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

Alberta Rural Municipalities Pushing For Raw Milk

The Rural Municipalities of Alberta have voted to push for changes to Canada’s raw milk laws. At this week’s convention, two-thirds of Alberta towns and counties backed a resolution from the MD of Greenview calling on Ottawa to allow on-farm sales of unpasteurized dairy under strict conditions. Supporters say modern safety practices—like closed milking systems, refrigeration, and microbial testing—can reduce health risks. They point to European models where raw milk is legal with producer registration, labelling, and traceability. Right now, raw milk sales are banned in Canada, driving an underground market. Advocates argue a regulated system would give consumers choice and help rural economies thrive. Alberta’s agriculture department opposes the move.

Water driven yield potential technology aims to improve ROI for producers

Water is one of the most important inputs in agriculture, and is often the most significant factor limiting crop yield, particularly in dryland farming. Working with EMILI at Innovation Farms powered by AgExpert during the 2025 season allowed Crop Intelligence to fine-tune its Dryland Farming Ultra Package to help producers better understand their water driven yield potential (WDYP). Dryland Farming Ultra is a hardware and software solution that allows farmers and agronomists to monitor the total available water for their crop, and use that information to make informed decisions on overall crop agronomy. Often, producers use soil tests and tissue tests and base agronomy decisions on these results. Crop Intelligence allows producers to take it one step further to measure how much can be grown based on the total amount of water available. “I think there are a lot of assumptions in any given year about how much can be grown, but without actually measuring it, it’s impossible to know whe

This is agriculture: Third-generation Manitoba grain farmer

Rick Rutherford is a third-generation farmer whose deep passion for agriculture has led to local and international partnerships focused on advancing innovation and supporting the next generation of farmers. Rutherford is the first producer EMILI partnered with when launching Innovation Farms powered by AgExpert in 2022. Locating the first Innovation Farms on Rutherford’s 5,500-acre seed farm in Grosse Isle, Manitoba has allowed EMILI to provide innovators with access to leading-edge equipment, technology, and production practices to increase productivity, sustainability, and profitability across the agriculture and agri-food sector. Rutherford Farms has hosted Harvest on the Crescent since 2021. Each year a different crop grows on Wellington Crescent while raising money for Harvest Manitoba. Over the past five years this initiative has raised thousands.  Describe your job in one sentence. I am a third-generation farmer operating a pedigreed seed and commercial grain farm located in

John Deere defending against misinformation again

A video circulating online indicates the manufacturer is leaving Canada

Border restrictions in place due to U.S. vesicular stomatitis outbreak

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced temporary import restrictions on horses, swine, and ruminants — including cattle — from certain U.S. states following an outbreak of vesicular stomatitis (VS). Importation of these animals from affected states is currently suspended until further notice. Canadian-origin animals that have been in a VS-affected state within the past 21 days will also be denied re-entry to Canada, except under very limited circumstances. To return to Canada, animals must have been moved to a non-affected state, remained there for at least 21 days, and be certified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as originating from areas free of clinical or epidemiological evidence of VS during that period. Producers and transporters are encouraged to avoid travel through VS-affected states whenever possible. If transit through these areas is unavoidable, shippers must complete a supplementary declaration upon arrival at a Canadian port of entry.

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service