Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago/Hanoi | Reuters — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Thursday criticized Vietnam’s move to ban imports of glyphosate-based herbicides, saying the decision would have “devastating impacts on global agricultural production.” Vietnam’s government said in a statement that the toxic level of herbicides containing glyphosate had long been of concern, in the latest display […] Read more
U.S. criticizes Vietnam ban of glyphosate imports
World Pork Expo cancelled over swine fever fears
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. pork industry canceled its annual convention on Wednesday over concerns that international attendees could bring in an incurable hog disease at a time when U.S. farmers are already suffering from trade wars. The decision to scrap the World Pork Expo, held by the National Pork Producers Council in Des […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs limit up on China swine virus fears
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures soared by the company’s daily price limit to new contract highs on Wednesday on increasing worries about the spread of a deadly hog disease in China. Traders expect that China, the world’s biggest hog producer and pork consumer, will need to import more U.S. pork […] Read more
U.S. farmers face devastation following Midwest floods
Reading Time: 4 minutes Winslow, Neb./Chicago | Reuters — Midwestern farmers have been gambling they could ride out the U.S.-China trade war by storing their corn and soybeans anywhere they could — in bins, plastic tubes, in barns or even outside. Now, the unthinkable has happened. Record floods have devastated a wide swath of the Farm Belt across Iowa, […] Read more
Richardson disputes China claim of ‘hazardous pests’ in canola
Reading Time: 2 minutes Beijing/Chicago | Reuters — Canadian agribusiness Richardson International said on Wednesday that canola it shipped to China met regulatory requirements after a Chinese official charged that “hazardous pests” were found in samples taken recently from Canadian canola imports. Beijing this month cancelled Richardson’s registration to ship Canadian canola to China, the world’s top importer of […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hog futures set two-week peak on pork price hopes
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures jumped to two-week highs on Tuesday amid hopes for increased pork prices, which have been under pressure from large supplies and weakened demand from China. Wholesale pork prices, known as the cutout, rose by $1.01 on Monday to $62.93/cwt for carcasses, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cold weather pushes cattle futures to new highs
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures roared to new contract highs on Friday, supported by worries about cold weather limiting weight gain in herds. Most-active April cattle touched a contract high of 130.45 cents/lb., topping its previous high of 130.1 on Wednesday (all figures US$). June cattle also touched a high for the […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle end mixed, June sets new high
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. live cattle futures finished mixed after touching a new contract high on Thursday, as concerns about cold weather tightening supplies underpinned prices. Forecasts for more cold, snowy weather in the middle of the country kept traders on edge after recent storms slowed transportation and weight gain in herds. Cattle typically […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures reach new contract highs again
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures notched new contract highs for the third consecutive session on Wednesday before the rally fizzled out. Traders were searching for fresh news to push up prices after factoring in concerns about cold weather and snow in the central U.S. slowing weight gain in herds and disrupting shipments […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle set contract highs on winter weather
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures jumped to contract highs on Tuesday as traders worried about snow and cold temperatures slowing shipments of livestock to processing plants. Lean hog futures also rose in a turnaround from a slide to contract lows last week. Traders focused on the wintry weather as forecasters predicted more […] Read more