Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures fell for the fifth day in a row on Thursday, with the front-month contract hitting its lowest since March 2 on a continuous basis. The hog market was under pressure from long liquidation by investment funds, traders said. Cattle futures were mixed, with live cattle edging […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs hit lowest in more than six months
Cash market bearish on cattle futures
Some U.S. ethanol producers cut production to sell natural gas for profit
Reading Time: 2 minutes New York | Reuters — Sky-high U.S. natural gas prices have prompted some Midwestern ethanol producers to reduce processing in the last week, hoping instead to sell off some of their natural gas to take advantage of current high spot prices caused by the spike in cold weather, industry sources said. Ethanol margins in the […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: How long can canola remain well supported?
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Despite recent declines in canola prices, the Canadian oilseed remains very well supported, according to Errol Anderson of Market Place Communications in Calgary. The question he posed, though, was for how long can this last? “The market is incredibly well supported because of the lack of deliveries and that the crushers are still […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn tops US$5 for first time since 2014
'Water deficit' in Argentina draws interest
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean and corn futures climbed to fresh 6-1/2 year highs on Wednesday, as worries about dry weather hurting Argentine crops attracted speculative buyers, analysts said. Wheat futures fell on a lack of fresh supportive news and an upturn in the dollar, which tends to make U.S. grains less competitive globally. […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market searching for direction
Feedlots expecting barley prices to drop
Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices continue to trade in a sideways pattern. Compared to last week, prices were quoted $2-$3 on either side of unchanged. Most auction barns were on holidays last week and arenas that did hold sales experienced limited volumes. Therefore, the market was hard to define. U.S. feeder cattle markets were steady […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market experiences mixed tone
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle sold $2 higher to as much as $4 lower. Larger groups of uniform cattle once again carried a premium but the bulk of feeders were small packages of various quality. Buyers were more aggressive on the 700- to 850-lb. weight categories as they target the fed cattle […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market grinds lower
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady to $4 lower on average. Small packages were available and buyers were picking away with subdued interest. There were some “green” strings of yearlings in Alberta and Saskatchewan which were well bid; however, most cattle were characterized by medium to smaller frames. Some of […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle limit up on beef demand, strong packer margins
Cash hog prices up, pork cutout down
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures settled up their expanded daily limit on Tuesday as traders continued to react to soaring profit margins for beef packers that should lift prices in the cash cattle market this week. Retail demand for meat has surged as fears of the COVID-19 coronavirus prompt consumers to stock […] Read more
As meat demand rises, processors raise pay for farmers, workers
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters –– North American meat processors said on Monday they would pay extra money to farmers and slaughterhouse workers as the companies scramble to meet surging demand from consumers unnerved by the spread of the new coronavirus. Companies such as Tyson Foods and Cargill want to ensure their slaughterhouses remain supplied with cattle […] Read more
U.S. biofuel group says ethanol industry sharply cutting production
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Many U.S. ethanol plants have slashed production over the past week or idled entirely as the coronavirus outbreak cut into fuel consumption and cratered margins to refine the corn-based fuel, the head of a biofuel trade group said on Thursday. Renewable Fuels Association CEO Geoff Cooper said on a conference call he expects […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
