San Francisco | Reuters — A Pacific storm lashed drought-parched northern and central California on Thursday with heavy rain and high winds, knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes, disrupting flights, washing out roads and prompting school closures in the Bay Area. Nearly 240 departing and incoming commercial flights had been canceled at […] Read more
Major storm hits drought-stricken California
U.S. grains: Wheat rallies late, ends up on fund buying
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rallied 2.6 per cent on Thursday, ending a choppy trading session with a late-day surge on short-covering and fund buying amid talk of a slowdown in exports from Russia. Corn futures rose to a one-month high on strong export sales and technical buying, but prices closed below their […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle future tumble three-cent limit
Chicago | Reuters — Thinly traded Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures closed down their three cents per pound maximum daily price limit Thursday on sell stops and deferred-month live cattle market selling, traders said. The day’s corn price gains hastened CME feeder cattle losses. Traders cited the exchange’s slipping feeder cattle index, which reflected […] Read more
Que. complying with, appealing AIT ruling on edible oil products
Quebec has amended its rules on sales of vegetable oil-based dairy products, but is still appealing the ruling that led to the amendments, the Saskatchewan government reports. Amendments to Quebec’s Food Products Act last week have loosened laws that have effectively banned sales in Quebec of edible oil dairy substitutes, such as some margarines and […] Read more
Avian flu arrives on more B.C. poultry farms
Federal officials monitoring avian flu outbreaks in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley aren’t surprised to have confirmed another three, maybe four, infected properties. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in a statement Wednesday, two more farms — both close to the initial pair of farms confirmed last week with high-pathogenicity H5N2 avian flu — have […] Read more
Poland’s top court says ban on kosher slaughter unconstitutional
Warsaw | Reuters — Poland’s top court ruled Wednesday a ban on traditional Jewish slaughter methods was unconstitutional, bringing relief to Jews in a country scarred by Nazi Germany’s Holocaust. A previous 2012 court verdict had effectively banned Jewish production of kosher meat, backing animal rights groups who said it was cruel to kill animals […] Read more
Deere chain Cervus buys two Alta. dealerships
Two John Deere farm equipment dealerships in southern Alberta are set to become part of Deere dealer chain Cervus Equipment. Cervus announced Wednesday it’s bought the assets of Deer-Country Equipment, which owns and operates Deere dealerships at Vulcan and High River. The deal “represents a strategic opportunity for Cervus to expand our western Canadian presence […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle, hogs end mixed after volatile session
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed mixed after choppy action on Wednesday as investors searched for clear fundamental direction, traders said. December live cattle closed up 0.075 cent per pound at 162.475 cents, and February was down 0.2 cent, to 162.85 cents (all figures US$). Prices for market-ready (cash) cattle […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans fall in profit-taking despite smaller USDA stocks outlook
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. soybeans fell more than one per cent on Wednesday, reversing a one-month high in a profit-taking sell-off following a U.S. Department of Agriculture report that showed smaller-than-expected ending stocks of beans. Corn and wheat futures also eased at the Chicago Board of Trade, with corn hitting session lows in the […] Read more
USDA cuts U.S. corn, soy stocks view on demand hikes
Washington/Chicago | Reuters — Strong demand for U.S corn and soybeans will cut into the abundant domestic supply stockpile by more than expected, according to government data released on Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s outlook for tighter corn and soy supplies, issued in a monthly crop report, surprised analysts who expected an increase in […] Read more