Sacramento | Reuters — Water regulators in California voted on Tuesday to outlaw watering the lawn within 48 hours of a rainstorm, the latest effort to spur Californians to conserve as the state enters its fourth year of drought. Facing a dramatic slowdown in voluntary conservation efforts by property owners, the state Water Resources Control […] Read more
California tightens water regulations amid long drought
Wayne Farms files for IPO
Reuters — Wayne Farms, the sixth-largest poultry producer in the U.S., has filed with U.S. regulators in an initial public offering of common stock. Wayne Farms is a subsidiary of Continental Grain, one of the largest privately-held corporations in the U.S. Citigroup, J.P. Morgan and BMO Capital Markets are underwriting the IPO, Wayne told the […] Read more
Argentina says ‘worried’ about flooded soy fields
Buenos Aires | Reuters — Flooding in some of the soy-growing areas of Cordoba, Entre Rios and Santa Fe provinces has become “worrying” to the government as farmers get ready to start harvesting the 2014-15 crop, the agriculture ministry said in its weekly report on Friday. The northern part of the Pampas grains belt has […] Read more
Access to Brazil’s Itajai port to open as truck protest ends
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Protesters have agreed to open access to Brazil’s main poultry exporting port of Itajai in Santa Catarina state, the port said on Wednesday, ending a lingering flashpoint after a two-week truck drivers’ protest. A union of autonomous truck drivers agreed to the port’s proposal to raise payments for transporters inside […] Read more
Floods in Argentina expected to cause soy crop losses
Buenos Aires | Reuters –– Some of Argentina’s northern soy-growing areas were flooded by heavy rains in the past week, the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange said Thursday, warning that it may lower its 57 million-tonne 2014-15 harvest forecast in the coming weeks. The country is the world’s No. 3 soybean exporter and top supplier of […] Read more
Australia clears JBS bid for pork firm Primo
Sydney | Reuters — Australian regulators have approved a bid by the U.S. arm of Brazilian beef giant JBS to acquire Australian Consolidated Food Holdings Pty. Ltd. (Primo) for an undisclosed sum, Treasurer Joe Hockey said on Wednesday. The approval by Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), subject to conditions at Primo’s abattoir, allows the […] Read more
Some roads reopened in Brazil; truck strike persists
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Striking truckers lifted their blockade of dozens of highways in Brazil after police began fining and arresting protesters, though strike organizers said they had no plans to end their stoppage now in its 10th day. Road blockages were reported at 61 locations in six states on Friday, down from 88 […] Read more
JBS suspends IPO of processed foods unit, again
Rio de Janeiro | Reuters –– Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA said on Friday it was cancelling an initial public offering of its processed food unit JBS Foods due to unfavourable market conditions. This is the fourth time JBS, the world’s largest meatpacker, suspended plans for the IPO of JBS Foods. JBS said in a statement […] Read more
Brazil warns of fines for striking truckers
Brasilia | Reuters –– Brazil’s Justice Minister Jose Eduardo Cardozo said Thursday the government would impose fines of between 5,000 and 10,000 reais (C$2,167 to $4,334) per hour on striking truckers who have blocked roads in key agricultural states for nine days. The planned fines come a day after the government attempted to negotiate an […] Read more
IGC sees smaller global wheat, corn crops in 2015-16
London | Reuters –– Global corn production is expected to fall by five per cent in 2015-16 from this season’s record level and the world wheat crop to decline by a more modest two per cent, the International Grains Council (IGC) forecast on Thursday. The intergovernmental body, in a monthly report, forecast global corn production […] Read more
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