Chicago | Reuters — A case of bird flu confirmed Wednesday in the heart of America’s poultry region, is certain to mean more export restrictions, increasing U.S. supply and likely forcing the world’s biggest poultry companies to trim prices. The U.S. government announced the infection of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian flu in turkeys in Arkansas […] Read more
U.S. exports at risk as bird flu enters heart of poultry country
KFC faces pressure after McDonald’s says no antibiotics in chicken
Los Angeles/Chicago | Reuters — KFC, the world’s largest chain of fried chicken restaurants, may face pressure from consumer and environmental groups to change how its poultry are raised after McDonald’s said it would switch to chicken raised without human antibiotics. McDonald’s will phase out chicken raised with antibiotics that are important to human health […] Read more
Mutating H7N9 bird flu may pose pandemic threat, scientists warn
London | Reuters –– A wave of H7N9 bird flu in China that has spread into people may have the potential to emerge as a pandemic strain in humans, scientists said Wednesday. The H7N9 virus, one of several strains of bird flu known to be able to infect humans, has persisted, diversified and spread in […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola’s trading range moving higher
CNS Canada — The ICE Futures Canada canola market was stronger during the week ended Wednesday, and is expected to stay in a higher trading range going forward. “For the front month May, C$448 per tonne is the support area. And right now we’re more than $20 above that,” said Errol Anderson of ProMarket Communications […] Read more
CBOT weekly: Bullish U.S. dollar seen pinning grain futures
CNS Canada — Chicago Board of Trade corn and soybean futures remained largely unchanged over the past week but a bullish U.S. dollar, currently outperforming many of the world’s other currencies, will keep the long-term bias pointed lower, according to a U.S. analyst. “We’re going to need a weather event, we’re going to need a […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat rises to one-week high on dry U.S. Plains
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rose 1.2 per cent to a one-week high on Wednesday, extending four-day gains to nearly four per cent on short-covering and concerns about dry weather in U.S. growing regions. Corn and soybeans also firmed, although renewed strength in the dollar capped rallies. At the Chicago Board of Trade, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hog futures slump on strong dollar, bird flu woes
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell three per cent Wednesday, with deferred contracts making new lows, on the strong dollar and bird flu in Arkansas, traders said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday confirmed the case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial turkey flock in Arkansas. Investors […] Read more
Movement restrictions lifted on B.C. birds
British Columbia’s poultry producers no longer need federal permits to move their wares in the province. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed Wednesday it has removed its avian influenza primary control zone (PCZ) — a zone which had covered the entire southern half of B.C., including Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands. CFIA in […] Read more
H5N2 avian flu spreads down Mississippi flyway
Two more states whose migrating birds’ flight paths cross over much of the Prairies and Ontario now have outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian flu in commercial turkeys. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Tuesday expanded its restrictions on cross-border imports of U.S. birds, eggs and uncooked poultry products to include those from Missouri. The […] Read more
Red varieties driving lentil acreage increase
CNS Canada — As Canada’s remaining old-crop lentils shuffle off to buyers overseas, interest is building in the potential for new crop in 2015. Chuck Penner of LeftField Commodity Research in Winnipeg said he expects more acres will be planted this spring as a result of the strong interest. “Oh, there’ll definitely be more; the […] Read more