Insights and Stories on Pandemic

Logistics, lack of containers hamper pulse crop movement

Apr. 16, 2020 at 9:36 pm CDT

MarketsFarm — Logistics disruptions due to COVID-19 are hampering nearby movement of pulses, according to a number of industry participants speaking Thursday on a webinar organized by the Global Pulse Consortium. However, the longer-term impact of the pandemic remains to be seen. “The shipping industry has been hugely impacted by […]

Third major Alberta beef plant confirms COVID-19 cases

Apr. 16, 2020 at 5:20 pm CDT

By Alexis Kienlen

Trump administration aims to buy milk, meat to help farmers, Perdue says

Apr. 16, 2020 at 1:17 pm CDT

By Reuters

Beef cattle producers seek new set-aside plan

Apr. 15, 2020 at 10:12 pm CDT

By GFM Staff

ICE weekly outlook: Loonie’s rally kept canola lower

Apr. 15, 2020 at 5:54 pm CDT

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm

CBOT weekly outlook: Poor ethanol demand weighing on corn

Apr. 15, 2020 at 3:14 pm CDT

MarketsFarm — Losses in crude oil and ethanol have weighed heavily on grain and oilseed markets, with Chicago Board of Trade corn falling to fresh contract lows Wednesday. General uncertainty over COVID-19 is expected to keep a bearish tone in the market. “The big thing has been the overall slowdown […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Klassen: Weaker fed cattle prices weigh on feeder market

Apr. 14, 2020 at 10:14 pm CDT

It appears finishing feedlots and cattle buyers are coming to terms with the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic may last longer than earlier anticipated. The “hope” factor that this environment will be short-lived has evaporated. Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $3 to as much as […]

By Jerry Klassen

Quebec pork plant to restart at reduced pace

Apr. 12, 2020 at 2:16 am CDT

Olymel plans to gradually bring a hog plant in Quebec’s Mauricie region out of a two-week shutdown starting Tuesday following a number of COVID-19 cases among its employees. The meat packing arm of Quebec-based Sollio Co-operative Group announced Saturday it will resume slaughter and cutting operations at Yamachiche, Que. starting […]

By GFM Staff

USDA raises corn, soy, wheat supply outlook

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:07 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Agriculture Department raised its outlook for domestic supplies of corn on Thursday on expectations for reduced usage by ethanol producers, as demand for the alternative fuel has been cratering due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The government also bumped up its wheat […]

By Mark Weinraub

Smithfield shuts South Dakota pork plant over COVID-19

Apr. 9, 2020 at 12:59 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — Smithfield Foods, the world’s biggest pork processor, is temporarily closing a massive plant at Sioux Falls, S.D., the company said Thursday, after more than 80 workers there tested positive for coronavirus. The shutdown is the latest disruption to the U.S. food supply chain from the pandemic […]