The new marketing environment around wheat in Western Canada offers producers a much greater level of involvement than they've ever had when it comes to managing price risk. Should producers choose to step out of the contract environment provided by their local grain companies and buyers and go directly to the futures and options market... Read More
Category: Markets
If you cannot see the above embedded audio player, CLICK HERE According to Chuck Penner, LeftField Commodity Research, everyone was waiting for the USDA planting intention report with baited breathe but what shocked (or maybe not) the market was the stocks report. Farmers holding onto old crop crop corn and wheat without unhedged are feeling... Read More
A near-record number of intended corn acres estimated today by the USDA's planting intentions report has pressured corn markets limit-down for the day. Hear what Chuck Penner Thinks About the USDA Stocks Report Today The report pegs estimated acres at 97.3 million acres, a total eclipsed only by a mid-1930s planting. The USDA National Agricultural... Read More
If you cannot see the above embedded audio player, click here With growing speculation that feedyards in the US and Canada would be attempting to contain losses by limiting the amount of cattle they fed, the February placement number in the USDA Cattle on Feed Report confirmed it. The March 22, 2013 USDA Cattle on... Read More
How's the weather where you are? It's a common question because, even though there's not one thing we can do about it, it's a topic of endless fascination for many and especially farmers. Weather risks and events work themselves into the market conversations as well, as no one can control the weather, and ultimately it's... Read More
Farmers do an amazing job of keeping current on the latest agronomy findings, and many are keen to work on new and improved practices each year. But not everyone loves biology — some prefer the business side of farming and enjoy the time spent analyzing markets and setting up a hedging strategy. Each crop type... Read More
As farmers scratch out last minute changes to seeding plans, economic factors always weigh in. Pulses, like red and green lentils or peas, all have the advantage of nitrogen fixation, making them an attractive crop rotation choice. But pulses are also smaller acreage crops and the marketing dynamics of each crop type can cause some... Read More
It sure is pretty when it flowers and the health benefits of the seed is hard to match, but growing flax can be a tough slog for farmers. It's not terribly competitive, markets are volatile and the resulting straw is more of a waste product than second income due to limited options in the west.... Read More
The transition from the closed to open wheat and barley market has gone very smoothly, of that most will agree. Sales have gone through, prices have been strong and the hiccups have been relatively minor. Earlier this week, several market analysts, grain buyers and farmers converged on downtown Winnipeg for Wild Oats Grainworld, a conference... Read More
Whenever someone mentions risk management in grain marketing, someone also mentions futures, options, puts, calls and, eventually, most people's eyes glaze over. Anyone who has done a marketing course has also run through a hedging example or five in their education only to find that these tidy examples involving one crop rarely mirror real life.... Read More