Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures reached four-year highs on Thursday as continued dryness in South America’s crop areas raised supply concerns at a time of brisk Chinese demand. Corn and wheat hit their highest in more than one week on strong demand and supply concerns. The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans reach four-year high on global supply concerns
Corn, wheat rise to one-week highs

ICE weekly outlook: Canola stronger at midweek
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — ICE Futures canola contracts were stronger on Wednesday, making up losses incurred earlier in the week. The nearby January contract closed Wednesday at $545.80 per tonne, gaining over $10 since closing at $534.90 on Monday. Record-high temperatures in parts of the Prairies were part of the reason behind canola’s rally. However, temperatures are […] Read more

CBOT weekly outlook: Eyes on U.S. election, next supply and demand report
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — With no final results yet Wednesday in the U.S. presidential election, there has been very little, if any, effect on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), according to Allendale Inc. president Steve Georgy. “For the grain markets there hasn’t been a higher impact yet, but it is rather quiet,” he said from McHenry, […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures trim back on election uncertainty
Pork fundamentals still bearish on hogs
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live and feeder cattle futures fell on Tuesday in a round of profit-taking ahead of an uncertain U.S. presidential election, analysts said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange December live cattle futures settled 0.725 cent lower at 107.825 cents/lb., after rising in each the last five sessions (all figures US$). CME feeder cattle […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybean futures climb on export optimism
'No matter who's president, China still needs to feed their hog herd'
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures climbed on Tuesday on export optimism and a slower-than-expected U.S. harvest pace, traders said. Wheat firmed as traders monitored dryness in U.S. and Russian growing belts, while corn traded higher on continued hopes of China buying. The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) settled […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Canola’s top likely in for 2020
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The shine has officially come off the ICE Futures canola market, with prices dropping well below their multi-year highs during the last week of October. The most active January contract hit an overnight low of $514 per tonne on Wednesday, but managed to settle at $535.60. That compares with the contract high of […] Read more

Saskatchewan agriculture minister cruises to election win
NDP's ag critic trailing, with mail-in votes still to come
Reading Time: 2 minutes Another incumbent agriculture minister easily held his seat as Saskatchewan’s governing Saskatchewan Party scored another decisive majority in Monday’s provincial election. David Marit, MLA for the southwestern riding of Wood River since 2016, held his seat by a spread of 5,177 votes over the New Democrats’ challenger, teacher Roger Morgan, with 459 mail-in ballots remaining […] Read more

B.C. ag minister, critic expected to win re-election
NDP projected to form majority government
Reading Time: 2 minutes British Columbia’s incumbent agriculture minister and opposition ag critic both appear set to head back to the provincial legislature as the New Democrats are projected to end three years of tentative minority governing. John Horgan’s NDP, which in 2017 overturned a minority Liberal government with the help of the Green Party, was projected Saturday evening […] Read more

Trump’s payments to farmers hit all-time high ahead of election
Canadian growers seek level playing field
Reading Time: 4 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump is assuring a bumper year for farmers as the Nov. 3 election approaches, with record government subsidies projected to make up more than a third of farm income in 2020. The aid programs could be key to Trump’s chances of success in swing states such as Wisconsin, […] Read more

Rookie MLA named New Brunswick ag minister
Blaine Higgs' Tories sworn in as majority government
Reading Time: < 1 minute A politically-active retired New Brunswick schoolteacher is the province’s new minister for agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries. Premier Blaine Higgs, whose new Progressive Conservative cabinet was sworn in Tuesday in Fredericton, appointed Margaret Johnson, the newly elected MLA for the northwestern electoral district of Carleton-Victoria, to handle the ag and fisheries files. In last month’s provincial […] Read more