Reading Time: 2 minutes McCormick’s merger with Unilever’s food business to create a US$65 billion sauce-and-spice giant is a bet that access to rising global demand for flavor-rich, healthier food can help counter a maturing U.S. market.
Reuters
McCormick bets on flavor in $65 billion Unilever merger
U.S. vows to seek WTO alternatives after Cameroon talks break down
Reading Time: 2 minutes The U.S. has vowed to relegate the World Trade Organization to only a limited role in global trade policy, following the breakdown of talks at recent ministerial meetings, if the body fails to reinstitute a moratorium on e-commerce duties.
“Major setback for global trade”: WTO suffers fresh blow after reform push hits wall
Reading Time: 3 minutes The World Trade Organization’s ministerial talks in Yaounde ended on Monday with Brazil blocking a bid by the U.S. and others to prolong a moratorium on duties for electronic transmissions.
Trump tells farmers that tractor companies should lower prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes U.S. President Donald Trump announced new measures on Friday to support U.S. farmers who are reeling from the administration’s trade policies and the Iran war and suggested farm equipment makers cut prices
U.S. finalizes biofuel blending quotas for 2026-27, cuts RINS for foreign feedstocks
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Trump administration on Friday finalized new biofuel blending volumes mandates for the U.S. oil refiners, requiring more of the fuels made from corn and other agricultural products than initially proposed,in an apparent win for U.S. farmers.
U.S. corn planting seen down, soy acres up as Iran war inflates costs, analysts say
Reading Time: 4 minutes The Iran war has upended the planting intentions of U.S. farmers, resulting in fewer acres of corn and the lowest quantity of spring wheat planted since 1970 as rising fertilizer and fuel costs and low grain prices dim the outlook for profits.
Mercosur and Canada near free-trade agreement with April talks
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canada and South America’s Mercosur bloc are advancing toward a free‑trade agreement that could be signed by the end of the year, with another round of negotiations scheduled for next month in Brasilia, according to three sources familiar with the talks.
Brazil soybean planting outlook hinges on Middle East war, says Agroconsult
Reading Time: < 1 minute Brazil’s soybean planting area is expected to remain stable in the upcoming 2026/27 season, but the scenario depends heavily on how long the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran lasts, agribusiness consultancy Agroconsult said on Wednesday.
U.S. researchers bet on hybrid, GMO seeds to make wheat profitable again
Reading Time: 4 minutes Scientists are developing hybrid wheat seeds that promise higher, more consistent crop yields as drought becomes more common across the U.S. Plains.
Hormuz-driven fertilizer shortage could raise grain prices, Goldman Sachs says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Disruptions to nitrogen fertilizer supply through the Strait of Hormuz could reduce global grain yields and shift planting decisions, potentially lifting grain prices, Goldman Sachs said in a report on Tuesday.