Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $3-$5/cwt lower on average although limited numbers made the market hard to define. Calf markets traded $4-$8/cwt on either side of unchanged. It appeared that 700-plus-lb. calves were up $4 to as much as $8. The variation in the price structure was due to the adverse […] Read more
Klassen: Buyers contemplate feeder market prices
In adverse weather, sale results vary
Prairie cash wheat: Weaker U.S. values pull down Canadian prices
Lower export sales drag on U.S. wheat
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Wheat prices across the Canadian Prairies fell back during the week ended Nov. 2, with losses in Canada Western Red Spring and Canada Prairie Spring Red wheats, while those for Canada Western Amber Durum were mostly lower. The U.S. wheat complex lost ground during the week, due in part to lacklustre export sales. […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Prices to continue slipping back
Feedlots covered for now
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Feed prices are set continue grinding lower for the balance of 2023, “as domestic end users are covered,” according to Jim Beusekom, president of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge. Beusekom pointed to the amount of contracted corn being imported from the United States as well as better-than-expected yields across the Prairies this harvest. […] Read more
Prairie Forecast: Nice, quiet early-winter weather
Issued Nov. 1, covering Nov. 1 to 8
Reading Time: 3 minutes Interesting weather pattern setting up across the Prairies during this forecast period. Well, maybe “interesting” isn’t the right word; “boring” might be a better one. What I mean by “interesting” is just how quickly we swung from a warm fall pattern to a cool winter pattern. Low temperatures across the Prairies over the last week […] Read more
Long-range outlook points to warmer winter
Odds less likely for Prairies next three months
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Warmer than normal temperatures are expected across nearly all of Canada this winter, with average precipitation for most of the agricultural areas of the Prairies. The latest long-range seasonal forecast from Environment Canada, released Tuesday, calls for a 40 per cent chance of above-normal temperatures from November through January across most of Alberta, […] Read more
Klassen: Canadian feeder market holds value despite weaker futures
Weaker loonie offers support
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices traded $3-$5 lower while calf values were relatively unchanged. The market was slightly softer early in the week. On Wednesday, Alberta packers renewed fed cattle bids similar to week-ago levels and the aggressive buying lifted calf prices back up to levels similar to seven days earlier. Adverse […] Read more
Prairie Forecast Update: Warmer air not in the cards
Issued Oct. 29, covering Oct. 29 to Nov. 1
Reading Time: < 1 minute The forecast for this period has been playing out pretty close to what the weather models were predicting, but with a few small differences. For Alberta, the forecasted upper ridge does not look like it will get nearly as strong as originally forecasted as a strong northwesterly flow helps to flatten the ridge. This means […] Read more
Prairie cash wheat: Bids book week of losses
U.S. wheat futures down on week
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Western Canadian wheat bids took a tumble with durum prices having the largest losses during the week ended Oct. 26. U.S. wheat futures were pressured throughout the week as rains fell on winter wheat-growing areas in the country, as well as in Argentina, Ukraine and Australia. Export sales for U.S. wheat were lower […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Grains see flat demand, price movement
A clearer picture of new-crop corn availability may provide direction
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Recent demand for feed grains from feedlots has been in a standstill, according to Erin Harakal, trade manager for Agfinity Inc. at Stony Plain, Alta. “It’s been flat, probably since the end of September. We haven’t seen any big changes when it comes to demand or prices,” she said. “From what we’ve been […] Read more
Prairie Forecast: Arctic high slowly moving out
Issued Oct. 25, covering Oct. 25 to Nov. 1
Reading Time: 3 minutes As is often the case at this time of the year, the weather models got the general picture right, but the finer details were much to be desired. Usually, the models struggle with the forecast beyond two to five days out, but for much of this forecast period they struggled with the finer details on […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
