Corn Futures:
Mar up 8.6 to 6.38.2
May up 7.6 to 6.41.2

Soybean Futures:
Mar up 1.2 to 12.72.2
May up 1.6 to 12.78.6

Wheat Futures:
Mar up 11.4 to 6.44.4
May up 9 to 6.45.6

Oat Futures:
Mar down 1.2 to 3.19.2
May up 3.12.2Local grain quotes from London Agricultural Commodities:
OLD CROP CORN = 40 under MAR at 5.98 /BU
2012 CROP CORN = 65 under DEC at 5.00 /BUOLD CROP SOYBEANS = 57 under MAR at 12.15 /BU
2012 CROP SOYBEANS = 76 under NOV at 11.88 /BUOLD CROP SOFT WHITE WINTER WHEAT = 10 under MAR at 6.35 /BU
NEW CROP SOFT WHITE WINTER WHEAT = 40 under at 6.20/BUOLD CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = 15 under MAR at 6.30 /BU
2012 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = 40 under JUL at 6.20/BU -> FROM DAUPHIN FEED AND SUPPLY, THE 48% SOYBEAN MEAL QUOTE, F-O-B HAMILTON = $385/tonne

-> CLOSING LOCAL GRAIN PRICES FROM SNOBELIN FARMS:

2011 CROP CORN = up 9 to 5.98/BU
2012 CROP CORN = up 1 to 5.00/BU

2011 CROP SOYS = up 1 to 6.30/BU
2012 CROP SOYS = up 2 to 11.89/BU

2011 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = up 11 to 6.30/BU
2012 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT =up 8 to 6.20/BUOntario Pork Reports:The U-S CME price = 87.11 U-S per hundredweight, dressed weight.
That’s up 30 centsTuesday 100% formula price = 156.95 per hundred kilograms, dressed weight.
That’s up 1.03Quebec’s average price on Tuesday
was 162.39 per hundred kilograms, dressed weight, 100 index.The opening lean hog futures price in Chicago for June
is 99.40
That’s up 5 cents

Starting immediately, Peru is allowing Canadian cattle imports.

Between Canada Beef and the Livestock Genetics Association, they estimate the Peru market will be worth about 2.5 million dollars for 2012.

All cattle born after August 1 of 2007 will be allowed to be shipped with the majority of that expected to be dairy genetics.

Police say the thieves likely backed up a vehicle with a tank on it, helped themselves to 100 litres of diesel from the tank sitting behind a hog barn, and took off.

Anyone with bulk tanks of fuel are being reminded to lock them up and if you see anything suspicious on your farm or a neighbour’s, take the license plate down and call police.

Ontario Federation of Agriculture President Mark Wales

By Mark Wales, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Ontario farmers have identified regulatory burdens as a major obstacle to the success of farming and agri-food businesses. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) has long advocated for regulatory modernization and has been fortunate to work with the government of Ontario on the Open for Business initiative to modernize regulations for the past two years.

The Ontario government asked OFA to lead agriculture and agri-food consultations on regulatory reform through the Open for Business process. We were pleased to be asked to represent farmers, agricultural input suppliers and food processors in a review of existing regulations that were outdated, inconsistent or over-reach the legislative intent. And we’ve been making progress. The Open for Business initiative enabled OFA to present the top five regulatory issues, along with recommendations for modernizations that would benefit the industry. We’ve made some good progress with submissions on regulatory issues including farmland property tax, source water protection, farmland drainage, species at risk and livestock predation.

Our successes are just the beginning. As OFA’s work on Open for Business continues, we want to know how this process can help our members directly. We’d like to hear from all our members and ask that you share with us which regulations get in the way of your farm business. This process enables OFA to directly speak on behalf of our members, and if we can help reduce regulatory red tape, outdated or inconsistent regulations, then we can help impact the way we all do business.

While the Open for Business initiative is new to our industry in Ontario, it’s not unique. A parallel process is being undertaken by the federal government called the Red Tape Reduction Commission. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is also in the process of reviewing its regulations as a separate initiative from the Red Tape Reduction Commission. These new developments clearly demonstrate that the concept of regulatory reform has been widely embraced. OFA is pleased to see both levels of government open to industry input and committed to enabling businesses in our agri-food industry to operate as effective and efficiently as possible.

I encourage all our OFA members to contact us about the regulations you want reformed by emailing your suggestions to regs@ofa.on.ca. We’ll be sure to take your recommendations directly to the Open for Business consultations and ensure we’re speaking for you as Ontario‘s voice of agriculture.

Corn Futures:
Mar down 12. 2 to 6.29.4
May down 11. 6 to 6.33.4

Soybean Futures:
Mar up .4 to 12.68
May up .2 to 12.74

Wheat Futures:
Mar down 11 to 6.33
May down 11 to 6.36.6

Oat Futures:
Mar down 3.2 to 3.20.4
May down 3 to 3.17.2Local Grain Quotes from Agris inThamesville: FEB CORN = 39 under at 5.90/BU
NOVEMBER CORN = 65 under at 4.99/BUFEB SOYBEANS = 53 under at 12.18/BU
OCTOBER SOYBEANS = 78 under at 11.84/BUMARCH SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = 15 under at 6.18/BU
JULY SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = 42 under at 6.09/BU

-> CLOSING LOCAL GRAIN PRICES FROM SNOBELIN FARMS:

2011 CROP CORN = down 12 to 5.90/BU
2012 CROP CORN = down 4 to 4.99/BU

2011 CROP SOYS = up 3 to 12.16/BU
2012 CROP SOYS = unchanged at 11.82/BU

2011 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = down 11 to 6.18/BU
2012 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT =down 8 to 6.12/BUOntario Pork Reports:The U-S CME price = 86.81 U-S per hundredweight, dressed weight.
That’s down 31 centsMonday’s 100% formula price = 155.92 per hundred kilograms, dressed weight.
That’s down 1.29Quebec’s average price on Monday
was 162.18 per hundred kilograms, dressed weight, 100 index.The opening lean hog futures price in Chicago for June
is 99.27.5
That’s down 10 cents

Junior Farmers alumni Barclay Nap says it’s part of a province wide resurgence in which they are seeing a number of of once moth-balled groups make a come back.

For anyone interested in being a part of the Perth Junior Farmers, whether you are from Perth County or not, there will be several information nights in the coming weeks.

Oneis at the Elma Public School in Atwood at 8p on February 21 and there will be one at St Pauls Optimist Hall also at 8p on Thursday, February 23.

For more information you can find a Perth Junior Farmers Group on Facebook.

Seeded acreage of soybeans in Canada is expected to rise about 8 percent, while total production is actually forecast to fall because of a return to trend yields.

Corn is going to get more acres as well, likely about 5 percent more.

Agriculture Canada says a big piece of that is the very few acres of winter wheat.

As for price outlooks, Agriculture Canada is expecting soybean prices to hold steady on lower world production, with corn seeing a little bit of price pressue on some big production numbers in the US.

Long time General Manager John Clement is taking a different chair, becoming the new manager of communication and research.

A release from the organization says the change is to better serve membership and stakeholders.

It also says that Clement will be away from the office for a few weeks, but gives no details.

Meanwhile Nathan Stevens will take a leadership role as Interim Manager.

Stevens has been with the organization five years working on the policy front, and will continue to do so while also leading the entire staff team.

Corn Futures:
Mar up 5.4 to 6.41.6
May up 5.4 to 6.45.2

Soybean Futures:
Mar up 9.2 to 12.67.4
May up 8.6 to 12.73.6

Wheat Futures:
Mar up 15.2 to 6.44
May up 12.6 to 6.48

Oat Futures:
Mar down .6 to 3.23.6
May up .2 to 3.18.2

Local Grain: From Thompson’s at Black’s Lane;OLD CROP CORN = 40 under MAR at 6.02/BU
2012 CROP CORN = 65 under DEC at 5.03/BU

OLD CROP SOYS = 55 under MAR at 12.13/BU
2012 CROP SOYS = 80 under NOV at 11.82/BU

2011 CROP SOFT WHITE WINTER WHEAT = 10 under MAR at 6.34/BU
2012 CROP SOFT WHITE WINTER WHEAT = even with JUL at 6.60/BU2011 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = 15 under MAR at 6.29/BU
2012 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT =40 under JUL at 6.20/BU

-> FROM DAUPHIN FEED AND SUPPLY, THE 48% SOYBEAN MEAL QUOTE, F-O-B HAMILTON = 385/tonne

-> CLOSING LOCAL GRAIN PRICES FROM SNOBELIN FARMS:2011 CROP CORN = up 5 to 6.02/BU
2012 CROP CORN = unchanged at 5.03/BU

2011 CROP SOYS = up 9 at 12.13/BU
2012 CROP SOYS = up 6 to 11.80/BU

2011 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = up 15 to 6.34/BU
2012 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = up 12 to 6.60/BUOntario Pork Reports:The U-S CME price = 87.08 U-S per hundredweight, dressed weight.
That’s down 2 cents

Thursday 100% formula price = 157.01 per hundred kilograms, dressed weight.
That’s down 8 centsQuebec’s average price on Thursday = 163.11 per hundred kilograms, dressed weight, 100 index.The opening lean hog futures price in Chicago for June
is 99.17.5
That’s down 27.5For the week of: February 5Average total value price = 181.29/ckg DWTotal hogs sold = 91 308

Families are invited to attend Petits Chefs Academy in Vaughan, located right across from Wonderland, to cook along side a professional chef.

Parents with children up to 17 years of age can take part, and will also get the chance to talk with two Vaughan area farmers about their farms and the food they grow.

You can visit the Farmers Feed Cities website for more information.