J.P. Gervais, chief agricultural economist for Farm Credit Canada, in conversation with RealAgriculture’s Debra Murphy at the 2015 Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association Conference in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (before mCOOL was repealed). 2015 saw some pretty incredible market pressures in the livestock sector, amidst overarching trade stories with the ongoing battle over country-of-origin labeling and the conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. But… Read More
Category: Markets
2015 hasn’t necessarily been a great year for grains complex, let alone anyone who works in the commodity sector. The most watched fall from grace came in the form of oil prices continuing to be pushed lower by sustained production highs by the likes of O.P.E.C. and the U.S.A., who also just recently announced they’re… Read More
With the U.S. Federal Reserve raising interest rates for the first time in almost a decade and the Bank of Canada suggesting it’s considering negative interest rates, how much lower can the Canadian loonie drop relative to the U.S. dollar? It’s an important question when determining whether to lock in basis levels, as movement in the currency… Read More
Other Episodes: Pulse School: Three questions to ask when deciding on an inoculantPulse School: Protect germination potential with gentle seed handlingPulse School: Pea aphids, nesting dolls, and economic thresholdsPulse School: To add nitrogen or not? Simplifying starter fertility decisionsPulse School: Navigating disease challenges using lupins and faba beansPulse School: Pulling the fungicide trigger on ascochyta… Read More
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack declared on Friday afternoon that “effective immediately” the U.S. Department of Agriculture would not be enforcing country of origin labeling rules for beef and pork. It’s been over seven years since American packers were forced to segregate Canadian animals and meat. How quickly can they go back to operating how they… Read More
Grain prices have swayed back and forth this week thanks to some aggressive reactions to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate increase on Wednesday, as well as a little short-covering, and (barely) bullish weather concerns out of Brazil. Most of the complex ended the week lower though than it started, with oats being the biggest… Read More
After 13-plus years of opposition — the last seven of those in legal and trade disputes, Canadian livestock producers and their organizations are celebrating the end of U.S. country of origin labeling legislation for beef and pork today. Both the U.S. House and Senate voted in favour of the omnibus appropriations bill that includes text… Read More
These are exciting times for lentil growers, with record Canadian lentil acres projected for 2016.Red lentil bids in Western Canada have spiked into the C$0.50/lb range due to a combination of poor growing conditions in India and the lower value of the Canadian dollar relative to U.S. currency.“There’s no question we’re going to have acres over four… Read More
Update Dec 18, 2015: Both the U.S. House and Senate voted in favour of the legislation, including the text to repeal COOL, on Friday. The bill now heads to the White House for President Obama’s approval. With retaliation from Canada and Mexico looming, the U.S. government took a step late Tuesday toward repealing its mandatory country… Read More
Australia’s largest grain company has announced plans to expand its footprint in Western Canada. GrainCorp, through a joint venture with large Japanese agricultural cooperative Zen-Noh Group, says it will spend at least C$90 million over the next two years in setting up grain delivery sites in Alberta and Saskatchewan. “A key part of GrainCorp’s value proposition… Read More