One year in to navigating a global pandemic, it’s clear that the economic health of consumers is ailing, but it’s difficult to measure by how much; and until COVID-19 passes, any economic recovery in Canada is strained. “It’s interesting, when we think back to a year ago, just before the pandemic really began to bear… Read More
It’s outlook week here at RealAgriculture, and we’re trying to spend the week looking forward, instead of back. We’ve been talking so much about 2020 – it’s time to talk about 2021. However, the key to 2021 really does play off of the year of 2020. Glen Hodgson of the C.D. Howe Institute joined RealAg… Read More
Profitable grain prices can make sticking to a planned crop rotation a little tougher if there’s a clear winner in the bunch, but many farmers are enjoying decent prices across the board for most crops right now. How long these strong prices last is the big unknown, and to unpack where we’re at and where… Read More
In the busyness of the everyday, it stands to reason that some risk management issues fall to the back of your mind. Currency risk is one of those that might seem so out of your control that it’s not worth the brain power, but understanding what direction the Canadian dollar is headed and how that… Read More
On today’s RealAg LIVE! our host Kara Oosterhuis is joined by Brian Voth of IntelliFarm Inc. out of Manitoba. They talk about canola, soybeans, wheat, pulses, and even get a bit into currencies! Don’t miss the LIVE! weekdays at 1 pm M/3 pm E on your favourite social media platform! SUMMARY Brian wears a snazzy… Read More
The November WASDE report from the United States Department of Agriculture led to some green on the screen on Tuesday as markets reacted positively to the news of higher corn exports and lower than predicted production. For U.S corn, production is pegged at 14.507 billion bushels, down 215 million from the last report, following a… Read More
The Bank of Canada has announced it will hold firm at a 0.25 per cent interest rate for now; and, given the commentary around the announcement, likely for some time. According to J.P. Gervais, chief economist with Farm Credit Canada, it’s not an unexpected outcome. “When you comb through the [Bank of Canada] statement, what… Read More
The Canadian dollar trended higher through the summer and has returned to the range that a lot of analysts thought it would hover around for the bulk of the year prior to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. While it’s declined slightly since the start of September, the loonie is back to trading around US$0.75… Read More
Many Canadian ag exporters may have wished that they had hedged the dollar a bit more. The Canadian dollar has climbed recently, making its way back to pre-COVID levels, around the US$0.755 mark. It’s hard to know what to expect for the second half of 2020. Jon Driedger of LeftField Commodity Research recently joined Shaun… Read More
Over the past month I’ve been asking commodity analysts and economists to speculate on whether we would see a $0.65 or $0.75 dollar first. All but one analyst replied — generally with great resolve — that $0.65 was the correct bet. That is not looking to be the case at at this point, as the… Read More
On Friday (March 27), the Bank of Canada initiated an emergency key rate cut of 50 bps to 0.25% in an attempt to defend the economy against the impacts of COVID-19. Additionally, the Bank of Canada will expand its balance sheet through purchases of Government of Canada securities to the tune of $5 billion per… Read More
For many of the commodity futures in meats and grains, it has been a very rough two weeks of panic selling in response to coronavirus economic impacts. The sell-off has not been isolated to agricultural commodities, as the equity market in the U.S. is now officially in a bear market and down 20% off of… Read More
Over the course of the summer, the U.S. Federal Reserve has cut interest rates twice, with the latest drop in its benchmark overnight lending rate taking it to a target range of 1.75% to 2%. Over the same timeframe, the Bank of Canada hasn’t touched interest rates, and the probability of seeing a cut this… Read More
Will pulse growers get a great gift of pea export movement in the new year? Will the Canadian dollar get back to tracking crude oil? Will soybeans have another tough year in Western Canada? Chuck Penner, of LeftField Commodity Research, joins RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney for a market melee full of holiday joy and… Read More
On Friday, the Canadian dollar rose nearly a cent relative to the U.S. dollar. The sudden ‘strength’ came from a couple of sources. First, more confidence that the Bank of Canada will continue the path gradual rate hikes; second, a weaker U.S. Dollar. Recent Canadian economic data warrants the Bank’s outlook for gradual rate increases…. Read More
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