(Dave Bedard photo)

Firm, steady flax prices seen in the cards

CNS Canada — Farmers with flax in the ground should be pleased come autumn. Statistics Canada revised its seeded acreage estimate downward in late June and that, combined with lower carryout stocks and several other factors, should bring strong prices. “Given the demand in the market from China, the United States and potentially even the […] Read more

The early corn planted in Ontario is up and growing. World supplies of corn are tight.

Calmer U.S.-China relations have helped stabilize commodities markets

We are now in a weather market, especially for corn with quite tight stocks

Grain and oilseed markets have been digesting a calmer tone between Washington and Beijing regarding tariffs. Quick look: Soybeans: Widening futures spreads and strengthening Canadian dollar will likely bring down Ontario soybean basis levels. Corn: Tight supplies mean corn prices are sensitive to weather, but funds show they expect the tightest supply to happen next […] Read more





(Video screengrab from CBSA-asfc.gc.ca)

Canada taking U.S. to WTO in complaint over trade remedies

Geneva | Reuters — Canada has launched a wide-ranging trade dispute against the United States, challenging Washington’s use of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties, Canada said in a WTO filing dated Dec. 20 and published on Wednesday. Canada appeared to be mounting a case on behalf of the rest of the world, since it cited almost […] Read more

U.S. President Donald Trump celebrates after signing a pair of documents meant to promote rural internet access, after his remarks to the American Farm Bureau Federation convention in Nashville on Jan. 8. Photo: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

Better trade deals coming for U.S. farmers, Trump says

In a 40-minute speech to the United States’ biggest farm organization, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke about free trade for 49 seconds. In 120 words Trump told the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting Monday in Nashville he was working to get U.S. farmers better trade deals. “To level the playing field for our great […] Read more



(Cia.gov)

China delays deadline for implementing food import rules

Beijing | Reuters — China plans to delay a deadline for implementing new food import regulations by two years until October 2019, a senior EU official said on Tuesday, following a lobbying effort by Europe and the U.S. amid concerns about disruption to trade. The extension comes just days before the new rules, which are […] Read more

(WTO.org)

WTO panel set up on China-U.S. row on grain import quotas

Geneva | Reuters — A World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute panel was set up Friday to rule on a U.S. complaint over Chinese import quotas on farm goods including wheat, rice and corn, a trade official said. The panel on tariff rate quotas (TRQs) for agricultural products was automatically established as it was the second […] Read more