Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Federation of Agriculture has appointed Aaron Stein its new executive director. He'll be leading the formulation of a five year strategic plan for the group.
Stein appointed to manage AFA
Newly-hired executive director will lead formulation of strategic plan
Prairie forecast: Cold high pressure to dominate
Forecast issued February 12, covering Feb. 12 to 19, 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes Unfortunately, it looks like the cold weather will stick around for at least this forecast period. Maybe a little bit longer. There are some signs of this pattern breaking down near the end of the month, so let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Klassen: Feeder market stalls; cold temperatures, tariff threat limit sales
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending February 8, the Western Canadian feeder cattle market was hard to define. Prices were softer earlier in the week but were creeping higher by Friday.
Prairie forecast: Midwinter cold settles in
Forecast issued February 5, covering Feb. 5 to Feb. 12, 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes We start this forecast period off with plenty of cold air in place, which is a 180-degree change from a week ago. Saskatchewan and Manitoba will also have to deal with a disturbance on Wednesday and Thursday that may bring upwards of 15 cm of fluffy snow.
Klassen: Western Canadian feeder markets set fresh high amid tariff threat
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending February 1, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded steady to $8 per hundredweight higher compared to seven days earlier. In some cases, larger packages of quality genetics were up as much $15/cwt from the prior week.
Prairie forecast: Weekend low to bring snow to swaths of the Prairies
Forecast issued January 29, covering Jan. 29 to Feb. 5, 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes We start this forecast period off with plenty of warm air in place across much of the Prairies. We continue to see areas of low pressure dropping southeastward from the western territories into northwestern Ontario with high pressure still in place across the northwestern U.S. and southwestern Canada.
Klassen: Western Canadian feeder market holds value on Ontario demand
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending January 25, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $$3-$6/cwt on either side of unchanged compared to seven days earlier. Higher quality genetics and lower flesh replacements were slightly firmer; however, feedlot operators incorporated the appropriate discounts on fleshier types and lower efficiency, smaller frame animals.
Klassen: Increased feeder cattle selling caps upside momentum
Reading Time: 2 minutes There was a surge in farmer selling across Western Canada last week. Sales volumes were larger than normal at many auction barns. The fear that President Trump would implement a tariff on feeder cattle ignited fears that that market would drop sharply.
Prairie forecast: Mild start replaced by Arctic high pressure
Forecast issued January 15, covering Jan. 15 to 22, 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes We start this forecast period with an area of low-pressure sliding southeastwards through the southern Northwest Territories and into northern Manitoba. This low is pulling mild air northwards, which means a continuation of mild temperatures in Alberta, while Saskatchewan and Manitoba are seeing a rapid rebound from the cold start to the week.
Klassen: Demand surges for beef, live cattle and feeder cattle
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending January 11, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were up $15-$20/cwt compared to the week ending December 21, 2024. In eastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, quality packages of steers 800 pounds and over traded $20/cwt to $25/cwt higher compared to three weeks earlier.
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
