Reading Time: 2 minutes As the U.S. Department of Agriculture prepares to dole out $12 billion (C$16.4 billion) in government subsidies next week, officials and economists at the agency’s annual forum near Washington defended the assistance as a necessary measure to prevent more farmers from financial ruin.
USDA defends $12 billion subsidy amid farm economy challenges
U.S. farm income set to fall in 2026 despite surge in government payments
Reading Time: 2 minutes The U.S. Agriculture Department forecast on Thursday that U.S. net farm income would fall 0.7 per cent this year.
Former U.S. agriculture officials, top Republican senator warn of farm country trouble
Reading Time: 2 minutes The chair of the U.S. Senate’s agriculture committee warned on Tuesday that farmers were suffering heavy losses, while more than two dozen former industry leaders sounded the alarm about the risk of a “widespread collapse of American agriculture” ahead of a $12 billion government bailout expected to reach growers this month.
U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures climb on technical trading, rising wholesale prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – Cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange rose for a second session on Wednesday in technical trading, as wholesale beef prices firmed, traders said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture quoted the choice boxed beef cutout value at $366.18 per hundredweight (cwt) on Wednesday morning, up $1.42 from a day earlier. Select […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn drops to 12-week low on report of massive stocks, record harvest
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – U.S. corn futures plunged on Monday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that U.S. farmers and grain companies held the most corn in storage ever as of December 1, after growers harvested a record-breaking crop that was even bigger than previously expected. During the trading session, the most-active corn futures […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybean futures fall, shrugging off China purchases
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Board of Trade grain futures ticked lower on Tuesday amid a sluggish trading session, as investors weighed the latest developments surrounding the Russia-Ukraine peace talks. CBOT soybean futures fell after a day of choppy trade on signs of China returning to the U.S. market, and trying to finish up last-minute […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat sets fresh eight-week low as ample global supply continues to weigh
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures fell for a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday, setting a new eight-week low, as ample supply and progress in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine triggered selling by speculative investors. Corn futures firmed on export demand, though pressure from the wheat market continued to weigh […] Read more
U.S. grains: CBOT wheat sets fresh lows on supply pressure, Ukraine ceasefire talks
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures extended losses for a third session on Tuesday, slumping to fresh lows as the most-active contract hovered near prices not seen since late October, while bumper harvests in Argentina and Australia underscored hefty global supplies. The Rosario Grains Exchange last week raised its production estimate […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans touch seven-week low on broad sell-off
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures touched a seven-week low on Monday amid a broad sell-off in agriculture markets, as soy traders continued to shed risk amid ongoing concerns over the pace of U.S. exports and expectations of a hefty Brazilian harvest, market analysts said. Wheat futures slumped as Argentina’s large […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures end lower, hogs mostly lower
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle futures turned lower on Friday on profit taking, inflation concerns and mixed wholesale prices, brokers said. Feeder cattle futures fell during the trading session, after cattle futures jumped to their highest levels on Thursday since late October – following a jump in cash prices for slaughter-ready […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
