Reuters — Monsanto, the world’s largest seed company, and its brethren of global biotech crop developers are spreading the word that as far as the safety of their genetically modified grain goes, the science is solidly on their side. The message of “settled” science has become the rallying cry for defenders of the crops and […] Read more
GMO battles over ‘settled’ science spur new study of crops
U.S. Midwest cold spell may hinder wheat growth, meteorologist says
Chicago | Reuters — A cold spell arriving in the U.S. Midwest this week will probably stall the emergence and growth of late-seeded soft red winter wheat, a meteorologist said Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to fall to 15 to 20 F (-9 to -7 C) this week in Missouri and Illinois, the two states where […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans surge on soymeal demand
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures surged nearly four per cent on Tuesday on strength in the cash market as slow country movement and heavy export commitments left soy processors scrambling for supplies, despite a record U.S. harvest. Corn and wheat also rose but trailed the gains in the soy complex. At the Chicago […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs futures end higher with pork prices
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs closed higher on Tuesday in response to the morning’s wholesale pork price bounce, traders said. December and February closed up 0.35 cent per pound at 89.9 cents and 89.45 cents, respectively (all figures US$). Tuesday morning’s wholesale pork price jumped $2.97 per hundredweight (cwt) from Monday […] Read more
Prairie spring wheat bids soften
CNS Canada — Average cash bids for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat moved lower during the week ended Friday, as basis levels held reasonably steady and prices drifted down with the U.S. futures. In Manitoba, the average CWRS price declined to $223 per tonne, from $234 the previous week. Similar declines were noted across […] Read more
First of CWB’s laker vessels en route to Canada
The grain company formerly known as the Canadian Wheat Board expects to have its first of two laker vessels in Canadian waters by the end of the year. CWB announced Monday it took delivery of the first vessel, an Equinox-class boat dubbed the Marquis, effective Oct. 31, and expects it to sail through the Panama […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn, wheat firm after USDA report
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures fell one per cent on Monday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture raised its estimate of the record harvest in a monthly report and left its view of ending stocks unchanged, traders said. Corn closed higher after USDA surprised traders by lowering its estimate of […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Weather talk extends CME hog futures advances
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs contracts gained for a third straight session, partly on speculation that early wintry weather seeping into the U.S. Midwest could disrupt hog production, traders said. Heavy snowfall tends to snarl transportation of livestock while prolonged periods of extreme cold tend to slow animal weight gains and […] Read more
USDA trims bin-busting U.S. corn crop, raises soybeans again
Washington | Reuters –– The 2014 U.S. corn crop, while still a record, will be slightly below recent market expectations according to government data released Monday, giving a boost to beaten-down corn prices, while soybean production continues to rise. CBOT corn futures closed up 0.5 per cent on the bullishly construed data, with wheat futures […] Read more
Klassen: Healthy feeding margins support feeder cattle market
Western Canadian feeder cattle price volatility continues while average prices remain near historical highs. Fancier minimal-flesh quality calf prices experienced spurts of $5 to $8 above average levels as exotic steers averaging 780 pounds reached up to $246 in central Alberta. Similarly, a small group of quality 750-lb. steers touched $252 at a feature sale […] Read more