barley crop is faring reasonable well in the hot, dry weather, but crop watchers will have a better idea of protein content in a couple weeks. “We’ve yet to see what this crop is. I think we’re a little early yet. Indications are that it could be a little

Feed barley defies expectations as prices rally
CNS Canada – Feed barley prices have no business being where they are, based on supply-demand fundamentals, but that hasn’t quelled the rally. With prices for old crop sitting a premium over new crop, most in the industry expected old crop would gradually decline over summer and the two would eventually converge. But dry weather

Few cattle are on offer to soak up increases in prices
Market watchers haven’t yet seen a ‘wall of cattle’ arrive
With few cattle moving through the system it’s tough to get a real test on prices, but Mike Nernberg of Winnipeg Livestock Sales said small numbers were moving in Alberta. With 50 yearlings sold earlier this week, the count was too small to provide a solid indication of prices, but 900-lb. heifers sold around the

Ontario, Manitoba corn crops need rain
CNS Canada — Corn development in key growing areas of Ontario and Manitoba remains highly variable as the crop nears its yield-determining phase. “The pollination stage is the critical part of the corn-growing period and I would say probably within the next three weeks we will know what yield is going to look like,” said

Prairie hay crops look thin in many areas
CNS Canada — Many farmers taking off their first hay cuts are also gathering more talking points to grumble over at coffee row. While many producers are still working to get the first cut done and the situation could change with the second cut, many regions are already reporting below-average yields. “In areas of the

Feed weekly outlook: Barley exports could signal market strength
CNS Canada — Jeff Nielsen, a director with Alberta Barley, expected barley exports to make a strong showing. Numbers recently posted by the Canadian Grain Commission confirmed the good news he had been waiting for. “We kind of had an inkling they were going to be good and high and yeah, it just reaffirms it.

Chinese demand boosting Canadian wheat, barley exports
CNS Canada — China is making major moves to import more Canadian wheat and barley this year. Data released by the Canadian Grain Commission show China more than tripled its wheat imports, taking in 979,100 tonnes as of May, up from 295,300 tonnes in the same period of 2016-17 and an increase of 231.6 per