Washington | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean production in 2014 will be even higher than the record forecast a month ago, but somewhat below market expectations, U.S. Department of Agriculture data showed on Friday. USDA made surprise cuts to U.S. and global wheat ending stocks for 2014-15, pushing wheat futures up 1.2 per cent, […] Read more
USDA raises record U.S. corn, soybean crops again
Manitoba hog farm ‘not truly’ PED-infected
A hog nursery/finisher operation ruled to be Manitoba’s fifth case of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is now proven to have been PED-negative all along. The province’s chief veterinary office (CVO) reported Thursday that the site has now been taken off the list of confirmed on-farm cases of PED in Manitoba. The unnamed farm in Manitoba’s […] Read more
Unknowns keep lentil bids strong
CNS Canada — Lentil bids in Western Canada continue to show strength, but with the size and quality of this year’s crop still very much unknown, the highs may be in for the time being. “I don’t think there is anyone who really knows exactly what’s out there,” said David Newman of Victoria-area pulse trading […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle fall from record high as stocks plunge
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed lower on Thursday, off an earlier record high, pressured by profit-taking following Wall Street’s tumble, traders said. U.S. stocks fell nearly two per cent on concerns over the pace of economic growth. Consumer caution about the economy could hurt demand for U.S. goods, including […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat breaks six-session win streak
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. wheat futures fell 2.9 per cent from four-week highs on Thursday, with investors focusing on poor demand and plentiful global stocks ahead of a key government report, traders said. Corn and soybeans firmed, with corn notching its seventh straight day of gains. Both commodities received support from harvest delays in […] Read more
EU raids ethanol companies over price-fixing concerns
Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission has raided ethanol companies in two EU countries as part of investigations into alleged price-fixing. The Commission, which acts as the competition watchdog in the 28-member European Union, said Thursday it had concerns that companies may have colluded in submitting price information used to set industry benchmarks for […] Read more
U.S. forecaster says El Nino expected to begin soon
New York | Reuters –– The El Nino weather phenomenon is expected to occur in the next one to two months and last into next spring in the Northern Hemisphere, though it will likely be weak, the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) agency of the National Weather Service said on Thursday. While the forecast marks the […] Read more
Prairie malt barley crop’s quality still up in air
CNS Canada — Questions are being asked over how much barley in Western Canada will be good enough to meet malting standards in 2014-15. This year’s crop was already going to be smaller than last year’s, said Brian Otto, past-president with the Western Barley Growers Association. Statistics Canada estimated overall barley production at 7.2 million […] Read more
Argentina says will make soy producers sell more
Buenos Aires | Reuters –– Argentina will use “all the tools” at its disposal to end financial speculation by grains producers and exporters, government cabinet chief Jorge Capitanich said Wednesday, in a further sign of state intervention in Latin America’s No. 3 economy. Soy producers in Argentina, the world’s No. 3 soybean exporter, have been […] Read more
Monsanto reports smaller loss, forecasts profit below estimates
Reuters — Monsanto, the world’s largest seed company, reported a narrower fourth-quarter loss on Wednesday and said it sees continued growth in the new fiscal year on sales of corn and soybean seeds. Monsanto, known for its genetically engineered corn, soybeans and other crops as well as the popular Roundup herbicide, forecast earnings in a […] Read more