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

Sioux County Farmland Auction Shatters Iowa Record at $32,000 Per Acre

A historic farmland auction in Sioux County, Iowa, where a 35.5-acre tract sold for $32,000 per acre—setting a new state record for farmer-buyer purchases.

Sioux County Land Auction Shatters Iowa Farmland Record at $32,000 Per Acre

Zomer Company Realty & Auction oversaw a historic farmland auction in Sioux County, Iowa, where a 35.5-acre tract sold for $32,000 per acre—setting a new state record for farmer-buyer purchases.

Deere’s disappointing outlook shows farm recovery is elusive

Deere & Co.’s weak forecast for the year ahead reinforces the difficulty in predicting a recovery in the U.S. farm economy as uncertainty continues to swirl over the impact of tariffs and trade deals. Shares of the world’s biggest farm machinery maker fell as much as 5.7% in New York as the company’s first profit outlook for 2026 fell short of expectations. The forecast underscores how the agriculture sector remains in the dark even after a U.S. trade agreement resumes crop shipments to China. Farmers have been grappling with President Donald Trump’s tariff policies that squeezed demand and raised costs. While the recent deal with China is raising hopes, there’s still questions on whether the ramp-up of soybean and wheat sales will be enough to shake the US farm economy out of a years-long slump. “Deere’s widely underwhelming 2026 guidance suggests a more severe and prolonged agricultural downturn than we initially anticipated, though it offers clarity on trough earnings this cycle,

Scout Could Be Taking Its American Heritage A Little Too Far

Every car company is taking a slightly different approach when it comes to the sounds of their electric vehicles. Some are hiring famous composers, others are putting mics and amplifiers on the electric motor to pump up its natural vibrations. The reborn Scout is going to be doing something a little more... agricultural. It's heading back to its roots to make each Scout sound like a Scout. That might seem like a good idea, but in this case, its roots mean more than just cars. "All of the sounds inside the vehicle, we want them to feel authentic to us and unique," Scout Chief Design Officer Chris Benjamin told Automotive News at the LA Auto Show. To help make those authentic sounds, Scout has gone to great lengths by traveling to interesting locations across the country. One sound team headed to a farm in Adairville, Kentucky, Benjamin said. There, they put sound equipment in a silo to capture the noises of the farm. Why capture farm sounds? Because the original Scout was built by Int

Alberta farmers hold off on big purchases as crop prices drop — and big U.S. suppliers feel the effects

Faced with falling crop prices and rising costs, many farmers in Western Canada are squeezing as much life as they can out of older equipment — which they say works their fields just as smoothly as the new stuff. For Jason Schultz, the idea of buying vital equipment for his central Alberta farm, such as new tractors and combines, seems decidedly out of reach. “I just can’t make the numbers work,” Schultz said in a recent interview. “I haven’t purchased anything since 2022 and the last big purchase was (in) 2021. “The numbers just don’t pencil at all when you’re talking $400 an hour to run a tractor,” Schultz said, noting he has no plans to buy new machines anytime soon. New combines can often cost nearly $1 million, while tractors can soar upwards of $1.4 million. This frugality is weighing on some of the biggest companies in the industry. Deere & Co., the maker of John Deere tractors and other heavy equipment, said last week its net income dropped nearly 30 per cent to around US$

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service