WINNIPEG – The federal government will soon level what has been, for too long, an uneven business arrangement between railways and shippers of grain in Canada, says agriculture minister Gerry Ritz. At a news conference at a grain elevator northwest of Winnipeg today, Ritz and transport minister Rob Merrifield released the federal government’s response to […] Read more
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Feds respond to rail rate review
Oilseeds drift lower on forecast for rain in U.S. wheat drought area
A forecast for rain in the dry U.S. hard red winter wheat belt pressured wheat futures lower on Wednesday, which pushed oilseeds and corn lower. Volume was light as traders are mostly on the sidelines, waiting for significant information to trade on. The USDA’s prospective planting report will come out March 31. Light rain and […] Read more
Sask. budget boosts biodiesel
The Saskatchewan government is introducing a five-year program to stimulate growth in the biodiesel industry. The $26 million program was announced in today’s provincial budget. It will provide a 13-cent-per-litre grant to eligible manufacturers beginning April 1. A two percent provincial renewable diesel mandate comes into effect July 1, 2012. Officials said the idea is […] Read more
China corn rumour sparks grain rally
Rumours that China bought as much as 500,000 tonnes of U.S. corn helped to spark a rally the drove corn and canola up the daily limit for most of Thursday. Wheat also showed strong gains after weekly export reports showed good corn and wheat sales. The recent slide in prices has attracted bargain buying. U.S. […] Read more
Sask. flood claim processing kicks into high gear
The Saskatchewan government is adding 30 temporary staff to help process claims from last year’s flood. The Provincial Disaster Assistance Program has received more than 5,900 claims, or twice as many as the previous record set in 2005-06. More than 3,900 of those claimants have received some of their overall payout, and 1,100 have been […] Read more
Grains bounce higher, led by corn
November canola and all corn futures months are up the daily limit Thursday morning as traders look beyond the nuclear crisis in Japan. Wheat and soybeans are also up strongly. At 11:30 in Winnipeg, November canola is up $30 at $553 per tonne. Nearby May is up $29.30 at $563.20. Strong weekly U.S. grain exports, […] Read more
Oilseeds rebound but grains still down over Japan crisis
Oilseed futures climbed on Wednesday as traders turned attention from the crisis in Japan to soggy harvest conditions in Brazil’s top soybean producing state. Canola rose with soybeans and also found strength from the falling Canadian dollar and on good commercial and processor buying. Buyers did some bargain buying with many thinking prices had fallen […] Read more
Manitoba Pork Council hints at pregnant sow stall moratorium
Farmers shouldn’t build any more hog barns with the present style of pregnant sow stalls, the Manitoba Pork Council implied in a report released today. But it has not gone as far as directly recommending farmers embrace open housing for gestating sows. “Manitoba Pork commits to encouraging producers to phase out by 2025 the style […] Read more
Worry of Japan nuclear meltdown panics market
The price of most commodities and equities fell Tuesday as investors worried about the worsening crisis at a nuclear power plant in Japan. Most canola, soybean, corn and oats futures contracts dropped the one-day limit. Japan is one of the world’s largest food importers. It the top buyer of Canadian canola and No. 2 buyer […] Read more
Canola, soybeans, corn down limit on Japan worries
Nearby canola, soybeans and corn are locked limit down as of the noon hour CST as panic sweeps the market over Japan’s crisis with several nuclear power reactors. May canola is down the limit $30 per tonne at $525. Stock markets are also down. The nuclear power plant situation took a turn for the worse […] Read more