Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. livestock futures came under pressure on Tuesday as traders waited for signs of increased Chinese demand after Beijing and Washington signed an initial trade deal last week. China pledged to increase purchases of U.S. agricultural products as part of the agreement, which is meant to reduce tensions after nearly two […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs, cattle ease amid uncertain Chinese demand
Namibia looks to import cattle as drought decimates herds
Reading Time: < 1 minute Windhoek | Reuters — Namibian state-owned meat processing and marketing firm Meatco is in talks with neighbour Botswana to import cattle, as severe drought decimates local herds and threatens beef export deals with China and European countries. The southern African desert nation moved closer to famine last month after dam levels fell below 20 per […] Read more
Flax prices likely to remain flat
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Although autumn snowfall limited the quality of a lot of Prairie flax, its price has remained flat, according to Brian Johnson of Johnson Seeds at Arborg, Man. While Johnson has seen some instances of No. 1 flax, he said most of what he’s seen has graded Nos. 2 and 3. “The premiums are […] Read more
China certifies three domestic GM traits
Reading Time: < 1 minute Beijing | Reuters — China’s agriculture ministry issued biosafety certificates on Tuesday for domestically grown, genetically modified (GM) corn and soybean traits, moving closer to commercialization of GM grain production in the world’s top market. The certificates, valid from Dec. 2, 2019 until Dec. 2, 2024, were granted to a corn trait developed by Beijing […] Read more
No need for more U.S. farm aid after China deal, Perdue says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Austin | Reuters — With China poised to increase purchases of U.S. agricultural goods this year as part of a Phase One trade deal, the U.S. agriculture secretary said on Monday there is no need for a third year of trade-related aid for farmers. Farmers have increasingly relied on aid from the U.S. government to […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn soars on bargain buying
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures jumped 3.7 per cent on Friday, more than recovering from the prior day’s 3.1 per cent drop, buoyed by a mix of short-covering and expectations of increased export demand for U.S. supplies, traders and analysts said. Wheat and soybeans followed the firm trend. Chicago Board of Trade March […] Read more
U.S. farmers expected to get third and final tranche of trade aid
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said he expected the federal government to pay farmers a third and final tranche of 2019 trade aid a day after an initial deal with China was signed, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. Washington and Beijing signed the Phase One pact on Wednesday, setting trade tensions between […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn, soy to one-month lows
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. corn and soybean futures hit one-month lows on Thursday and wheat futures followed amid doubts about whether China will make the purchases from the United States promised in a trade deal between the two countries, analysts said. Chicago Board of Trade March corn futures tumbled three per cent, settling down […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs slide on Phase One uncertainty
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) fell about 1.5 per cent on Thursday, joining a broad sell-off in agricultural futures that traders attributed to fund selling and uncertainty about the details of a U.S.-China trade agreement signed a day earlier. China agreed to increase purchases of U.S. […] Read more
Trade deal will not affect China’s other ag suppliers, Liu says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Beijing | Reuters — China’s other suppliers of agricultural commodities will not be impacted by the Sino-U.S. trade deal since buying will be based on market principles, Vice-Premier Liu He said, according to a report from state-owned CCTV on Thursday. Liu was speaking on Wednesday at a press briefing after signing the Phase One trade […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
