By Rod Nickel and Benjamin Weir WINNIPEG/SYDNEY, April 19 (Reuters) – For decades, Canada’s protected dairy sector has riled rival exporters from Asia to Europe who resent having limited access to a wealthy consuming nation. But that could change now U.S. President Donald Trump has taken up the cause, trade experts said on Wednesday. Despite […] Read more
News
Canada’s resilient dairy sector girds for Trump fight
Weak loonie, slow seeding lift canola futures
Canola rose again on Wednesday and this time new crop contracts also gained ground. Old crop has been rising on expectations of tight year end stocks. Today there was a little concern about weather-delayed spring field work. Cloudy weather is not helping to dry fields and some light rain is in the forecast for parts […] Read more
Alta. encourages hiring local first
The Alberta government wants employers to hire provincial residents first before using temporary foreign workers or other options. Alberta Labour Minister Christina Gray today announced the Employer Liaison Service, a federal-provincial pilot project she said is designed to ensure Albertans are “first in line” when employees are needed. The 24-month pilot program will connect employers […] Read more
Trump vows to back U.S. dairy farmers in Canada trade spat
By Rod Nickel April 18 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to defend American dairy farmers who say they have been hurt by Canada’s protectionist trade practices, during a visit to the cheese-making state of Wisconsin. Canada’s dairy sector is protected by high tariffs on imported products and controls on domestic production […] Read more
Old crop canola edges higher, but weakness dominates rest of oilseed market
The different attitudes about old and new crop canola were again displayed Tuesday as the May contract crept higher while November was nudged lower. The expectation of tight year end stocks of canola and short covering helped lift May up $3.40 per tonne, to settle at $512.20. The loonie was lower, which also supported canola. […] Read more
Weather risk expected to keep malt barley seeding low
Winnipeg, April 18 – Concerns about weather dictating the quality of malt barley is keeping producers from seeding the crop this year, one industry participant says, while weak prices offer no extra incentive. “Acres are definitely going to be down, because of the fear of getting feed barley, which is horrendously low priced,” said Rod […] Read more
China to cut 2017 corn area 4 pct in bid to tackle giant stockpiles
BEIJING, April 17 (Reuters) – China’s planned corn acreage is expected to fall four percent this year, its second straight annual drop, as Beijing tries to whittle down its huge corn glut and boost the planting of soybeans. The shrinking corn acreage will be accompanied by an 8.1 percent jump in land dedicated to soybean […] Read more
Canola posts strong gains as weather limits spring harvest
Canola had a strong day Monday, rising $8.80 per tonne for the May contract and $5.40 for November. May canola settled at $508.80, giving it some breathing space from the $500 mark it settled at on Friday. New crop November is well back, at $485.90. The spread between old and new crop futures prices reveals […] Read more
Record canola acres possible in StatsCan seeding report
Winnipeg, April 17 (CNS Canada) – Canadian farmers might be set to seed record large canola acres in 2017, while wheat area is generally expected to be down when Statistics Canada releases its first survey-based acreage estimates of the year on Friday, April 21. From an economic standpoint, “canola is historically the commodity that pays […] Read more
CFIA downplays gylphosate residue findings in food
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency released a report on glyphosate residues in food (PDF format) last week, and the headlines were not positive. Global News and other media outlets said CFIA scientists found glyphosate in nearly 30 percent of Canadian food samples. The headlines were accurate, but did they reflect the actual health risk to […] Read more
