Scott Shiels
With seeding now in the rear-view mirror, I am sure all of you are looking for opportunities to move your old grain crop and projecting what you will put in the bins this fall. Heading into the summer, it really started to look and feel like we were going to have a tight supply and demand balance on most crop, which should have led us higher across the board. However, it does seem now that we have enough to get us by and into the new crop season. Most likely this is due in part to all the trade uncertainty that occurred in the late winter/early spring with changes in both the U.S. government and our own leadership here in Canada. The other major factor contributing to this situation would be the lack of transparent data on what is produced on the farm and what is exported each year by our markets.
This discussion has been going on for what seems like forever. Working for a company like Grain Millers, which operates in both the U.S. and Canada, allows us to have a better understanding of the differences between our two countries, and how the production numbers, as well as the import/export data is shared with the masses. Full transparency for everyone involved (not just producers, but grain companies and basically anyone in the import/export space) would be tremendously valuable. However, we have what we have, and we need to make the best of it. For producers, that means gathering all the intel you can, and paying really close attention to the supply and demand numbers that are made public. While the government-issued numbers certainly need to be taken with a grain of salt (or the shaker), there are many independent analysts you can subscribe to – and even some you can get for free – to correlate your own data if desired.
In the oat world, Wild Oats and Oat Information stand out as two of my favourites, both of which provide excellent information on the oat market here on the Prairies. The individuals who compile the information in these two publications have both been in the oat industry for decades, and they have the most comprehensive networks imaginable when it comes to oats. If you are looking to bolster your oat market information, beyond what you receive from me,
I strongly suggest trying one or both of these.
For overall information on multiple crops, LeftField Commodity Research, Grain Shark and StoneX are all very good sources. These are all subscription services, but each provides valuable information on different crops. StoneX also provides full market consulting for farmers, taking their service to the next level. I know some farmers who use them for their crop marketing and, so far, I have heard nothing but positive reviews on value for the money. LeftField offers a couple of different options, depending on the crops you want information on, and we have had Jon Driedger – a very knowledgeable and entertaining speaker – present on markets at our annual producer meetings. Grain Shark, I believe, is the youngster in this group, but has gathered a pretty good following here on the Prairies. From all the feedback I have heard, this will continue to grow, as Grain Shark provides very down-to-earth information to subscribers.
Until next time…
