The Christmas holidays are almost upon us and while Christmas markets may be busy with shoppers looking for the perfect gift in the coming weeks, the cattle markets have started to slow down in the U.S., as a lot of the buying has been done for the season. Now that we have hit December it's... Read More
Category: Markets
The grain market doldrums aren't a demand problem, but a production problem — but that production success is cold comfort for farmers looking for a bump in crop prices to reward those extra bushels, says Jody Lawrence, founder of Strategic Trading Advisors. Farmers are and should be very proud of the great work they've done... Read More
Canola futures rallied on Thursday after Statistics Canada reported a smaller-than-expected estimate for 2024 production. In its final crop estimates for the year, published Dec. 5, the agency pegged the canola crop at 17.8 million tonnes — down 7 per cent from 2023, but more significantly, well below the average pre-report trade estimate of around... Read More
Alberta-based grain buyer Agfinity Inc. formally declared bankruptcy this week, owing more than $5.06 million to 181 creditors, according to bankruptcy filings released Nov. 26. Farmers' concerns about not getting paid for grain that was sold and picked up by the company started surfacing on social media and elsewhere in early 2024. Agfinity's operations, headquartered... Read More
Wheat is a unique crop, in that it is grown and consumed in every arable region of the world. But all that production and demand also means wheat is one of the most competitive commodities to grow and most challenging to gauge market direction. Darren Padget, past chair of U.S. Wheat Associates, says that all... Read More
The demise of global trade as politicians push protectionist policies is overstated, says the head of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Exports remain critical for food security and maximizing the value of surplus ag production in the U.S., says Dan Halstrom, USMEF president and CEO, speaking with RealAg's Shaun Haney about the state of U.S.... Read More
Markets in the U.S. experienced a bounce this week from the downward trend that they were on due to packers running smaller fed-cattle kills in the last few weeks. That support under the cutout has been supporting the cash markets. The select spread has widened again which continues to confirm that demand for those high... Read More
There's no two-ways about it: 2025 is going to be a challenging season for farm profitability. It's anyone's guess right now what factors could pop up to push the commodity complex higher, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. John Newton, executive head of Terrain, spoke with RealAgriculture's Shaun Haney at the National Association of... Read More
All the delicious ways to enjoy beef (hello, BBQ!) are perhaps just one reason why retail demand for beef has remained relatively unshakeable, even in the face of increasing prices. There are, potentially, very good reasons for that — taste and people's enjoyment of beef are only two factors. One of the driving reasons for... Read More
Demand for nitrogen fertilizer is relatively stable, given the very clear return on pounds applied. But farmers are looking for ways to scale back input costs, and other macronutrients, such as phosphorus, might be on the chopping block. In addition, large areas of the U.S. have turned wet, further decreasing the amount of fall fieldwork... Read More