A corn crop west of Grunthal, Man. on Aug. 17, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Global wheat, corn, soy production expected to increase

MarketsFarm — Global crop production in the latest monthly supply and demand report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expected to increase for wheat, corn and soybeans. USDA released its world agriculture supply and demand estimates (WASDE) on Tuesday. The expectation is that global wheat production will be bumped up by 0.56 per […] Read more

(MDurson/iStock/Getty Images)

EU sets out COVID-19 support for farmers

Moves meant to stabilize markets

Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission proposed measures on Wednesday to support farmers hit by the coronavirus restrictions, including aid to store surplus dairy and meat products. Under the proposals, the Commission will grant aid for private storage of milk powder, butter and cheese as well as beef, sheep and goat meat for a […] Read more



File photo of cattle seeking shade in Namibia. (Brytta/iStock/Getty Images)

Namibia looks to import cattle as drought decimates herds

Windhoek | Reuters — Namibian state-owned meat processing and marketing firm Meatco is in talks with neighbour Botswana to import cattle, as severe drought decimates local herds and threatens beef export deals with China and European countries. The southern African desert nation moved closer to famine last month after dam levels fell below 20 per […] Read more






File photo of apple picking in a Quebec orchard. (Noah Burger/iStock/Getty Images)

EU to ban Bayer’s Calypso insecticide

Brussels | Reuters — European Union governments on Tuesday widened the EU ban on neonicotinoid pesticides after deciding not to renew their approval for Bayer’s thiacloprid. Farmers will not be allowed to use the neonic insecticide, sold under the brands Calypso and Biscaya, after April 30, 2020, when its current approval expires. A majority of […] Read more


The USDA building in Washington, D.C. (Art Wager/iStock/Getty Images)

Most oilseed estimates down in USDA’s October outlook

MarketsFarm — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its monthly oil crops outlook on Tuesday featuring reductions in global rapeseed and sunflower production and U.S. soybeans. USDA estimated global rapeseed production at 68.6 million tonnes, a decline of one million, with the lion’s share of the losses in Canada. Canadian production for 2019-20 was […] Read more

Italian sausages, cheeses and other traditional foods for sale in Milan’s Piazza del Duomo in December 2016. (Florin1961/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. set to widen trade war on EU front

London/Brussels/Washington | Reuters — The United States won approval on Wednesday to impose import tariffs on US$7.5 billion worth of European aircraft and agricultural goods over illegal EU subsidies handed to Airbus, threatening to trigger a tit-for-tat transatlantic trade war as the global economy falters. The decision by the World Trade Organization pushes a 15-year […] Read more