Anyone hoping Canada had shut the book on BSE in its cattle herd and could someday soon regain “negligible risk” status has been dealt a new setback. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed late Thursday that a beef cow in Alberta is Canada’s 19th home-grown case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the country’s first such case […] Read more
New BSE case halts progress on ‘negligible risk’
Australia tightens rules over foreign buying of farmland
Sydney | Reuters –– Australia tightened rules on Wednesday over foreign ownership of its agricultural land amid concerns that it is losing control of its own food security, slashing the amount beyond which land purchases would require regulatory approval. From March 1, foreign purchases of agricultural land over A$15 million (C$14.51 million) will be subject […] Read more
A+W’s ‘better ingredients’ device yields improved sales
Burger-and-root-beer chain A+W’s bid to differentiate its food in a crowded Canadian market appears to have paid its way in increased sales through 2014. Releasing their year-end results Wednesday, Vancouver-based A+W Revenue Royalties Income Fund and A+W Food Services of Canada reported net income of $5.84 million on $318.37 million in sales from the 790 […] Read more
Ukraine ceasefire may, or may not, weigh on wheat
CNS Canada –– A tentative ceasefire in eastern Ukraine could lead to adjustments in the global grain markets, with softening wheat prices a possibility. Conflict in eastern Ukraine has been an underlying factor in grains and oilseeds markets over the past year, with the uncertainty of the situation providing both bearish and bullish incentives for […] Read more
U.S. West Coast ports undergo partial shutdown
Los Angeles | Reuters –– The 29 ports on the U.S. West Coast were effectively closed to cargo freighters for the second time in less than a week on Thursday under a partial shutdown imposed by shipping lines and terminal operators in an escalating labour dispute with the dockworkers’ union. The loading and unloading of […] Read more
New Zealand declares partial drought, offers farm assistance
Wellington | Reuters — New Zealand has declared a drought in parts of the country’s South Island, offering financial assistance and tax relief to farmers after dry conditions have cut dairy production and increased sheep and beef slaughter rates. The government on Thursday said medium-scale drought conditions were affecting the east coast of the South […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs jump on bargain hunting, cattle firm
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs closed higher on Thursday, fueled by bargain hunting in the technically oversold market, traders said. February, which will expire on Friday, closed 0.725 cent per pound higher at 61.95 cents, and April up 0.675 cent, to 64.5 cents (all figures US$). Before Thursday’s session, hog futures […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans rise on exports; corn, wheat weak
Chicago | Reuters –– Soybean futures firmed Thursday on signs that export demand for U.S. supplies remained robust despite expectations of bumper harvests in Argentina and Brazil, traders said. Wheat and corn futures were weaker, pressured by ample global supplies, but both commodities remained within recent ranges. Soybeans received an additional boost from technical buying […] Read more
Another union serves CP with strike notice
Barring last-minute deals or back-to-work legislation, staff handling locomotive and rail car inspection, maintenance and repair at Canadian Pacific Railway may join the company’s engineers and conductors on strike Sunday. Unifor, which represents about 1,800 CP employees, announced Thursday it served CP late Wednesday night with strike notice for 12:01 a.m. Sunday (Feb. 15), following […] Read more
Regulator clears Brazil agribusiness’ takeover of railway
Brasilia | Reuters — Brazil’s antitrust regulator Cade on Wednesday approved the takeover of the country’s main railway operator America Latina Logistica SA by Cosan Logistica SA, with restrictions to protect against unfair market advantages. The lead Cade investigator on the case, Gilvandro de Araujo, said restrictions on the merger would include guarantees of third-party […] Read more