Insights and Stories of Phil Franz-Warkentin

ICE’s grain futures waiting on cash market

Jun. 6, 2012 at 5:16 am CDT

Trade in milling wheat, durum, and barley contracts on the ICE Futures Canada platform remains slow, but officials at the Winnipeg-based arm of IntercontinentalExchange remain confident liquidity will build in the new contracts over the next few months, as the cash market also takes shape. Legislation passed by the Canadian […]

Seasonal downturn to weigh on Alta. feed barley

May. 28, 2012 at 6:42 pm CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

New Minnesota canola crusher starts up

May. 24, 2012 at 11:01 pm CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Declining oats futures take cash bids down

May. 24, 2012 at 4:08 pm CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

West’s hog herd expansion unlikely for now

May. 15, 2012 at 5:23 pm CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Soybean acreage continues to grow in Manitoba

Apr. 27, 2012 at 1:41 pm CDT

Manitoba farmers intend to plant a record-large soybean crop again in 2012, as good returns and improved varieties have led soybeans to gain an ever-larger foothold in the province. After seeing acreage rise steadily over the past five years, soybean seedings in the province are forecast to hit 800,000 acres […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Old/new-crop canola spread to widen further

Apr. 25, 2012 at 5:05 pm CDT

ICE Futures Canada canola contracts have climbed higher in recent days, with the old-crop months posting the largest gains. The spread between the old- and new-crop contracts is expected to continue to widen, as tightening old-crop supplies will be countered by expectations for record production in 2012. As of the […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Canada’s farmers seeding “fencerow to fencerow”

Apr. 24, 2012 at 5:40 pm CDT

Canadian farmers intend to plant more of just about everything in 2012, according to the Statistics Canada planting intentions report released Tuesday, as favourable returns and improved moisture conditions could see very few acres lying fallow this summer. With canola, wheat, barley and most of the other major crops grown […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Canola marketing a possibility under new CWB

Apr. 20, 2012 at 8:55 am CDT

The new voluntary Canadian Wheat Board may be looking to branch out to market other commodities, particularly canola, in time for the 2012-13 crop. However, the CWB is currently focused on transitioning its traditional wheat, durum, and barley marketing to an open market, and the introduction of new commodities is […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Early Alta. seeding stalled by moisture

Apr. 18, 2012 at 5:22 pm CDT

Recent precipitation across a large portion of Alberta will help improve moisture levels in the province, as seeding operations are set to get underway for the year. Some barley and spring wheat was already seeded in southern Alberta over the past week, before precipitation and colder temperatures halted that activity, […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin