Reading Time: 2 minutes The 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance initiative, funded through the AgriRecovery framework by the federal and provincial governments, offers payments of up to $150 per head to livestock producers who have 15 or more animals per type of livestock, and have altered usual grazing practices for more than 21 days due to drought.
Alberta expands livestock drought recovery supports
Only a narrow band of the province remains exempt from the aid program
Canadian potato output rises in 2023
Alberta vaults to first place in provincial potato production
Reading Time: 2 minutes At 32.063 million hundredweight of potatoes this year, Alberta vaulted from third to first place as it improved on the previous year’s crop of 26.813 million. Manitoba moved into second spot from third with its harvest of 29.760 million cwt. following last year’s 26.139 million. Prince Edward Island saw its output reduced in 2023 to 25.813 million cwt. from 27.789 million. In 2023, the trio combined for 68 per cent of Canada’s total potato harvest of 128,801 million cwt.
Prairie forecast: Warm weather returns
Issued Jan. 24, 2024, covering Jan. 24 to 31
Reading Time: 3 minutes For this forecast period, it looks like our weather pattern will undergo a shift back to the mild pattern we experienced at the beginning of the winter. It also looks like the warm weather will stick around for at least a couple of weeks. The million-dollar question is whether we will see another outbreak of cold arctic air, or will we see an early start to spring? Well, if I knew that answer to that, I would be rich, but I don’t think winter is over quite yet.
Klassen: Feeder market holds value despite negative margins
U.S. demand limited with colder temperatures in Midwest
Reading Time: 2 minutes Calf markets appeared to trade $2 to $3 above week-ago levels on average. Feedlot margins on current pen close-outs are negative $300 to $350 per head but replacement markets haven’t missed a beat. Finishing feedlots were once again bidding aggressively on backgrounded cattle with fleshier types experiencing limited slippage. Larger pen sized groups were on the higher end of the priced spectrum with buyers avoiding smaller packages.
Prairie forecast: More typical mid-winter weather
Issued Jan. 17, covering Jan. 17 to 24
Reading Time: 3 minutes For this forecast period it looks like it'll simply be winter--not bone chilling cold, but not springtime warm. The general pattern that appears to be developing across the prairies is showing warm air trying to push northeastwards out of the western U.S., but with a northwesterly flow across the prairies, it looks like there will be a parade of cold, arctic high-pressure systems dropping southeastwards every few of days. The question is, just how far north will the warm air push, or for far south will the arctic air push?
Western Canada’s dry winter heralds worsening drought for 2024
Oil and gas, hydro, forestry, sports affected alongside agriculture
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canada's abnormally dry winter is worsening drought conditions across the western provinces, where most of the country's oil, gas, forest products and grain are produced.
Klassen: Yearling return to the lineup on strong demand
Frigid temperatures result in limited volumes
Reading Time: 2 minutes The market hasn’t missed a beat and started the year where it left in December. The only difference is there are larger supplies of yearlings coming on stream. The benchmark levels had backgrounded steers averaging 1,000 pounds trading from $280-$285/cwt with top bids rounding at $290/cwt. Steers averaging 850-pounds were averaging $300/cwt with top-notch larger groups peaking at $305.
Feed grain weekly outlook: More U.S. corn deliveries to feedlots
Frigid temperatures unlikely to disrupt grain deliveries, analyst says
Reading Time: 2 minutes The New Year still hasn’t whetted the appetite for corn from the United States to Alberta feedlots.
Prairie forecast: Frigid temperatures moving in
Issued Jan. 10, 2024, covering Jan 10 to 17
Reading Time: 3 minutes Coldest temperatures look to be over the western prairies but there looks to be some relief from the really cold temperatures early next week. With cold arctic high pressure dominating, little in the way of snow is expected during this forecast period.
Klassen: Cattle producers anxious about 2024
No sales the first week of 2024 as markets assess inventory, plan strategy
Reading Time: 2 minutes The holiday break for the cattle market is analogous to an the intermission between periods of hockey game. Feedlot operators assess inventory and to focus on the market structure. They’re planning their purchase strategy for the next couple months.
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
