Insights and Stories on Alberta

Prairie forecast: Mild and dry weather right up to the holidays

Dec. 13, 2023 at 9:29 am CST

Here is the big picture: there are two current storm tracks across North America. The first, which is well to our north, is the storm track that would normally be across our region. So far this winter, it has been displaced to our north – one of the reasons we have been dry. The second storm track is well to the south across the southern U.S. This places us under a rather slack flow as we oscillate between pushes of warm and cool air with each passage of low-pressure to our north.

Canadian cattle in a feedlot with a cowboy in the background.

Klassen: Year-end buying interest boosts feeder market

Dec. 12, 2023 at 11:54 am CST

By Jerry Klassen

Prairie forecast: Average to above average temperatures to continue

Dec. 6, 2023 at 8:56 am CST

By Daniel Bezte

Klassen: Feeder market bounces on lower volumes

Dec. 5, 2023 at 10:04 am CST

By Jerry Klassen

Landscape photo of pasture land in the Kimberly region of Australia.

Alberta investment firm acquires Australian cattle portfolio

Dec. 1, 2023 at 3:24 pm CST

By Geralyn Wichers

Alberta’s headache of orphan oil wells

Dec. 1, 2023 at 11:40 am CST

Alberta’s beautiful landscape is dotted with a lot of oil and gas wells. A current list of them from the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) runs to more than 16,000 pages, and there’s an estimated 620,000 of them in total. They’re collectively a major contributor to Alberta’s economy, and the energy […]

By Jeff Melchior

Weather Network predicts mild winter, with caveats

Nov. 30, 2023 at 6:43 pm CST

MarketsFarm — Strong El Niño conditions that have developed in the Pacific Ocean would typically lead to a milder winter across Canada — but other factors this year could challenge that outlook, according to the winter forecast from The Weather Network, released Wednesday. The winter forecast features a mild start […]

By MarketsFarm

Feed weekly outlook: Corn imports, larger crop prospects pressure barley

Nov. 30, 2023 at 6:00 pm CST

MarketsFarm — The feed barley market in Western Canada remains relatively flat as steady corn imports from the U.S. keep domestic feeders well supplied. Ideas that Canadian production ended up above earlier expectations were also keeping a lid on the domestic market. Delivered barley into the Lethbridge, Alta. area is […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Prairie Forecast: Quiet, mild start to December

Nov. 29, 2023 at 11:57 am CST

The last forecast played out pretty close to what the weather models were predicting, with one small deviation: temperatures ended up being about 2 to 4 C warmer than forecasted. This will be something to keep in mind as we look at this week’s forecast. The forecast is looking rather […]

By Daniel Bezte

Klassen: Strong demand continues to support feeder market

Nov. 28, 2023 at 7:06 am CST

For the week ending Nov. 25, western Canadian yearling prices were $4-$8/cwt lower compared to seven days earlier. However, calf markets were firm trading $5-$8/cwt on either side of unchanged compared to values quoted a week prior. Optimal weather in southern Alberta caused major feedlot operators to stretch their hands […]

By Jerry Klassen