While many of the acreage decisions are already made, recent trade turmoil and tariff threats will absolutely factor in to both commodity prices and cropping figures, says Brian Comeault, co-founder of new market analyst firm Ireland Comeault Lafoy (ICL). Farmers — and their advisors — are grappling with a near-constant barrage of trade unknowns, including both… Read More
Category: Economy & Financial Markets
In this episode of The Truth About Ag, co-hosts Kristjan Hebert and Evan Shout sit down with Lisa Ashton, agriculture policy lead on RBC’s Climate Action Institute Team, to dive into the big questions shaping Canadian agriculture. Ashton shares insights from RBC’s latest reports, including the Food First Report, breaking down why RBC is investing… Read More
How do farmers factor in the whirlwind of tariff news that continues to swirl around them as they attempt to navigate commodity markets? Jody Lawrence, founder of Strategic Trading Advisors, compares the situation to “a Rubik’s cube that’s fighting back.” Joining the Tuesday edition of RealAg Radio, he says tariffs are a real wild card…. Read More
The Trump administration has forged ahead with implementing 25 per cent tariffs Canadian exports as of March 4, sending markets lower and triggering a previously-announced response from the Canadian government. “Canada will not let this unjustified decision go unanswered,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a statement late March 3. As announced prior to an… Read More
There’s been no avoiding the talk of tariffs in the weeks leading up to the inauguration of President Trump and his subsequent pledge to implement 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico on February 1st. New data from RealAgristudies confirms and quantifies the level of concern in Canada’s agriculture sector. The results are based… Read More
Lagging productivity, the diving Canadian dollar, precarious U.S. trade, and volatile global news all make the list of the top nine trends impacting agriculture in 2025. Also on the list, says Aaron Goertzen, senior economist with BMO, are increased input costs, high crop carryover, lower interest rates, and a more loose labour market. Each of these… Read More
Initial market reaction to an incoming Donald Trump presidency has been positive for most financial markets, however commodity market moves haven’t been as decisively upward as the market digests several unanswered questions. Neil Townsend, market analyst with Grainfox, says the very early reaction on Wednesday trended a little negative, even, and that’s not likely a… Read More
The USDA will roll out its latest production report this coming Monday, and farmers and analysts alike are hoping it provokes some market action to the upside. Scott Shelladay, host of The Cow Guy on RFD-TV, says that next week’s report will be crucial to grain market moves, markets that have been weathering news of… Read More
A report by Capstone Partners outlines what it will take for widespread farm profitability to return to North American agriculture and how long it may take. Those hoping for a quick reversal of the downward market and profitability trend are likely to be disappointed, as some estimates puts a return to much better financial times… Read More
As expected by a majority of analysts, the Bank of Canada lowered the overnight rate by twenty-five basis points. It’s the first rate cut in four years. For farmers with floating or variable rate loans, this will be welcome news. “With further and more sustained evidence underlying inflation is easing, monetary policy no longer needs… Read More