Paris | Reuters — A bird flu virus found in India this week is the H5N1 strain that can be transmitted to humans, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) said Thursday. However, the organization said it was not concerned about the situation, because India had faced outbreaks of the virus before. No human case […] Read more
Bird flu outbreak in India caused by strain humans can contract
French farmers cry wolf over sheep killings
Paris | Reuters — French farmers, who regularly bring livestock into Paris to punctuate their protests, drove some 250 sheep into the shadow of the Eiffel Tower on Thursday to highlight an unusual concern — that a growing wolf population is killing their flocks. Wolves were reintroduced to France in the 1990s under an international […] Read more
Russia may consider floating tariff on grain exports as last resort
Moscow | Reuters — Russia, a key wheat exporter to North Africa and the Middle East, may consider imposing a floating tariff on grain exports as a measure of last resort to defend the domestic market in 2015, its deputy agriculture minister said Thursday. Russia shocked grain markets in 2010 when it banned grain exports […] Read more
Hi-Pro buying, shutting Lethbridge feed mill
The livestock feed business in southern Alberta is set for consolidation as feed miller Hi-Pro Feeds moves to buy, then close, a fellow feed mill. Hi-Pro, the former feed milling business of grain handler Viterra, announced Wednesday it’s bought New-Life Mills’ Lethbridge feed plant for an undisclosed sum, will hire three New-Life employees and will […] Read more
Deere sees equipment sales falling further as farm incomes drop
Reuters — Deere and Co. said it expected equipment sales to fall further as lower grain prices discourage farmers from buying tractors, harvesters and other machinery. Shares of the world’s largest farm equipment maker fell as much as four per cent in premarket trading Wednesday. Deere’s sales have been hit as bumper corn harvests drive […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola to hit major resistance at C$440
CNS Canada — Canola futures were holding relatively steady during the week ended Wednesday, and are expected to continue in a rangebound pattern this winter. The March future is likely to find major resistance at the $440 per tonne level over the next month or so, said Jerry Klassen, manager for Swiss-based GAP SA Grains […] Read more
Corn, soy chop around waiting for harvest to conclude
CNS Canada — ICE soybeans finished higher for the week ended Wednesday on volatile trade as demand for supplies outweighed concerns over the growing potential of the crop in South America. Traders will likely square positions and look for bargains during the next week of trading on the corn and soybean market, according to a […] Read more
Ontario’s curbs on neonics may protect bees but diminish crops
Winnipeg | Reuters –– Ontario’s move to protect bees by reducing use of a pesticide seed treatment may diminish corn and soybean production, seed companies said on Wednesday. Beekeepers welcomed the move by Ontario, the first North American government to curb use of seed treated with neonicotinoids, which are used to kill insects that harm […] Read more
Record-heavy U.S. cattle won’t ground sky-high beef prices
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle are hitting record weights and the heavier trend should continue next year, but beef production will still fall short of demand and keep prices high, industry experts said. Breeding bigger cattle is the only way to raise domestic beef supplies while ranchers struggle to rebuild the national herd, which is […] Read more
Condo seller to tap China’s edible oil demand
Winnipeg | Reuters — A Canadian company better known for selling condominiums has walked into a $1 billion deal to ship edible oil to China as consumer demand there overtakes domestic supplies. Fengguan Edible Oil Ltd. Co., a Chinese producer of oil from rapeseed, contacted Toronto-based LeMine Investment Group this year about securing canola oil, […] Read more