Farm Credit Canada recently released its 2023 market outlook for the beef and hog sector

May 30, 2023

FCC's chief economist JP Gervais says it's an interesting time in the ag markets right now.

He points out that a key factor overall right now is the high-interest rates, something he doesn't expect to see change anytime soon.

Gervais says commodity prices have come down lately and there's a lot of uncertainty going forward as to what the crops are going to look like in the prairies and around the world.

"You know, you look south of the border and some of the challenges that they have with winter wheat right now. That has been giving a little bit of life in the wheat market."

Overall for grains and oilseeds, it's a matter of weaker commodity prices than what we had in recent years, while in the livestock sector, there are a couple of different things happening.

Click here to see more...

Video: Season 7, Episode 1: Managing Risk and Seeing Opportunities in U.S. Pork Production

Today’s episode features three guests discussing the similarities and differences between pork production in the United States and Brazil, along with strategies for managing risk in today’s industry while recognizing and acting on opportunities. First, Dr. Anne Caroline de Lara, executive manager of live pig production at Seara Alimentos, a JBS company in Brazil, is joined by Dr. Matthew Turner, head of operations for JBS Live Pork. Together, they discuss how labor, climate and ventilation challenges vary between Brazil and the United States, while underscoring their shared commitment to raising healthy pigs. They also point to lessons producers in both countries can take from one another’s systems and on-farm experiences. Then, Brady Reicks, risk manager at Reicks View Farms, shares his perspective on risk management, drawing from his background in markets and his transition into farming. He discusses how protecting margins varies by operation and offers practical approaches producers can use to make marketing and business decisions with greater confidence rather than hesitation.

Both conversations were recorded at recent industry events focused on swine livability, including the International Conference on Pig Livability and Iowa Swine Day.