March 16 - Closing Markets

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-> ONTARIO PORK REPORTS:
TOTAL SALES = 17,215
FOR A = 2 DAY TOTAL OF = 42,073
THAT'S = down 247 FROM LAST WEEK.
THE AVERAGE PRICE WAS = $1.36/kilogram
THAT'S down 2 cents
THE U-S NATIONAL COST PRICE = $73.47 U-S, DRESSED WEIGHT
That's dwon 75 cents
FORWARD CONTRACT PRICE FOR July-August DELIVERY IS $147.96
WHICH IS down $2.25
ESTIMATED SALES FOR Wednesday = 17,500
AT = $1.36/kilogram

-> ON THE CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE:

CORN FUTURES:
May up 3 and a half at 3.66 and a half
July up 3 and a half at 3.77 and a half

SOYBEAN FUTURES:
May up 15 at 9.45
July up 15 and a quarter at 9.52 and a half

WHEAT FUTURES:
May up 7 and a half at 4.87
July up 7 and a half at 4.99 and a half

-> FROM DAUPHIN FEED AND SUPPLY, THE 48% SOYBEAN MEAL QUOTE, F-O-B HAMILTON = $325/tonne

-> CLOSING LOCAL GRAIN PRICES FROM SNOBELIN FARMS:

09 CROP CORN = up 4 at 3.62/BU
2010 CROP CORN = up 4 at 3.82/BU
2011 CROP CORN = up 5 at 4.04/BU

09 CROP SOYS = up 15 at 9.10/BU
2010 CROP SOYS = up 12 at 8.56/BU
2011 CROP SOYS = up 12 at 8.61/BU

09 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = up 8 at 3.87/BU
2010 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = up 8 at 4.15/BU
2011 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = up 9 at 4.93/BU

Cautious Optimism About Hog And Cattle Prices

A livestock market analyst is cautiously optimistic that hog and cattle prices will improve in the months ahead.
Moe Agostino of Farms dot com Risk Management says lower cattle and hog supplies - combined with increasing consumer demand following the recession - have the potential to boost livestock prices.
However, he says prices for Canadian farmers will be limited by the weak U-S dollar.

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Agostino says the positive signs for producers include lower supplies in the U-S and Canada and improving consumer demand.

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Agostino says the dollar has rallied in recent months to trade at around 97 cents U-S.
He projects it could trade even higher - at par or a dollar five U-S.
Agostino says the large U-S government deficit is hurting the value of the American dollar and continues to scare off potential investors.

Mitchell Willing To Help Local Abattoirs

The Province is willing to help local abattoirs with compliance issues but will not compromise on food safety.
That according to Minister of Agriculture Carol Mitchell after being asked about the concerns of some businesses in the Perth-Oxford area that are struggling to cope with tough inspection regulations.

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Mitchell says there has been some funding provided and the Province will continue to work with independent meat processors to address compliance issues.
She says there will be no compromise on food safety.

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She says it is important to make the regulatory and inspection system even stronger.

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A call to change the tough regulations has been issued from a group of abattoir owners and supporters in the Perth-Oxford area that claim their businesses are in jeopardy.

Challenging Year For Canadian Food Manufacturers?

A George Morris Centre report suggests Canada's food manufacturers are going to have a challenging year this year.
The Centre's Kevin Grier says 2009 was a strong year for the industry.
But he says commodity costs appear to be trending back upward again.
Grier also says Wal-Mart appears ready to launch a more aggressive expansion and the pricing competition is likely to be intense.
He says if food companies are able to pass along their higher costs retail food prices could climb between 2 and a half and 4 per cent this year.
If consumers resist those higher price Grier says the Canadian food manufacturing sector will struggle.

Some Welcome Increased Consumer Food Interest

Some farm leaders are welcoming the increased consumer interest in how food is produced and where it comes from.
Huron Federation of Agriculture president Wayne Black says it gives farmers the chance to get their story to consumers.

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Black says the Foodland Ontario program is one way consumers can get a better idea where their food is coming from.
But he says supporting local farming goes beyond just buying what's available at the local farmers market.

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Black says getting the story out about Ontario agriculture is a challenge - especially when faced by well-financed activist groups who prefer to paint all of agriculture as highly-mechanised factory-farm operations.