Reading Time: 2 minutes French fry sales are down across North America as tens of thousands of restaurants have closed during COVID-19, meaning the potato industry has to adapt quickly. Companies that turn potatoes into french fries, wedges and hash browns are slowing down, because there isn’t enough space to store all the frozen product. In Alberta and Manitoba, […] Read more
Plummeting french fry sales have potato growers re-evaluating
Restaurant closures slash demand, though 'chip sales have been great'
Livestock auction marts to decide on next steps
Livestock Marketing Association of Canada pondering next move in face of pandemic
Reading Time: < 1 minute You may want to call first to see if it’s open, but many auction marts in Alberta were still having sales on Tuesday morning. The Livestock Marketing Association of Canada has a conference call set for this evening to discuss COVID-19 safety measures for staff, customers and buyers, said Chance Martin, an LMAC director and […] Read more
More pain in store for Canadian marijuana companies
Aurora Cannabis, Tilray cut jobs
Reading Time: 2 minutes Toronto | Reuters — Investors are bracing for more job cuts and writedowns at Canadian cannabis producers before the industry stabilizes and becomes profitable, after two of the biggest weed companies, Aurora Cannabis and Tilray announced cost reductions this week. Canada legalized recreational cannabis in October 2018 but profits have proven elusive for most marijuana […] Read more
Machinery costs driving up fixed farming expenses
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Fixed costs on farms continue to rise year-over-year, a statistic largely attributed to increasing land values and interest rates. At the beginning of 2019, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) reported farmland values across Canada increased by an average of 6.6 per cent during the previous year. But that’s not the main driver of fixed […] Read more
Klassen: Fed cattle market underpins feeder cattle prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis at an average price of $275 delivered, which equates to $165 on a live basis. Fed cattle prices are now at 52-week highs and feeding margins are in the range of $50 to $70 per head. Strength in the cash fed cattle market was supportive […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybean futures set two-week high
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose for a fifth straight session to their highest in two weeks as Chinese importers on Monday bought at least five bulk cargo shipments of the oilseed from the United States, or about 300,000 tonnes, traders said. A rally to four-week highs in soyoil futures helped support the […] Read more
Input Capital to consider company sale, merger, cannabis
Reading Time: 2 minutes Possible options including a sale, merger or moving into the cannabis business are now on the table for “commodity streaming” canola firm Input Capital Corp. Regina-based Input, which trades publicly on the TSX Venture Exchange, announced Wednesday its board has launched a “comprehensive review of strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value.” The review, which will […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans rise as China buys more U.S. shipments
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose for a second straight session on Tuesday as Chinese importers booked U.S. shipments in the second wave of purchases since striking a trade war truce with Washington earlier this month. Corn also firmed as traders anticipated import purchases by China as part of the detente, which included […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans sag as China sale fails to impress
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures fell to a one-week low on Thursday as confirmation of a 1.13 million-tonne U.S. soybean sale to China failed to impress traders who are shifting their focus to burdensome U.S. and global supplies, analysts said. Wheat futures rose, almost hitting a two-month top, supported by signs of rising […] Read more
U.S. confirms China soybean purchase, but no clarity over more sales
Reading Time: 3 minutes Chicago/Washington | Reuters — U.S. government officials on Thursday hailed China’s first meager purchase of U.S. soybeans since its trade war with the United States began in July and said they hoped for, but could not guarantee, more to come. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced private sales of 1.13 million tonnes of U.S. […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
