Oslo | Reuters — Norwegian fertilizer maker Yara International has fired its CEO Joergen Ole Haslestad, saying he was unsuitable to lead merger talks with Chicago-based CF Industries — talks which would continue under its finance chief. Yara and CF said last month they were in early-stage talks about a “merger of equals” that would […] Read more
Yara finance chief to lead CF merger talks after CEO fired
U.S. foods labeled ‘natural’ often contain GMOs, group reports
Reuters — A majority of U.S. packaged foods labeled as “natural” and tested by Consumer Reports actually contained a substantial level of genetically modified ingredients, according to a report issued Tuesday by the non-profit product testing group. Consumers are being misled by the “natural” label, said Urvashi Rangan, executive director of Consumer Reports Food Safety […] Read more
November canola back above 30-day average
CNS Canada –– A record-large U.S. soybean crop remains a bearish anchor on Canadian canola futures — but recent activity has shifted some technical indicators higher. The November canola contract on ICE Futures Canada has held consistently below the 30-day moving average since May, but finally settled above that line on Monday. The 30-day moving […] Read more
Strong prices, low feed costs reviving pork industry
CNS Canada –– Recent strong prices, paired with low feed costs, are increasing profitability for Canadian hog farmers and helping to revive the pork industry. “We are seeing some of the idle barns that were taken out of production three years ago starting to come back into production,” said Brad Marceniuk, livestock economist with Saskatchewan’s […] Read more
Former N.B. fisheries minister now also ag minister
A former New Brunswick fisheries minister is now responsible for agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and three other portfolios as Premier Brian Gallant’s new cabinet takes office. Gallant, whose Liberals defeated David Alward’s Tory government in the province’s Sept. 22 general election, on Tuesday named Rick Doucet as his minister of agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries. Doucet, the […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Higher beef prices drive CME live cattle to new high
Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures reached an all-time high on Tuesday, fuelled by short-covering as wholesale beef prices trended upward, traders said. October closed up 2.725 cents per pound to 165.775 cents, and December 1.55 cents higher at 167.85 cents (all figures US$). Tuesday morning’s choice wholesale beef price, or […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat, corn extend winning streaks
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. wheat and corn futures rose for the fifth straight day on Tuesday, with short-covering and technical buying in focus as investors scrambled to stake out positions ahead of a key government report, traders said. Soybeans closed lower, pressured by profit-taking after posting early gains and some commercial hedging as farmers […] Read more
FBC earns seven Canadian Farm Writers’ awards
Staff and contributors at Winnipeg ag publishing house Farm Business Communications, operators of this website, have brought home seven national awards for their work from the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation (CFWF). The CFWF, which held its annual conference Oct. 2-5 in Charlottetown, presented a total of 42 awards in 14 categories at its banquet Saturday […] Read more
CTA rejects Canola Growers’ rail service complaint as vague
Canada’s transportation dispute resolution agency has tossed a complaint over rail service to Prairie grain handlers as too vague and lacking in “supporting facts.” The complaint to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), filed in May by the Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA), was dismissed in an agency ruling released last week. The dismissal “is a […] Read more
Freeze hits U.S. northern crops, rains to slow southern harvest
Chicago | Reuters — A weekend freeze across the northern Plains and upper U.S. Midwest likely hurt immature corn and soybean plants, reducing crop quality more than yields, agricultural meteorologists said Monday. Morning weekend lows in the Dakotas, Minnesota, northern Iowa and Nebraska ranged from the mid-20s to low 30s F. The chilliest temperatures were […] Read more