March 12 - Closing Farm Markets

(Click arrow to play OCA report)

-> ONTARIO PORK REPORTS:
TOTAL SALES FOR THE WEEK = 85,158
THAT'S down 5,250 FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK.
INCLUDED WERE 74,959 CONTRACT HOGS
AND 3,307 EXPORTS.
THE ONTARIO POOL PRICE = $138.50 PER 100 KILOGRAMS
THE ONTARIO POOL PLUS PRICE = $137.54 PER 100 KILOGRAMS
FRIDAY'S PRELIMINARY U-S NATIONAL COST PRICE = $74.75
THAT'S down 40 cents
FRIDAY'S OPENING FORWARD CONTRACT PRICE FOR June-July DELIVERY = $150.89
THAT'S down $1.55 FROM THURSDAY.

-> CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE:

CORN FUTURES:
March down 1 and a half at 3.54
May down 1 at 3.64 and a quarter

SOYBEAN FUTURES:
March up a half at 9.26
May down 5 at 9.25 and a half

WHEAT FUTURES:
March up 3 and a half at 4.72 and a quarter
May up 6 and a half at 4.85 and a quarter

-> CLOSING LOCAL GRAIN PRICES FROM SNOBELIN FARMS:

Note there's a basis change for old and new corn and old and new soys in these quotes:

2009 CROP CORN = down 6 at 3.59/BU
2010 CROP CORN = down 6 at 3.79/BU
2011 CROP CORN = dwon 6 at 4.00/BU

2009 CROP SOYS = down 15 at 8.91/BU
2010 CROP SOYS = down 13 at 8.44/BU
2011 CROP SOYS = down 13 at 8.48/BU

2009 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = up 6 at 3.90/BU
2010 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = up 6 at 4.18/BU
2011 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = up 6 at 4.95/BU

Food Inc. Coming To Huron County

A film coming into Goderich next month has drawn some attention from the president of the Huron Federation of Agriculture.
Food Inc. is an Oscar-nominated film on the food industry in the U-S.
Wayne Black hasn't seen it yet - but reviews suggest it's taking a pretty negative look at the industry.
He thinks it may not be a bad idea for farmers to have a look at the film.

(Click arrow to play audio)

Black says as long as consumers and farmers watch the film with an open mind - realising it has a specific slant on the industry - it could generate some good discussion.

(Click arrow to play audio)

Some U-S farm groups have slammed the film for it's portrayal of the agriculture industry in that country.
Black says U-S farm operations are managed differently than Canadian operations.
He points out regulations and labour laws in Ontario and in Canada make some of the concerns raised in the film impossible here.
The screening of Food Inc. in Goderich on April 15th is sponsored by the Huron-Bruce NDP.

New North Perth Market For Poultry

The province's chicken and turkey farmers have a new market in North Perth.
Erie Meat Products will be processing chicken and turkey into hot dogs at the former Campbell's plant on the outskirts of Listowel.
The company's George Tiesma says they expect to turn out about 4 tonnes of processed meat a day when the plant is fully operational.
They expect that will be by the end of this year.
The North Perth poultry processing operation will create about 500 jobs over the next three years.

CFFO Concerns Re: Tribunal Hog Decision

The OMAFRA Appeal Tribunal ruling on pork marketing has raised a number of concerns among the Christian Farmers Federation's members.
CFFO President Henry Stevens says that includes the rules around the proposed plebiscite vote to give producers some input into the marketing changes.

(Click arrow to play audio)

Stevens says it's also not clear whether the plebiscite's results will be binding on the final direction of Ontairo Pork or just a source of information for making a decision.
Stevens says while his organisation's pork producing members appreciate the breathing space the ruling allows, they're also concerned about the impact that delay could have on investment.

(Click arrow to play audio)

Stevens says the Federation will continue to work with it's pork-producing members and reps from other industry groups to develop positive options for the future.

(Click arrow to play full CFFO Commentary)

Research Shows Value Of Early Weed Control In Corn

A University of Guelph researcher says avoiding weeds when corn emerges can boost the number of kernels on every ear of corn.
Doctor Clarence Swanton's research says by avoiding weeds before they start corn growers can get an average of 32 more kernels on every ear of corn.
Syngenta Crop Protection's Nathan Klages says that translates directly into more dollars.
Klages says it also tarnslates into more corn for a world that relies increasingly on this crop for food, feed and fuel.
Syngenta cites Doctor Swanton's research in it's promotion of it's Foundation Acre yield management program which it says prevents weeds in the early stages of corn development.