Chicago | Reuters –– CME Group briefly halted electronic trading in U.S. wheat futures overnight on Thursday, after prices sank 1.6 per cent in one second as concerns about Russian export curbs roiled the market. The 10-second pause represented only the fourth time this year that the world’s largest futures exchange operator has interrupted trading […] Read more
CME Group imposes rare halt on wheat futures trading
Ont. to allow land application of greenhouse feedwater
Spent nutrient solutions from Ontario’s commercial greenhouses will be made more easily available to crop growers for land application starting in 2015 under a new provincial regulatory framework. Greenhouse growers in the province are already required by law to safely dispose of the greenhouse nutrient feedwater (GNF) after it’s been used, circulated and reused to […] Read more
Recent mild spell seen hurting Prairie winter wheat
CNS Canada — Recent milder weather seen in Western Canada was unfavourable for winter wheat crops and has left the crops more vulnerable to winterkill. “The major impact is that it melted some of the snow cover that the winter wheat had, and in a lot of cases now some of those fields are bare,” […] Read more
CBOT weekly: Chinese demand weighs on corn, soy
CNS Canada — As the price of oil falls and wheat surges in price due to volatility in Russia, investors in corn and soybean markets are looking to China for near-term direction just days before the calendar year comes to an end. Corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade finished higher during the week […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola gains outpacing U.S. market
CNS Canada — The ICE Futures Canada canola market moved higher during the week ended Wednesday, despite losses seen in the Chicago soybean market, which normally drives canola. “It’s good sturdy firmness, but I don’t know if there’s anything special behind it,” said Ken Ball of PI Financial in Winnipeg. “Traders tend to trade canola […] Read more
Dreyfus’ Yorkton canola crush plant status still unclear
CNS Canada — Questions linger over the status of Louis Dreyfus Commodities’ canola crushing plant at Yorkton, Sask., which was forced to halt operations in late October due to an explosion at a meal storage facility. The plant has reportedly been back in operation since the beginning of December, but the company will not confirm […] Read more
USDA to issue long-term crop data early in bid to be more timely
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will issue some of its 10-year supply-demand projections for major U.S. crops and livestock two months early on Thursday to provide more current information to global commodity traders, a USDA economist said on Wednesday. “The projections are more timely now than when the complete report is […] Read more
China approves Viptera corn, two types of soybeans
Chicago | Reuters –– A top Chinese government official said the country has approved imports of genetically modified Agrisure Viptera corn and two varieties of biotech soybeans after years of review, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday. Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang said imports of Viptera corn, known as MIR 162, had been approved by […] Read more
Normalized relations with Cuba seen positive for U.S. agriculture
Chicago | Reuters — The normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba is an “important opportunity” for U.S. agriculture that will make exports of U.S. farm goods cheaper, easier and less time consuming for shippers, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday. President Barack Obama announced on Wednesday that the U.S. plans […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle extend limit-down string to fifth day
Chicago | Reuters — Thinly traded Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures settled down their three cents per pound daily price limit for a fifth straight day on Wednesday, led by the recent plunge in cash feeder cattle prices, traders said. January and March closed at 216.6 cents and 212.25 cents, respectively (all figures US$). […] Read more