Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Corn was the biggest surprise in this version of the January USDA World Agriculture Supply and Demand Report. The market was expecting a reduction in acreage or yield based on the 5% of the US corn crop remaining in the field. The market was expecting corn production to total 12.8bln bushels down from the December report of 12.9bln bushels. The January estimate totaled 13.151bln bushels well above both the estimate and previous report based on higher yield prospects. The January yield estimate was 165.2bpa vs. the December report of 162.9bpa and the pre-report estimate of 162.5bpa. Usage was higher than expected as feed usage increased. Corn feed and residual use was projected 150 million bushels higher based on September-November Disappearances as indicated by December 1 stocks. This was partly offset by a 10 million bushel reduction in food, seed, and industrial use reflecting lower-than expected September- November shipments of high fructose corn syrup. Overall ending stocks are projected at 1,764 million bushels, up 89 million bushels from the December report of 1.675bln bushels and well above the expectations of 1.6bln bushels. The current ending stock level is the largest since 2005-2006. However because of the higher usage, stocks as a percentage of use are down year-to-year at 13.5% compared to 13.9% for 2008/09. As for the December quarterly grain stocks totaled 10.934bln bushels vs. the expectations of 10.7bln bushels and the December 2008 report that totaled 10.08bln bushels. The 2009/2010 market year average corn farm price is projected at $3.40 to $4.00 per bushel up 15 cents on both ends of the range.


Soybeans estimates were also relatively surprising. The USDA January production estimate was 3.361bln bushels vs., the expectations of 3.34bln bushels and the December report that totaled 3.32bln bushels. Production was increased based on higher yield estimates. The January Soybean yield estimate totaled 44bpa vs. the estimate of 43.5bpa and the previous December estimate of 43.3bpa. Production was offset by a 35 million bushel increase to exports to a record 1.375billion bushels led by strong sales and shipments to China and several other markets including Taiwan, Thailand, Egypt, and Canada. The projected soybean crush was also raised 15 million bushels to 1.710 billion reflecting increased soybean meal exports. Overall projected ending stocks totaled 245 million bushels vs. the expectations of 240 million bushels but below the December report of 255 million bushels. Despite increased crush, soybean oil production is reduced due to a lower extraction rate. With use unchanged soybean oil stocks are projected at 2.152 billion pounds, down 155 million from last year. As for December quarterly grain stocks, soybean stocks totaled 2.337bln bushels vs. the expectations of 2.4bln bushels and the December 08 total of 2.276bln bushels. The U.S. season-average soybean price range from 2009-2010 is projected at $8.90 to $10.40 per bushel up 15 cents on both ends of the range.

For another consecutive report wheat supplies continue to increase painting a very bearish picture fundamentally. US wheat ending stocks were projected 76 million bushels higher totaling .976bln bushels vs. the estimates of .91bln bushels and the December report of .90bln bushels. Feed and residual use is projected 20 million bushels lower as December 1 stocks, reported in the January grain stocks indicate lower than expected disappearances during September-November. Seed use was also lowered 6 million bushels based on winter wheat planting area reported in the Winter wheat seedlings. Exports are projected 50 million lower reflecting the slow pace of shipments and the strong foreign competition as the US wheat price is relatively high. At the current export level of 825 million bushels this would be the lowest total since 1971/72. The projected marketing year average farm price is narrowed 5 cents on both ends of the range to $4.70 to $5.00 per bushel. Globally wheat supplies also increased by 2.5 million tons due to an increased output by Russia. 2010 wheat plantings were announced and seeding totaled 37.097million acres well below the expectations of 41 million acres. This should be supportive wheat following yet another bearish fundamental report.


This report will be viewed as BEARISH corn due to the increase in production based on an increased yield. The market was looking for a reduction in harvested acreage and production based on the quality issues experienced this fall and the 5% of US corn remaining in the field. A positive was an increase in feed usage that no one was expecting, and a lower stock to use ratio. The Soybean report will be view as NUETRAL-BULLISH as the ending stocks decreased from the December report but were above expectations. Ending stocks remain relatively tight at the current level and with this years export sales there is a greater risk that these stocks may tighten as we don’t see any greater revisions to the US production and we continue to forecast stronger demand in 2010. This report will be seen as BEARISH Wheat as supplies both in the US and globally continue to rise. Wheat should find some support from the prospects of lower winter wheat plantings moving into 2010, however US old crop wheat continues to be slow moving and stocks are on the rise.

Farms.com Risk Management
Please visit the Website at www.riskmanagement.farms.com

Please contact Frank Borszcz at frank.borszcz@farms.com or 1-877-438-5729 ext 5028 For a Free 8 week subscription of our Classic Crop Marketing Program

Views: 79

Reply to This

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

*Webinars* Strategies for Reducing Calf Losses: Veterinary Insights from Across Canada

Are calf losses cutting into your beef operation’s productivity and profitability? You are not alone! The BCRC is hosting two 90-minute webinars featuring veterinarians from across Canada who work directly with cow-calf operations like yours. A March 18 webinar will feature veterinarians who work with Eastern Canadian cow-calf operations, sharing insights on practical prevention strategies to implement before, during and after calving to increase calf survivability. During the March 25 webinar, Western Canadian veterinarians will outline regionally relevant approaches for reducing calf losses, highlighting essential pre-calving strategies and practical management techniques to use during calving to help ensure healthier outcomes for both cows and calves.   Both webinars will include an extended Q&A session, giving you plenty of time to ask questions. Each webinar will also be available for?one continuing education (CE) credit for veterinarians and registered veterinary technologists

China halts tariffs on some Canadian ag

Some Canadian ag products will have tariff-free access to China as of March 1

Farmers Face Harsh Truths While Refusing to Abandon Their Way of Life

A recent post on social media by a friend asked to add a line from a movie that fans of it would instantly recognize. One of my contributions was, “You can’t handle the truth.” While that line came in a courtroom scene from one of my favorite movies with Jack Nicholson yelling it at Tom Cruise, it actually got me thinking about farming. Many of us who grew up on a farm have seen both good and tough times. That is the truth. But what are we currently experiencing and can we handle these truths? American Farm Bureau recently said there was a 46% increase in farm bankruptcies in 2025. That’s pretty sobering. Those of us who grew up during the farm crisis in the 1980s, when more than 250,000 farmers filed for bankruptcy, never want to hear about someone losing a farm. For a few years I’ve personally been concerned about what’s happening in our farming communities. Interest rates have been plenty high; input costs don’t seem to come down when market prices do. Farmers have always been pr

As US agriculture flails, farmers see big corn acres as best bet to break even

U.S. farmers, though punished by slumping prices after last year’s monster corn harvest, are expected to cut back only slightly on their plantings of the grain in 2026 as they brace for a fourth straight year of narrow profit margins or even losses. Farmers expect corn, the most widely grown U.S. crop, to hew close to break-even levels this year, supported by strong usage. Some see soybeans as riskier, given rising competition from Brazil and a volatile U.S. trade relationship with top buyer China. “Right now, you absolutely cannot make money on beans,” said Tim Gregerson, who farms in eastern Nebraska. “You can probably break even on corn, but you are going to have to have an extraordinary yield, or a price increase,” Gregerson said. Most growers in America’s Midwest farm belt grow both crops, alternating what gets planted on each field from year to year to boost soil health. Many add wheat, sorghum, cotton or other crops to their rotations. But among farmers who have some flexible

This is Agriculture: Producer, advocate, industry leader

Jill Verwey lives and breathes agriculture. Her roots growing up on a mixed grain and cattle operation in rural Manitoba lend themselves well to her current roles – the office manager for Verwey Farms Ltd., president of Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), and first vice president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA). Jill’s pride in Canadian agriculture is unmistakable. Learn more about her career and advocacy journey below. Describe your job or product in one sentence. My role includes managing the day-to-day administration and financial operations of our family farm, overseeing food and animal safety and human resources, and representing agricultural producers provincially and nationally through leadership roles with KAP, CFA, and various boards and advisory groups. Where did you grow up? Was it an agriculture or urban environment? I grew up in rural Manitoba on a mixed grain and cattle operation. I have been married for 32 years, and my husband and I are involved in

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service