Grain markets sold off this past week as the USDA came out with a surprisingly bearish report of world agricultural supply and demand estimates. Instead of the roughly 166 bushel per acre US corn yield that market was expecting, the USDA came out with 169.5. That’s just a 1.2 bushel drop from the previous estimate… Read more »
Category: Markets
August USDA report makes analysts shake their heads
The condition of the United States corn and soybean crop drives much of the sentiment on agricultural commodities. The weather stress of 2017 has created much discussion among farmers and analysts that the U.S. crop will be lower than trend line yield. Apparently the USDA does not agree with farmers or market analysts. The USDA… Read more »
Dynamic soybean demand keeps this incoherent market afloat
When crops reach record high acreages on both sides of the border the market should respond negatively to higher supply levels. Increased supply has to be supported with increased demand and that has been definitely the story in soybeans. Even though the November soybean futures contract (can be seen below) is off earlier highs farmers… Read more »
Knowing your numbers — This Week in the Grain Markets
Grain markets this week saw a significant sell-off as better growing conditions are helping improve crop prospects. Soybeans had a terrible week, down 5.35%. Chicago wheat wasn’t that far behind, down 5.3%. Oats fell 2.5%. Corn and canola were both down 1.9%. This despite the Canadian Dollar also falling 1.8% from its high last week…. Read more »
How did you celebrate wheat and barley marketing freedom day?
Farmers across Western Canada celebrated on Tuesday as it was the fifth anniversary of farmers gaining marketing freedom for wheat and barley, formerly known as ‘board grains’. On August 1, 2012 farmers were given control of marketing their own farm production. Wheat and barley no longer had to be sold through the Canadian Wheat Board’s… Read more »
Japan to increase tariff on frozen beef imports from Canada and the United States to 50%
Starting August 1, 2017, Japan has triggered a safeguard to increase the tariff on its frozen beef imports from countries that it does not have a free trade agreement with. Increasing the tariff on frozen beef imports from 38.5% to 50% will impact Canada and the United States and not Australia, Chile and Mexico who… Read more »
Wrapping up July — This Week in the Grain Market
Grain prices this week pulled back on some benign weather and profit-taking by funds. ere able to gain a bit on not enough rains falling on key areas in North America. Chicago wheat was the biggest loser, down more than 3.5% for the week. Oats fell 2.3% while corn dropped 1.2% since last Friday. Soybeans… Read more »
RealAg Markets: Second day of red all over the screen
The markets continued their strong bearish tone as grains and oilseeds pushed lower across the board for the second day in a row on Tuesday. On Monday, one excuse was that Friday’s bearish cattle on feed report sparked a push to sell. Expected rains in the U.S. midwest later this week have certainly driven some… Read more »
No positive surprises in July U.S. Cattle on Feed report
If you were looking for the the July 1 USDA cattle on feed report to shock the market to the higher side, it did not deliver. Overall, cattle on feed in the United States were up 4 percent compared to a year ago, with heifers and heifer calves on feed up 11 percent compared to… Read more »
Weathering the weather — This Week in the Grain Market
We’re heading into the apex of summer weather (and the volatility that can come with it). It’s corn pollination and soybean pod-setting season, while combines are starting to run on the earliest seeded pulses and cereals in the U.S. and even parts of Canada. More than anything, the market is mostly trading rain clouds and… Read more »
Nilsson Bros. to buy back Lakeside feed yard from JBS
JBS has announced a deal to sell Lakeside Feeders at Brooks, Alberta back to its previous owner, Nilsson Bros. JBS Food Canada Inc, the Canadian subsidiary of the scandal-plagued Brazilian meat industry giant, announced on Friday that it has an agreement to sell its 75,000 head feed yard and adjacent farmland to MCF Holdings, a… Read more »
Cooling off? — This Week in the Grain Market
Grain prices over the first two weeks of July are still swinging a bit wildly as the market is trying to price in the recent heat. Scorching temperatures hit most of North America before the USDA came out with their July WASDE report on July 12th, 2017. The report was met with some bearish skepticism,… Read more »
Canadian food prices still dropping, while spending is up
Food prices in Canadian stores have declined for nine consecutive months, dating back to last September, as measured by Statistics Canada’s Consumer Price Index. While the rate of depreciation has slowed since January, Kevin Grier, market analyst and author of the Grocery Trade Review, explains there are two main factors putting downward pressure on the… Read more »
Wheat School: Late nitrogen pumps up protein and profits
Surging wheat markets mean there’s plenty of profit potential in high protein wheat, and Peter Johnson has some tips to help you cash in on those premiums. In this episode of RealAgriculture Wheat School, Johnson, our resident agronomist and shameless wheat promoter, shares protein management insights for growers in Western Canada and spring wheat growers… Read more »
Halftime analysis in the grain markets
As we turn the calendar into July, we’re taking a look back at the markets over the last six months. We’ll also offer our expectations for the balance of 2017. In our 2017 Grain Markets Forecast (posted in January), we made several timestamped projections. You can review them here at your convenience. The U.S. Federal… Read more »