Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — The Trump administration’s second package of aid for U.S. farmers hit by the trade war with China is expected to have a similar structure to last year’s program, using direct payments and commodity purchases, industry sources briefed on the plan said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is still finalizing the plan, […] Read more

New Trump aid plan for U.S. farmers to rely on direct payments

U.S. grains: Corn, soy rally as slow planting pace ignites short-covering
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures climbed more than three per cent on Tuesday and soybeans bounced back from a decade low as planting delays in the Midwest crop belt sparked a round of short-covering, analysts said. Additional support stemmed from optimistic comments from Washington and Beijing that tempered concerns about a further escalation […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures bounce, cattle end lower
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) closed higher on Tuesday in a technical rebound after Monday’s limit-down close, with firm cash hog values lending support, traders said. Technical traders were encouraged that the benchmark June hog contract was able to hold above Monday’s low, a supportive chart […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs limit down on trade war woes
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) fell the daily three-cent-per-pound limit on Monday as fears of a prolonged trade war between the U.S. and China triggered long liquidation, analysts said. China said it would impose higher tariffs on a range of U.S. goods, following Washington’s decision last […] Read more

Trump says more farm aid coming amid China trade war
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — President Donald Trump said on Monday that his administration was planning to provide about US$15 billion in aid to help U.S. farmers whose products may be targeted with tariffs by China amid a deepening trade war. “We’re going to take the highest year, the biggest purchase that China has ever made […] Read more

U.S. plans more aid for farmers amid China trade spat
Reading Time: 3 minutes Chicago/Washington | Reuters — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Friday that President Donald Trump had asked him to create a plan to help U.S. farmers cope with the heavy impact of the U.S.-China trade war on agriculture. A new aid program would be the second round of assistance for farmers, after the Department […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy sinks to decade low as China trade war escalates
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures sank to their lowest prices in more than a decade on Friday as U.S. President Donald Trump said he was in no hurry to sign a deal to end the trade war with Beijing, a dispute that has slashed U.S. exports of the oilseed to China. Wheat futures […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Escalating trade war pressures CME hog futures
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Concerns about a prolonged trade war between the United States and China pressured U.S. lean hog futures on Friday, while cattle futures advanced. U.S. and Chinese negotiators ended two days of talks to try to salvage a trade deal in Washington on Friday after the U.S. imposed a new set of […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy futures break 10-year low on China trade tensions
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures tumbled to their lowest prices in more than a decade on Thursday as traders worried that make-or-break trade talks between Washington and Beijing would fail to produce a deal. Corn and wheat futures also fell as a two-day U.S.-China trade meeting was set to begin in Washington. President […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures recover on hopes for China trade deal
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures shook off early losses to end mostly higher on Thursday as fears about rising acrimony between Washington and Beijing gave way to hopes that negotiators may be able to hammer out a deal to end the U.S.-China trade war. U.S. President Donald Trump said it was possible the […] Read more