Reading Time: 5 minutes From small beginnings in the deep southwest of Ontario, soybeans in 2018 have expanded across Canada in a very big way. In fact, when you commence the drive from Windsor, Ont., soybean fields dominate the landscape along the 401 corridor and into Quebec. It is the same in parts of Manitoba, with smaller acreages dotting […] Read more
The wild ride in soybean markets continues
Most years offer some reasonable pricing opportunities. This winter, they may be difficult to find
U.S. agriculture chief says no plan to extend farm aid to offset tariffs
Reading Time: < 1 minute Washington | Reuters – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is not planning to extend an up to $12 billion aid package for farmers into 2019, Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Monday, to mitigate farmer losses due to the imposition of tariffs on American exports. “Farmers are very resilient and adept in making their planning and […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans hit one-week low on export woes
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures fell to a one-week low on Friday and recorded a second straight weekly decline, pressured by fresh cancellations of U.S. soybean sales, traders said. Corn futures fell for a fourth straight session and also notched a weekly drop, while wheat futures firmed after a three-session slide. Chicago Board […] Read more
China culls 200,000 pigs due to African swine fever – official
Reading Time: < 1 minute China | Reuters – China, the world’s top pork producer, has culled 200,000 pigs so far following outbreaks of highly contagious African swine fever in the country, a Chinese animal health official said on Friday. While that represents only a tiny portion of the nearly 700 million pigs slaughtered in China each year for sale as pork, restrictions […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans down as exports disappoint, weather improves
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures fell more than two per cent on Thursday, with the benchmark November contract recording its largest single-day decline since August, on disappointing weekly export sales and improving U.S. harvest weather, analysts said. Corn and wheat followed the weak tone. Chicago Board of Trade November soybeans futures settled down […] Read more
Expanding E15 sales would have limited U.S. market impact, analysts say
Reading Time: 3 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The Trump administration’s plan to allow year-round sales of higher-grade corn ethanol would have limited impact on the depressed U.S. ethanol market, with record supplies and prices for the fuel hovering near the lowest in a decade, analysts said. President Donald Trump announced the decision last week ahead of a campaign […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs surge on cash price optimism
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures soared as much as three per cent on Monday in bull-spreading linked to hopes of stronger U.S. cash hog prices and fears of African swine fever spreading in top pork consumer China, traders said. The gains came after China reported an African swine fever case […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans rally on slow harvest pace, quality concerns
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures jumped 2.8 per cent on Monday on poor Midwest harvest conditions, coupled with reminders of strong domestic crushing demand and signs of U.S. soy cargoes headed to China, analysts said. Corn and wheat followed the firm trend. Chicago Board of Trade November soybean futures settled up 24 cents […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures drop on plentiful supplies, demand concerns
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures fell on Friday, pressured by ample supplies and rising concerns about demand amid weakness in global equities markets, traders said. Flat cash markets also cast a bearish tone on the markets. Cash cattle have traded at $111/cwt for five weeks in a row (all figures US$). Most-active CME […] Read more
Fearful of swine fever, France to put up fence on Belgian border
Reading Time: < 1 minute Strasbourg, France | Reuters — France will put up fencing along its border with Belgium to prevent wild boars spreading African swine fever, a virulent livestock disease that could disrupt Europe’s pig industry. France has been on alert for African swine fever since Belgium detected the virus last month among wild boars a few kilometres […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
