PRAIRIE ROUTES
NEWS

Good morning, hoping everyone is having a successful harvest season.

⛅️ It appears the rain is mostly behind us here in the West, for now anyways. Some rain systems traveling North of Edmonton and in the East near Toronto/Ottawa area.

MARKET PULSE

Commodity Market Update

Energy

• WTI Crude (Oct ’25): $63.6/bbl — steady, capped by oversupply fears.

• Brent Crude (Oct ’25): $66.6/bbl — range-bound, no breakout yet.

• Nat Gas (Oct ’25): $3.15/MMBtu — seasonal demand firming.

• Nat Gas (Nov ’25): $3.40/MMBtu — stronger winter curve.

Metals

• Gold (Oct ’25): $3,651/oz — strong safe-haven bid.

• Gold (Nov ’25): $3,667/oz — curve premium intact.

Grains & Oilseeds

• Soybeans (Nov ’25): $10.12/bu — light bounce, exports in focus.

• Canola (Nov ’25): C$617.6/tonne — steady, but trade headwinds limit upside.

Livestock

• Live Cattle (Oct ’25): $235.6/cwt — softer cash tone.

• Feeder Cattle (Nov ’25): $360.8/cwt — consolidating.

• Lean Hogs (Oct ’25): $97.4/cwt — holding firmer.

🔍 Takeaways

• Crude: Still a range trade until supply headlines shift.

• Gold: Momentum intact on rate-cut bets.

• Row crops: Beans/canola steady but capped by weak demand.

• Livestock: Tracking cash and wholesale markets, not feed costs.

Not financial advice.
Data sources: APnews.com, Morningstar.com, MarketWatch.com, Exchange-rates.org, Agriculture.com, YahooFinance.com, Barchart.com 

TRENDS

📈 The Bulls and 📉 The Bears

📈 Bullish Trends

• China Snaps Up Argentine Soybeans

  After Argentina suspended its 26% grain export tax, Chinese buyers moved quickly—locking in at least 10 cargoes of Argentine soybeans. This has diverted demand away from U.S. supplies, putting a bullish overlay on global soybean markets. 

• Canola Export Capacity Expands in Canada

  DP World has brought into full operation a transload facility in British Columbia capable of handling an extra 1 million metric tons/year of canola oil. That infrastructure upgrade could help Canadian canola gain export traction despite tariff headwinds. 

📉 Bearish Trends

• China Switches to Australian Canola

  China’s state trading firm COFCO contracted up to nine cargoes of Australian canola, effectively bypassing Canadian exports amid the ongoing 75.8% anti-dumping duty. That’s a major shift in trade flows. 

• U.S. Loses Out on Soybean Sales

  China has yet to purchase U.S. soybeans this season, with trade tensions and Argentina’s tax-free competition sidelining U.S. farmers. The USDA is expected to cut its export forecast accordingly. 

Want to Sell More Meat and Grain—Profitably?

Prairie Routes connects family farms with seasoned experts for 1-on-1 coaching tailored to your business. Whether you’re looking to grow your market, boost margins, or streamline sales, we’re here to help.

Book your free consult today and see how we can help your farm thrive.

INCASE YOU MISSED IT

Quick Hits on Policy and Relevant News

🔥 Smoke From Wildfires May Boost Canola Flowers In a surprising twist, heavy wildfire smoke in Western Canada during July cooled and shaded canola blooms, reportedly reducing blossom stress and increasing pod set per plant. Scientists caution the positive effect depends heavily on timing and intensity. reuters.com

🇨🇦🇨🇳 PM Carney Sees ‘Constructive’ Trade Talks with China Amid ongoing tensions over canola tariffs, Canada’s prime minister described recent meetings with Chinese leadership as “constructive,” leaving room for negotiation to resolve the agricultural trade standoff. reuters.com

🌾 Durum Quality Taking a Hit From Rain Early samples of Canada’s 2025 durum crop show damage—sprouting and mildew—due to excess moisture in eastern prairie fields. While yields may hold, grading and premiums are at risk. reuters.com

🤝 USMCA Public Consultations Kick Off in Canada From Sept 20 to Nov 3, Canada is opening public input for the US–Mexico–Canada trade agreement’s upcoming review. Farmers, processors, and stakeholders can submit views on how CUSMA should evolve. reuters.com

🏛️ FPT Ministers Pledge Support Amid Tariff Stress At the federal–provincial agriculture summit, ministers acknowledged dry conditions, wildfire impacts, and trade turbulence. They committed to bolstering market access, infrastructure, and regulatory support for producers. canada.ca

🧐 Canola Support Package Gets Mixed Reviews Ottawa’s new support measures—$370 million in biofuel incentives, procurement pipelines, and regulatory fixes—are being greeted by the canola sector with cautious optimism. Some say it’s not enough to offset lost export markets. producer.com

🏦 Ontario + Canada Invest $4.77M in Agri-Food Research This week, federal and provincial governments announced funding for 48 agri-food innovation projects in Ontario—covering robotics, AI diagnostics, grape yield tech, and safer poultry production. A boost amid uncertain global headwinds. canada.ca