Nearby oat futures contract posted a new historical high of $5.33 per bushel on Feb. 26. This exceeded the previous high of $4.58 in July 2008. Referencing the March 2014 oat futures contract in Chicago, this rally began from a contract low of $3 per bushel on Oct. 2, 2013, the same day a harami […]

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade spot soybean futures climbed to a six-month high on Friday as traders adjusted positions ahead of a monthly U.S. government report that is expected to show tighter U.S. soy stockpiles and smaller South American crops. Wheat futures hit a three-month top on follow-through technical buying after strong […]

Canada’s big two railways expect to be able to meet the federal government’s new mandatory requirements for Prairie grain movement — but warn it will take further commitments all along the supply chain. Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway responded Friday to Transport Minister Lisa Raitt’s order-in-council, which immediately sets out minimum volumes […]

Bacteria and yeast processor Lallemand is expanding its reach in the crop care market in a “collaboration” with seed and crop input firm BrettYoung. Montreal-based Lallemand, whose specialty business including ag-related products is headquartered in France, announced Thursday it will buy the intellectual property rights and “associated assets” for BrettYoung’s biological products portfolio, including its […]

The federal government has imposed an immediate schedule of increasing mandatory minimum volumes of Prairie grain on Canada’s big two railways, subject to fines. Transport Minister Lisa Raitt on Friday announced an order-in-council, effective immediately, which sets out minimum volumes of grain that Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) are each required to […]

CNS Canada — Container truck drivers at Port Metro Vancouver, Canada’s largest port, reached a tentative agreement on Thursday, avoiding a strike by 400 members of Unifor-Vancouver Container Truckers’ Association (VCTA). The drivers had been set to join 1,200 non-unionized truckers, represented by the United Truckers Association, who have already been taking job action since […]

Canadian Pacific Railway’s CEO has warned readers of Canada’s two national newspapers that adding more rail cars and locomotives now on CP track would serve only to worsen the grain backlog on the Prairies. Writing in full-page CP advertisements in Thursday’s Globe and Mail and National Post, Hunter Harrison said adding more cars to a […]

CNS Canada — Container truck drivers at the Port of Vancouver could walk off the job as early as noon Thursday, according to reports. The Vancouver Container Truckers’ Association (VCTA), which represents 400 drivers, issued a 72-hour strike notice on Monday after a 100 per cent vote in favour of taking action. More than 1,000 […]

BMO Bank of Montreal plans to offer Prairie farmers a “relief program” including options for loan payment deferrals and other breaks in view of the ongoing grain handling backlog. “We want to provide immediate support to any grain producers and other related businesses that may be experiencing cash flow disruptions as a result of the […]

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn prices rose to a six-month high on Thursday as stronger-than-expected weekly U.S. export sales data underscored renewed demand for the grain, traders said. Soybeans rose more than one per cent on continued export demand for tightening U.S. supplies and ahead of a monthly U.S. government crop […]