Reading Time: 2 minutes Dubai | Reuters — Agriculture and food ministers from the Group of 20 (G20) countries agreed at a virtual meeting on Tuesday that emergency measures to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus must not upend global food supply chains. Their extraordinary meeting came as coronavirus lockdowns across the world slow global food supply chains, […] Read more
G20 ag ministers say COVID-19 measures shouldn’t disrupt food supply
ICE weekly outlook: Loonie’s rally kept canola lower
CBOT soymeal, soyoil also drag on canola
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Canola prices dropped over the last week due to a combination of factors, according to David Derwin of PI Financial in Winnipeg. The Canadian dollar was one of those factors, as it had a small rally that pushed the loonie to almost 72 U.S. cents. That rally ended Wednesday, however, when the dollar […] Read more
Cattle producers press for lower price insurance premiums
WLPIP is needed, but unused because premiums too expensive, CCA says
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Western Livestock Price Insurance Program is not functioning properly due to very high premiums and needs to be quickly revamped, says the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “We’re having unprecedented volatility for markets. Having tools in place for farmers and ranchers has never been more important,” executive vice-president Dennis Laycraft said during a telephone town hall […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola market floating headline to headline
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The ICE Futures canola market moved lower during the week ended Wednesday, but activity was choppy as futures reacted to broad swings in global financial markets. While the looming growing season should be starting to garner some attention, the COVID-19 pandemic “has grabbed all of the headlines and all of the oxygen out […] Read more
U.S. livestock: April hogs limit down, cattle ease
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures on Monday sank by an expanded daily limit and cattle futures weakened on increased concerns that slaughterhouses will close due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Traders worry that shutdowns could back up supplies of livestock by removing markets for the animals. Canada’s largest hog producer, […] Read more
Burnett on Markets: Suddenly agriculture is important
COVID-19 is putting food security in the spotlight
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — A trend has developed in the business news channels over the past week that has not been hard to miss. Suddenly the CEOs of big agriculture and food concerns are being featured front and centre during the business segments. Usually these companies are noted only when they release quarterly results and even then […] Read more
Impacts on ag expected as COVID-19 rocks markets
Farmers urged to manage expenses
Reading Time: 4 minutes Stocks continuing to plunge during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic have left agricultural producers in Canada concerned about the potential impact. Thursday marked the biggest drop in Canadian stocks in 80 years, highlighted by many economists warning the country is on the brink of recession. Beyond growing fears of COVID-19’s economic impact, oil and gas stocks […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn, soy drop to six-month lows
Wider markets sell-off continues
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures fell to six-month lows on Thursday as another rout on Wall Street underscored uncertainty about economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic as well as demand for agricultural commodities, analysts said. Wheat futures followed the weak trend. Chicago Board of Trade May corn settled down 8-3/4 cents […] Read more
Fraser: What will be the long-term impact of COVID-19?
Analysis: A pandemic runs the risk of driving nations further apart
Reading Time: 2 minutes As developments around the COVID-19 coronavirus change rapidly, I can’t help but speculate on the longer-term effects of it. By now, much has been made of the economic impact it — alongside the Saudi Arabia-Russia oil trade war — will have on global economies. While it’s guesswork to estimate the total impact without knowing how […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soy, corn follow as global markets slump
Wheat turns higher
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures fell more than two per cent on Monday and corn fell nearly one per cent as concern over the economic fallout from the coronavirus and a crash in crude oil prices pushed equities and other commodities sharply lower. Wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade turned higher, […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
