I’m a big fan of transparent public markets. That’s why I have an odd love of commodity exchanges. Over the years I have used every excuse I can to get into futures and options markets and down onto the trading floors. I love the naked reality of the price discovery process as it is yelled […] Read more
Ed White
Stories by Ed White
Demand holds steady for canola in 2010 forecast
Canola still looks like the crop to grow in 2010, even if American farmers are cranking up their acreage, analysts say. There is strong demand and canola is particularly strong among oilseeds. It’s the cereal grains, not canola, that are likely to be under pressure this season. “It’s got a better demand outlook than soybeans […] Read more
Hog prices rebound on U.S. slaughter projections
American farmers have finally saved the hog industry’s bacon. Hog prices increased after the U.S. Department of Agriculture found far fewer slaughter and breeding hogs on U.S. farms than the industry expected and projected a much greater decline in slaughter hog numbers in coming months. “We’re still not back to profitability yet, but this is […] Read more
U.S. dairy faces new challenges
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Leading California dairy farms are radically different from today’s Canadian prairie dairy farms and radically different from the way they were 20 years ago. At the Canola Council of Canada convention in San Francisco, Calif., March 18, California dairy producer Peter de Jong described his farming operation and the transformation it […] Read more
U.S. dairy rations run feed gamut
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – When he was a cocksure 19-year-old, Peter de Jong jumped on a great feed deal for his dairy ration. “I was able to get it for about nothing,” he said about the large quantities of waste garlic, onion and leek crops in his region of California. “I picked it up and […] Read more
Surgeon endorses canola oil benefits
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Doing cooking demonstrations and putting out a colourful cookbook might seem like weak attempts at boosting canola’s market share. But a heart surgeon and preventive medicine specialist thinks the joy of food is a better sales pitch than the fear of death. “Joy is sustainable. Fear is not,” Dr. Dean Ornish […] Read more
Extended family helps Chorneys juggle interests
SELKIRK, Man. – During the growing season, Michelle and Doug Chorney normally wear the soiled clothes of active farmers. During winter, they dress in suits or uniforms. Regardless of whether it’s summer or winter, the Chorneys say they feel equally comfortable with their farming and city professions. “I like to work on the farm,” said […] Read more
Winter goes easy on winter wheat
Flooding isn’t the only thing almost no one is talking about this spring in the Red River Valley. Winter wheat survival is also a subject of little chatter, and as with the flooding situation, silence is golden. “We had a very good winter for winter wheat and in most cases I think we’ll see good […] Read more
Corn, soybean acreages up, wheat down
Cereal grain prices fell after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s seeding intentions survey. As expected, U.S. farmers said they will plant a huge corn acreage and a large soybean acreage. If the weather is good, that could produce record crops. This produced a litany of woe among farmer-focused analysts. “As if increasing Canadian oat supplies […] Read more
Out of the trough or at the end of the bounce?
Well, doesn’t everything in the equity markets look peppy this week! The indexes are pricking at 18 month highs, U.S. unemployment is falling and the Bank of Canada has been musing about pushing up interest rates sooner rather than later. Some Canadian banks have helped the optimismfest by already increasing their fixed rates. And, as […] Read more
