Valero Energy’s ethanol plant at Aurora, S.D., about 90 km north of Sioux Falls. (Valero.com)

COVID-19 spurs new clash between Big Oil, Big Corn

Flagging consumption leads to pressures on U.S. fuels, biofuels

New York | Reuters — A fuel demand meltdown caused by the coronavirus outbreak in the United States has started up a new fight between the oil and agriculture industries over the nation’s biofuel policy, this time over whether the policy should be suspended or expanded as a result of the crisis. The issue once […] Read more



Detail from the front of the CBOT building in Chicago. (Vito Palmisano/iStock/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Corn values stabilize

MarketsFarm — The April world agriculture supply and demand estimates (WASDE) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture didn’t hold much sway over corn on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) on Thursday. Corn ending stocks for the U.S. were pegged at 53.15 million tonnes, about five million tonnes higher than the previous month’s report. However, […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Barley, wheat remain firm

Feed corn values follow U.S. ethanol lower

MarketsFarm — Prices for feed barley and wheat have firmed up across the Prairies amid the COVID-19 pandemic, said trader Allen Pirness of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge. However, he also noted corn prices have fallen due to the steep decline in the U.S. ethanol industry. The Saudi Arabia/Russia crude oil price war put enormous […] Read more



(Ablokhin/iStock Editorial/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Markets focused on virus, oil prices, stocks

MarketsFarm — From where Steve Georgy sits, commodity markets such as the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) are currently focused on only three things. One is the COVID-19 coronavirus — specifically, how the global outbreak affects commodity markets, especially if it results in “the slowing down the movement of grain, the slowing down the movement […] Read more

A new mode of action coming from Bayer

A new mode of action coming from Bayer

New MOA may help farmers fight herbicide resistance

In a February 13 conference call, Bayer management told ag media about the company’s extensive research and development pipeline. Short-stature corn is in the works — that is, corn plants with shorter stalks, meaning decreased lodging problems and fewer nutrients needed. But for most Prairie farmers, Bayer’s upcoming new herbicide with a brand new mode […] Read more


CBOT May 2020 corn with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

CBOT weekly outlook: Soybeans, corn recover

More gains possible

MarketsFarm — Soybean and corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade moved off of nearby lows over the past week, with more upside a possibility, according to an analyst. “In general, with the recovery in energy prices and global markets, we’re seeing a little support come into the agricultural markets,” said Terry Reilly of […] Read more

The Chicago Board of Trade building on May 28, 2018. (Harmantasdc/iStock Editorial/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Commodities hold up while waiting on China

MarketsFarm — There’s no doubt commodities on the Chicago Board of Trade have struggled since the coronavirus outbreak in China, but the situation could be worse, a trader said. “I personally think the markets… are holding up pretty well with all of the negative news,” said Scott Capinegro of Barrington Commodities in Barrington, Ill. Some […] Read more