Feed Barley Prices Still Historically High, but Facing Headwinds

Apr 06, 2023

Western Canadian feed barley bids remain historically strong, despite easing off their highs over the past month and trending lower.

With bids of around C$410/tonne into the Lethbridge feedlot alley, feed barley “is still a sell,” analyst Mike Jubinville of MarketsFarm said as part of a webinar. However, he cautioned the barley market continues to face headwinds, including the availability of American corn.

The feedlot industry on this side of the border has become much more comfortable importing corn from the US, he said, with the relative convenience of bringing up a trainload of American corn compared to contracting hundreds of trucks of local barley helping to keep corn in feed rations even as the price spread shifts. The preference is still for barley, but if the economic opportunity of bringing in corn by rail is there, the feedlots will continue to take it, he said.

On the export front, Canada remains very price competitive shipping barley to China, but that could easily change, Jubinville said. A trade dispute between Australia and China is keeping Australian barley out of the Chinese market for the time being, but talks between the two countries could change that, he said.

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Video: Agriculture Secretary Rollins Speaks at American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim

One of the highlights at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim, California, was an address by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. During her remarks, she thanked America’s farmers and ranchers and said the Trump Administration is fully aware that food security is national security.

She also acknowledged the challenging times in Farm Country with low commodity prices and high input costs and said that’s why the President stepped in to help with the recent Bridge Assistance Program.

Montana Farm Bureau Federation Executive Vice President Scott Kulbeck says that Farm Bureau members are appreciative of the help and looks forward to working with the American Farm Bureau Federation and its presence in Washington, DC to keep farmers and ranchers in business.

Secretary Rollins said the Trump Administration is also committed to helping ranchers build back America’s cattle herd while also providing more high-quality U.S. beef at the meat case for consumers.

And she also announced more assistance for specialty crop producers who only received a fraction of the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA).

It’s important to note that producers who qualify for Farmer Bridge Assistance can expect the Farm Service Agency to start issuing payments in late February. For more information, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center.