Farm product prices, March 2025

Monthly provincial prices received by farmers in March for grains, oilseeds, specialty crops, cattle, hogs, poultry, eggs and dairy products are now available.

In March, slaughter cattle price movements varied across the provinces compared with the previous month. Saskatchewan (+2.0%), Manitoba (+1.7%), British Columbia (+1.1%) and Alberta (+0.4%) reported price increases. The remaining provinces posted price decreases, which ranged from 1.1% in Prince Edward Island to 4.5% in Ontario. Year over year, slaughter cattle price was at least 13.5% higher in all provinces in March 2025. The tight supplies of cattle supported prices.

Monthly feeder cattle prices fell in every province in March except Alberta (+6.7%), Saskatchewan (+0.8%) and British Columbia (+0.7%). The declines ranged from 0.2% in Manitoba to 8.4% in the Atlantic provinces. On a year-over-year basis, feed cattle prices increased in all provinces by at least 13.5% in March.

Compared with February, slaughter hog prices grew in most provinces in March, led by Nova Scotia (+6.4%). Prince Edward Island (-0.5%) and Quebec (-0.5%) were the only two provinces to post a price decrease.

Following a monthly price increase across the Prairie provinces in February, canola prices continued to rise in Alberta (+1.0%) in March, but they decreased in Saskatchewan (-0.2%) and were essentially unchanged in Manitoba. While tightening domestic supply supported canola prices, the 100% tariff imposed by China on Canadian canola oil and meal and trade policy uncertainty in the United States put downward pressure on canola prices.

Similarly, a 100% import tariff by China on dry peas put downward pressure on Canadian dry pea prices. China is Canada's top importer of dry peas. Prices for dry peas decreased across all western provinces in March compared with February, led by Alberta (-5.8%).