Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — Demand has shifted at Alberta feedlots this year with more forward contracting and less business taking place in the spot market, according to an analyst. “In a lot of years we’ve seen the demand has stayed in the spot market but this year there were more forward purchases that were done by […] Read more

Feed weekly outlook: Demand shifting at Alberta feedlots

Prairie feed barley softens as packers bid up cattle
Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada — Feed barley prices in the Lethbridge area are showing signs of softening as the February lull approaches and warmer weather moves into the province. According to Allan Pirness of Market Place Commodities, both feed barley and feed wheat prices are around the $220 per tonne mark, down a touch from the pre-Christmas […] Read more

BASF’s new Canadian stake to include three plants, 300 staff
Reading Time: 2 minutes Among the major players still in the world’s crop protection and seed business, remaining competitive comes at a cost. To be sure, several smaller companies remain in the game — but with marriages now consummated for Dow Chemical and DuPont, and for Syngenta and ChemChina, Bayer’s pending takeover of Monsanto and, now, BASF getting set […] Read more

Alberta, feds back Lethbridge potato processing plant
Reading Time: 2 minutes The federal and Alberta governments are set to cover over $22 million in costs related to the construction of Cavendish Farms’ new potato processing plant at Lethbridge. The two levels of government on Monday announced $20 million for the City of Lethbridge for related municipal infrastructure developments, through the federal/provincial Clean Water and Wastewater Fund […] Read more

Klassen: Lethbridge demand drives up yearling market
Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $5-$8 above week-ago levels. The first major yearling sales occurred in southern Alberta, which appeared to kick-start the buying momentum. Alberta fed cattle prices and wholesale beef values were under pressure; however, feedlot operators were extremely tenacious. Buyers capriciously worked orders throughout the week and by the Friday, quality […] Read more

Online livestock supply store expands reach west
Reading Time: 2 minutes An Ontario livestock nutrition firm’s venture into online retail for producers is expanding into the Prairie provinces with four pickup and ordering points in the region. Cambridge, Ont.-based GVF Group announced Thursday its Farmers Farmacy business, previously available only to producers in Ontario, the Maritime provinces and Quebec, now also serves Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. […] Read more

Irving’s potato arm plans new plant for Lethbridge
Reading Time: 2 minutes Cavendish Farms, the potato arm of J.D. Irving Ltd., is set to build a $350 million frozen potato processing plant at Lethbridge to double its local capacity and replace the old York Farms plant it owns there. Moncton-based Cavendish announced Monday it has picked up Lethbridge city hall’s approval to buy a new plant site […] Read more

Rising feed grain prices set to hit seasonal plateau
Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada –– Feed barley bids in Alberta have shown some strength over the past few weeks, but may be nearing their highs if seasonal price trends come into play. Barley in the key cattle feeding area of Lethbridge, Alta. is currently trading at about $170 per tonne, up by about $10 over the past […] Read more

Richardson cranking up canola crush, throughput at Lethbridge
Reading Time: 2 minutes Agrifood firm Richardson International plans to put up $120 million to dial up the processing capacity of its canola crushing plant in southern Alberta by over 55 per cent. Privately-held, Winnipeg-based Richardson said Wednesday the new upgrades at its Lethbridge plant are expected to boost its peak annual crush to over 700,000 tonnes of canola per year, […] Read more

Lethbridge feed barley’s spring rally muted
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — Lethbridge feed barley should be seeing its largest premium over fall and winter months, but so far this year the market’s spring rally has been limited. “This year all we’ve seen is a $5 to $10 per tonne move higher,” said Jim Beusekom, analyst at Market Place Commodities. “So it’s pretty minimal […] Read more