Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Canada is leaning on the United States to help settle a dispute with China, which has started to block imports of vital Canadian commodities amid a dispute over a detained Huawei executive. In a sign of increasing frustration at what it sees as a lacklustre U.S. response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s […] Read more
Fed-up Canada tells U.S. to help with China crisis or forget about favours
Bernie Sanders promises help for family farms
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — U.S. presidential contender Bernie Sanders unveiled a plan on Sunday to help family farmers and rural residents, promising to break up corporate agricultural monopolies and invest heavily in social and economic programs in struggling rural communities. Sanders, an independent U.S. senator and fierce corporate critic, said on a campaign trip to Iowa that […] Read more
Canada ‘playing chess’ on canola file
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Canola seed sales to China remain at a standstill with little fresh news to report, according to a Canola Council of Canada briefing to farmers held Friday morning together with federal International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr. However, efforts on a number of fronts are ongoing, as Canada works to resolve the issue. […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soy down fourth straight week on export worries, big supplies
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures eased on Friday for a sixth consecutive session, posting a fourth straight weekly drop as rain-delayed U.S. corn planting may fuel a shift to more soybean acres despite sluggish export demand from top importer China. Corn edged upward for a seventh straight day and notched its first weekly […] Read more
Uncertainty could bring changes to soybean acres
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — At this time soybean acres in Canada have been projected to be down this year for a few reasons — not only because of trade issues with China, but also due to back-to-back dry years and declining prices. Statistics Canada’s 2019-20 principal field crop acreage report, released April 24, estimated 5.65 million acres […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs mixed, nearbys up on export hopes
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures ended mixed on Thursday, with nearby futures contracts building on strong gains in the previous session on expectations that China would soon sharply accelerate imports of U.S. pork. Deferred contracts were pressed down by active spread trading that featured buying of June futures and selling of October […] Read more
U.S. grains: Weak export data drags soybeans to new lows
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures posted contract lows for a fourth straight session on Thursday after weak U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) export sales data and amid ongoing concerns that rain-delayed corn sowing would increase soy plantings. Corn was mixed as spillover pressure from lower soybeans offset support stemming from concerns about delayed […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Prices steady ahead of seeding
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Feed grain prices have firmed up ahead of seeding, and producers are quick to make room in feed bins ahead of seeding. “New-crop price is significantly lower than old-crop, so at some point they’re going to converge,” said Allen Pirness, senior trader with Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge. Statistics Canada’s crop intentions report, […] Read more
Label problem caused China’s suspension of two pork shippers
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg/Ottawa | Reuters — China’s suspension of two Canadian pork exporters’ permits was due to a labeling problem, Canada’s agriculture minister said, adding that she was hopeful of it being resolved. China’s action against two Canadian pork companies, announced by Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Wednesday, widened a diplomatic rift between the countries. On Thursday, […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Bearish funds keep canola pointed lower
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola prices fell to their lowest levels since 2014 during the week ended Wednesday, as bearish technical signals and a lack of progress on trade relations with China weighed on values. While a short-covering correction is possible, the underlying fundamentals also remain bearish. Speculators adding to their large net short positions […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
