Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazil’s government said Thursday it has lifted a suspension of beef exports to China after dealing with an atypical case of BSE, sending shares of Marfrig Global Foods, Minerva and other Brazilian meatpackers soaring. The suspension had been in effect since June 3 after a case was reported in a […] Read more
Brazil lifts suspension of beef exports to China
Canada rejects idea of halting Huawei CFO’s extradition
Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday dismissed a suggestion that Ottawa block the extradition of a top executive from China’s Huawei Technologies to the United States, saying it would set a dangerous precedent. Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested on U.S. fraud charges in Vancouver last December, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures end lower
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell Thursday for a second straight session, pressured by technical selling and expectations of ample U.S. summertime supplies of cattle and beef, traders said. “We’re still just in the middle of June, and we know we have a big supply coming in,” said Scott Varilek, […] Read more
KFC testing vegan ‘chicken’ burger in U.K.
Reuters — Yum Brands’ KFC is looking to tap into the popularity of plant-based protein foods by rolling out a vegan version of its classic chicken burger at some outlets in the U.K. The new burger, called “the Imposter Burger,” will have a fillet made from a meat substitute product, Quorn, instead of its classic […] Read more
No proof natural compound prevents swine fever, China ag ministry says
Beijing | Reuters — China’s ministry of agriculture said on Thursday a company which claimed a natural compound was effective in preventing African swine fever did not have government approval to research the virus and its assertions were not scientifically sound. Shopping mall operator Guangdong Highsun Group was questioned by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange earlier […] Read more
Ottawa expands insurance for canola exporters amid China dispute
Ottawa/Winnipeg | Reuters — Ottawa increased the insurance coverage available for canola exporters, a government corporation said on Thursday, as it seeks to reduce trade risks amid a dispute with China. China halted purchases of Canadian canola in March, citing pests in shipments by Richardson International and Viterra. That move, which came as Beijing has […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans rally as rains threaten more planting problems
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain and soybean futures jumped to their highest levels in more than a week on Wednesday as rains threatened to further delay corn and soy plantings and put crop yields at risk. The gains came a day after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Tuesday cited “unprecedented planting delays” […] Read more
Australia cuts wheat forecast by 11 per cent
Sydney | Reuters — Australia on Wednesday cut its wheat production forecast for the 2019-20 harvest by more than 11 per cent as an unrelenting drought across the country’s east coast threatens crops for a third year in a row. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) pegged production of the […] Read more
As Biden tours Iowa, farmers want to know where he stands on ethanol
New York | Reuters — Joe Biden may have an ethanol problem. The former U.S. vice-president has pledged support for advanced biofuels as part of his bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. But Biden, who leads the crowded Democratic field in opinion polls in Iowa and nationally, faces lingering questions in the U.S. Farm […] Read more
Trump simplifies reviews of genetically modified farm products
Council Bluffs | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday directing federal agencies to streamline the review process for agricultural biotechnology including genetically modified livestock and seeds. Trump signed the order during a visit to an ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The executive order, he said, would “speed up […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
