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BMO underscores trends affecting Canadian agriculture

The Bank of Montreal has published an in-depth analysis of nine key trends. Here’s a topline of several economic indicators and what to expect in 2025.

The world economy is holding up. Economic growth in the U.S. has continued to exceed expectations, allaying earlier fears about the possibility of a Fed-induced recession. Brisk growth south of the border is acting as a crucial pillar of support for the global economy, given the loss of momentum in Japan, Europe, Canada and even China. Interest rates are still relatively high in most countries, but global growth appears on track to accelerate slightly in 2025 as long as geopolitical and trade risks don’t spiral.

The low-flying loonie. The weak Canadian dollar is acting as a broad support for domestic agricultural prices, which would likely be around 10 per cent lower under a more neutral exchange rate. The flip side, however, is that imported inputs are also costlier. 

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Crop duster agplane flying action Conger Minnesota Air Tractor Bell 206 Jet Ranger Airailimages

Video: Crop duster agplane flying action Conger Minnesota Air Tractor Bell 206 Jet Ranger Airailimages

It's summertime in Minnesota as a yellow Air Tractor agricultural application aircraft -- a crop duster -- responds to the control inputs of its pilot in a low-altitude dance just above the tops of the cornstalks. Enjoy! And we found a Bell 206 Long Ranger spray helicopter perched on a support truck at the edge of the cornfields, and launching from there. In our video, you can occasionally hear the rotor sounds of the crop-dusting helicopter as we see the yellow Air Tractor in a nearby field.