Friday Coctail a day late and a dollar short. Just like the Canola and pea markets.

[SASKFARMER]

Hey good morning.

Today is a great day to freeze outside. Man its cold but I'm heading back south again this week so see you all at the 40th AG grad reunion in January i think. Not sure yet if flying back have a few things in the fire in Florida.

Came home to look at some land to rent and some to buy. Rent has possibilities that look great and ownership has one ok and two not so good. After a week I'm convinced we own enough and will be sitting this sale out let the guy who moved in from Ontario or the other guy from i think have it. Pay a fortune and drive up our net worth. HAHAHA Can you guess what group they were part of in eastern Canada before heading west.

Any way what are the farm highlights of the week.

Alright stats Canada came out with a doozy a week ago and sunk the battle ship. All last year stats Canada had canola at a massive crop and then when it came into late summer 25 the price spiked up and bins were emptied and crushers were running on fumes in the end.

Who did the massive crop projection help. Farmers, **** no not one farmer made out great, Crushers oh yea they made out like bandits. Then throw in the china Tariff and a few other things and bam a crop that was great turned to shit. Peas are totally done way to go India and Ottawa.

Yes don't get me wrong the crop was better for a lot on the west side. Going from 5 to 8 BPA is awesome on ten years of fert. in the ground with no crops. Yea you should have produced a good one with decent rain. Oh not so far the north and east and Manitoba had some of the lowest production in years. Yes its a Swan River Drought but it just a little different than a Swift Current drought. Either way with less acres and basically an average crop and zero left at end of last year were not that over the edge or short. Yes China isn't buying and i still cant figure how much is getting shipped out to other countries and magically across the ocean it become made from that place and has no tariffs. But Keep the elbows up Canadians it's all to protect a useless EV industry in Eastern Canada that last time i checked hasn't created much more than signs and future projects and Billions lost.

• Canola Rollercoaster Continues: StatsCan's final 2024 numbers clocked production at a record 21.2 million tonnes—up 13% from 2023—but yields dipped in the Prairies due to that relentless drought (think Swan River scorched earth vs. Swift Current's dust bowls). Prices tanked post-harvest, from $800+/tonne highs to sub-$600 lows, hammering farmers while crushers (hello, Bunge and Cargill) stuffed their margins. China tariffs bit harder, slashing exports by ~20%, but sneaky rerouting via Pacific ports (Vietnam, anyone?) is keeping some canola flowing tariff-free. Elbow up, indeed—analysts eye a tighter 2025 supply if acres rebound.
• EV Policy Pushback: Your rant on Eastern Canada's "useless EV industry" lands square—feds just greenlit $15B more for battery plants (à la Northvolt's Quebec gigafactory), but critics (including farmer lobbies) call it a black hole for ag trade leverage. No jobs boom yet; mostly ribbon-cuttings and subsidies. Meanwhile, canola meal's pivoting to U.S. feed markets amid pork demand spikes.
• Bright Spots Amid the Chill: Wheat exports are surging (hello, +10% to Southeast Asia), and Manitoba's east-side recovery (5-8 bu/acre jumps on rested fields) offers hope. Global weather's mixed: Aussie floods could lift barley prices, but El Niño fade means drier Prairies ahead—pray for snowpack.
• As we roll into January, the U.S. government is delivering a timely pre-Christmas gift to farmers in the form of the American Relief Act of 2025—about $10 billion in direct economic assistance to help producers weather low commodity prices and lingering high input costs. This support will likely flow straight to the big fertilizer, chemical, and equipment manufacturers, ensuring they get paid and the ag supply chain hums along without a hitch. It's a smart, pragmatic move that keeps the sector stable amid ongoing headwinds.
• ?China has indeed begun purchasing US soybeans as part of a recent trade agreement, but the volume so far falls short of the full commitment, and the timeline for completion has quietly extended beyond the original end-of-2025 target. Under the deal announced after the Trump-Xi summit in late October 2025, Beijing pledged to buy at least 12 million metric tons (MMT) of US soybeans during November and December 2025, with 25 MMT annually through 2028, in exchange for suspended retaliatory tariffs on US goods. This followed months of stalled trade due to escalating tariffs—China had imposed a 10% duty on US soybeans in March 2025 and halted imports entirely by May, shifting heavily to cheaper Brazilian supplies.
  
  To date, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed only about 2.25 MMT in Chinese purchases for the 2025/26 marketing year (September 2025–August 2026), with recent activity picking up: at least six bulk vessels are loading soybeans at US Gulf Coast terminals through mid-December, and state-owned firms like COFCO have snapped up around 840,000 tons for December-January shipment. Shipments have accelerated post-summit, easing earlier fears of cancellation amid China's domestic glut and Brazil's lower prices, but full confirmation of smaller deals may not hit USDA reports until December 8.
• ?In short, it's not a pipe dream—purchases are underway and gaining momentum—but the February extension underscores the deal's fragility amid global competition and geopolitical flux.?

The "Canadian Dairy Mafia"—that infamous nickname for the tight-knit supply management cartel in the dairy sector—scores another festive win with a timely quota bump and steady prices, letting them crank up output and offload more milk without crashing the market. Meanwhile, out West, grain and canola growers sc**** by on federal cash advances and loan guarantees just to plant next year's crop. What a country—where eastern elites sip subsidized lattes, and prairie farmers pray for rain and relief.?

What a week but at least the tree and palm tree are decorated plus the house down south.

Its time for a drink and oh if you have other stories i missed add them.

?????? Hot Buttered Rum


A classic winter warmer that feels like a cozy hug in a mug – rich, spiced, and perfect for a cold December day.

Ingredients (for 1 serving)

• 2 oz (60 ml) dark or spiced rum
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened)
• 1–2 teaspoons brown sugar (or maple syrup)
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Tiny pinch of ground cloves (optional)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6–8 oz (180–240 ml) boiling water
• Cinnamon stick & star anise for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. In a heatproof mug or Irish coffee glass, add the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla.
2. Pour in the rum.
3. Top with boiling water and stir vigorously until the butter melts and everything dissolves into a creamy, frothy drink.
4. Taste and adjust sweetness or spice if needed.
5. Garnish with a cinnamon stick (great for stirring) and a star anise if you’re feeling fancy.

Pro tips

• For an extra-decadent version, make a “batter” ahead: cream 1 stick butter + 1 cup brown sugar + spices, then scoop 1–2 tbsp per drink.
• Non-alcoholic version: skip the rum, add a splash more vanilla and a dash of rum extract.

Stay warm!

Or have a gummy or just miss adding the rum and add rum butter flavour!

Take care!
?

[SASKFARMER]

Ah enjoy I just made one at the farm but I’m also not driving.