Reading Time: 3 minutes There's an emerging consensus in Manitoba that soybean acres in the province could soon stabilize at around 1.5 to 1.9 million.
Soybean acres may soon stabilize in Manitoba
Volatile yields, acres and weather have kept soy on a roller-coaster since 2017
Prairie forecast: Dry and mild west, seasonal east
Issued Feb. 14, covering Feb 14 to 21, 2024
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you haven’t noticed, it has been an unusual winter, and that unusualness is causing all sorts of headaches with weather forecasting. In particular, cloud cover. In the last forecast period, it looked as if high pressure would dominate the weather bringing plenty of clear skies along with more seasonable temperatures.
Klassen: Feeder market continues to climb
Canadian values appear to be one week behind the U.S. market
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending February 10, Western Canadian the market for yearlings over 800 pounds was $3/cwt to $6/cwt compared to a week earlier. Feeder cattle suited for grass and calves were up $8/cwt to as much as $25/cwt in some cases compared to the week prior. Quality steers averaging 600 pounds were readily trading in the range of $410-$425 up from the range of $380-$395 last week.
Prairie wheat weekly outlook: Prices down, especially for durum
Weaker Canadian dollar lends support, K.C., Chicago and Minneapolis wheat put pressure on prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Wheat prices across the Canadian Prairies pulled back during the week ended Feb. 8. While there were moderate declines in Canadian Western Red Spring Wheat and Canada Prairie Red Spring Wheat, there were sharper losses for Canadian Western Amber Durum.
Prairie forecast: Stormy start in the east, slightly cooler west
Issued Feb. 7, covering Feb. 7 to 14, 2024
Reading Time: 4 minutes You can’t say it has been a strange and interesting winter. First, we saw a wintery end to October, then fall moved back in for most of November and December before we finally saw a big old shot winter in mid-January. Now we have been dealing with spring like conditions over the last two weeks – what’s next? Well, it looks like winter is going to try and make a comeback.
Klassen: Canadian feeder market jumps on USDA data
The U.S. cattle herd reached lowest head count since 1950s, trade anticipates heifer retention
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending February 2, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were up $6/cwt to $12/cwt from seven days earlier. Certain pockets of Western Canada had grass cattle trading $12/cwt to as much as $20/cwt above the previous week.
Prairie forecast: A little more heat, then slow cool down
Issued Jan. 31, 2024. Covers Jan. 31 to Feb. 7
Reading Time: 4 minutes The big question for this forecast period is whether these mild temperatures will continue, or we see a return to more seasonable mid-winter temperatures? All I can say is that spring isn’t quite here yet.
Klassen: Positive fed outlook buoys feeder market
Market telling producers to own lighter cattle sooner rather than later
Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices for 800-pound plus cattle were $2/cwt to $4/cwt higher on average for the week ending January 27. Feeders in the 500-800-pound category were up $3/cwt to $6/cwt with higher quality groups up as much as $10/cwt in some cases. Feeders 500 pounds and lower were unchanged from seven days earlier.
Canadian potato output rises in 2023
Alberta vaults to first place in provincial potato production
Reading Time: 2 minutes At 32.063 million hundredweight of potatoes this year, Alberta vaulted from third to first place as it improved on the previous year’s crop of 26.813 million. Manitoba moved into second spot from third with its harvest of 29.760 million cwt. following last year’s 26.139 million. Prince Edward Island saw its output reduced in 2023 to 25.813 million cwt. from 27.789 million. In 2023, the trio combined for 68 per cent of Canada’s total potato harvest of 128,801 million cwt.
Prairie forecast: Warm weather returns
Issued Jan. 24, 2024, covering Jan. 24 to 31
Reading Time: 3 minutes For this forecast period, it looks like our weather pattern will undergo a shift back to the mild pattern we experienced at the beginning of the winter. It also looks like the warm weather will stick around for at least a couple of weeks. The million-dollar question is whether we will see another outbreak of cold arctic air, or will we see an early start to spring? Well, if I knew that answer to that, I would be rich, but I don’t think winter is over quite yet.
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
