CBOT March 2019 corn (in orange) and March 2019 soybeans (in green). (Barchart)

CBOT weekly outlook: Lack of USDA reports taking toll

CNS Canada — A lack of reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) because of the partial U.S. government shutdown is taking its toll on the Chicago Board of Trade. As of Wednesday, the partial shutdown of the U.S. government is in its 26th day and affecting USDA. One of the department’s key functions, […] Read more

A freight train at Manchac, La., about 75 km east of Baton Rouge. (CN.ca)

Oil on rail likely won’t interfere with grain movements

CNS Canada — When considering the pattern of how grain is shipped by rail in Canada, it’s very unlikely increased oil shipments would interfere, according to Quorum Corp. “That’s largely because the flow of grain is predominantly to the West Coast and Thunder Bay,” said Quorum president Mark Hemmes. About 80 per cent of Canadian […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Changes slight in Prairie market

CNS Canada — Prices for feed-grade barley, corn and wheat have shifted slightly over the last week in Western Canada: wheat and barley prices have weakened, while corn prices are on the rise. Allen Pirness of Market Place Commodities at Lethbridge said feed barley is currently in the mid-$250s range, per tonne. Last week, feed […] Read more

CBOT March 2019 soybeans, with 200-day moving average. (Barchart)

CBOT weekly outlook: Trade news having little effect

CNS Canada — Even though news out of Beijing regarding the trade talks between the U.S. and China were reported as ending on a positive note Wednesday morning, one broker watching the Chicago Board of Trade didn’t see it having much effect on commodities. “The only thing that would be a real positive announcement would […] Read more



MGEX March 2019 spring wheat (black) with K.C. March wheat (orange) and CBOT March wheat (green). (Barchart)

Prairie wheat bids fall with U.S. futures

CNS Canada — Wheat bids in Western Canada were mostly down for the week ended Friday with a weaker Canadian dollar and falling U.S. futures. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were down $1-$7, according to price quotes from a cross-section of delivery points compiled by PDQ (Price and […] Read more

Pacific Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in degrees Celsius for the week centred on Dec. 19. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

El Nino likely not responsible for warm, dry conditions

CNS Canada — The above-normal temperatures Western Canada has generally experienced since the fall weren’t necessarily caused by an El Nino. Rather, to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the phenomenon that’s likely affected the weather was a ‘blob’ that formed off of the coast of British Columbia. “It’s a big warm pocket of ocean water and […] Read more



Soybeans will be one of the crops relied on to provide increasing market demand for protein crops.

Protein presents opportunity for agriculture

The world’s agriculture market is being driven by protein – which Canada can produce with the best

Murad Al-Katib of AGT Food and Ingredients said Canadian agriculture is in a position to capitalize on the world’s increasing desire for protein. The president and chief executive officer of the Regina-based company was the keynote speaker at the Grain World conference in November. Why it matters: Consumers worldwide are turning to alternative protein sources […] Read more

(Jennifer Blair photo)

Hemp prices seen likely to stay consistent in 2019

CNS Canada — Canadian prices for hemp likely won’t change very much in 2019, according to Clarence Shwaluk of Fresh Hemp Foods in Winnipeg. Even the passage of the U.S. 2018 Farm Bill, which would legalize hemp in that country, shouldn’t have much of an impact on prices. The new bill is expected to be […] Read more