Guest Editorial: Strike while the iron’s hot 

Guest Editorial: Strike while the iron’s hot 

There’s a stereotype that everyone, at some point, realizes they’ve become their parent. For me this year, as I pulled out the old canning skills to help beat back the grocery bill, it was more like temporarily becoming one of my grandparents.  It makes sense since, much more like grandma’s day than in the last

Opinion: Drought, war, inflation and consumer disconnect

Would the public support farm and food programs if they knew the farm income numbers?

By almost any measure, 2022 has been a tough year for most. Inflation, war, the growing consequences of climate change and then widening political divide are just a few of the compounding woes we continue to deal with. In the middle of this chaos, however, U.S. farmers received remarkably good news. According to estimates released


Photo: Canada Beef

Klassen: Steady demand underpins feeder cattle complex

Compared to last week, Alberta yearling markets traded $2-$4 on either side of unchanged; however, 800-pound-plus cattle in Manitoba and Saskatchewan appeared to trade $4-$6 higher. Yearling prices across the Prairies are now relatively even with no freight discounts from major southern Alberta markets. Calf markets are becoming more defined with larger volumes on offer.

“If we want certain outcomes to change in the food system, we have to make sure that the incentives and programs are designed to make that transition possible so that we don’t just have a winner- take-all scenario.” – Michael Mikulak, Food and Beverage Manitoba.

Industry ponders stalled grocery code

Canada’s Grocery Code of Conduct is overdue, and local industry is skeptical about its progress

The organization representing food and beverage companies in the province says it is not confident that a national grocery code of conduct will meet its deadline this November. Michael Mikulak, executive director of Food and Beverage Manitoba, said the code has already missed two deadlines since development started in summer 2021. “What sort of bubbled


The Bank of Canada continues to raise interest rates in an effort to stamp out inflation.

Understanding risk exposure key to managing rising interest rates

The Bank of Canada is still signalling that more rate hikes are coming

Farmers need to thoroughly understand their risk exposure as they view the Bank of Canada’s latest interest rate hike, says Farm Credit Canada (FCC) economist J.P. Gervais. The Bank of Canada on Sept. 7 announced a 75-basis-point increase in its key rate, bringing it to 3.25 per cent. It followed a 100-basis-point increase in July and was the

As consumers, we should expect more rebates, discounted products and loss leaders. It’s easier to offer deals when market conditions are more stable.

Opinion: Food inflation seems to be concluding

More stability and predictability are leading to a slower inflation rate

Statistics Canada is reminding Canadians every month how painful their trips to the grocery store have been recently. The retail inflation rate is still at an astonishing 9.9 per cent, its highest point since 1981. In fact, our food inflation rate has exceeded the general rate since December of last year, which is why food


Consumers can expect higher beef prices into 2023 and 2024, market watchers say.

Shrinking U.S. cattle herd signals more pain from high beef prices

Consumers won’t be seeing any relief at the till due to long production cycle

Reuters – U.S. consumers grappling with soaring inflation face more pain from high beef prices as ranchers reduce their cattle herds due to drought and lofty feed costs. Those decisions will tighten livestock supplies for years, economists said. The decline in cattle numbers, combined with stiff costs for other production expenses, illustrate why a recent reduction in grain prices

CBOT November 2022 soybeans (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago grains firm on yield uncertainty ahead of USDA report

Grains also underpinned by U.S. dollar fall after inflation data

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat and soybean futures closed higher on Thursday as a weaker U.S. dollar lent support to dollar-priced commodities and traders squared up their positions ahead of a key government report. Meanwhile, corn futures firmed, supported by concerns about hot and dry weather stressing the U.S. Midwest crop through its final



Consumers are trading down, and grocers know it.

Comment: Light at the end of inflation tunnel?

Food inflation in Canada may have already peaked

Statistics Canada hasn’t had a lot of good news for Canadian consumers. The agency put food inflation rate in the country at 8.8 per cent in June, which is still higher than the general inflation rate. Everyone is affected by higher food prices. Americans recently learned that food inflation at the grocery store was 12.4