Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — A U.S.-China trade deal appeared elusive on Friday after Chinese officials unexpectedly canceled a visit to farms in Montana and Nebraska amid two days of ongoing talks in Washington. Chinese officials were expected to visit U.S. farmers next week as a goodwill gesture, but canceled to return to China sooner than […] Read more
Hopes for trade breakthrough fade as China cancels U.S. farm visits
U.S. grains: Soy firm on export sales, trade optimism
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures firmed on Thursday as strong weekly export sales data and hopes for progress toward a U.S.-China trade deal more than offset pressure from a crop-boosting Midwest weather forecast. Corn also rose as the market weighed favourable harvest weather against signs of improved demand for the grain, while wheat […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures top one-month peaks
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle and feeder cattle futures jumped to their highest prices since August on Wednesday as traders predicted that cash prices will also increase. October live cattle futures closed up 1.025 cents at 100.375 cents/lb. at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). October feeder cattle advanced 1.1 cents to 138.4 cents/lb. […] Read more
Hog market at seasonal lows, turnaround expected
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The Canadian hog market may be at its seasonal lows, but tightening worldwide supplies should underpin values over the next few months. “We’re at a seasonal time of year when prices move lower,” said Brad Marceniuk, livestock economist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, pointing to higher U.S. slaughter numbers and a slowdown in North American […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn sinks on weather, retreating crude oil
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures fell on Tuesday for the first time in four sessions on better-than-expected U.S. crop conditions and as crude oil prices, which fuelled the prior session’s rally, retreated. Soybeans also declined, despite the announcement of more sales to top importer China, as forecasts for continued warm weather across much […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs fall from gains as cash prices ease
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures tumbled on Tuesday, with the most-active contract dropping by the daily maximum, due to weak cash prices and technical selling, traders said. Pork cutout values eased for carcasses, loins, bellies and other products, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates. December lean hog futures dropped the daily […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs rise on expectations for Chinese buying
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures climbed to their highest price since July on Monday on expectations for Chinese buying, while technical selling pushed down cattle futures. Meat traders anticipate China will increase pork imports to offset an expected shortage caused by an outbreak of African swine fever, a fatal pig virus that […] Read more
Ample world malt barley supply to limit export prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Canadian malt barley growers may be dealing with adverse harvest conditions that could lead to quality downgrades in some areas — while world supplies of the key beer ingredient remain more than sufficient to meet global demand. “There’s no real indication at this time that we’ll see a significant up move (in price),” […] Read more
Trump trade-war aid sows frustration in farm country
Reading Time: 4 minutes Rochester, Minnesota | Reuters — The U.S. government is paying Texas cotton farmer J. Walt Hagood US$145 an acre for losses related to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies. But Minnesota soybean farmer Betsy Jensen will get just US$35 an acre. Both farmers’ sales have taken heavy blows in Trump’s trade war with China. Neither […] Read more
China to exempt U.S. pork, soybeans from additional tariffs
Reading Time: 2 minutes Shanghai | Reuters — China will exempt some agricultural products from additional tariffs on U.S. goods, including pork and soybeans, China’s official Xinhua News Agency said Friday, in the latest sign of easing Sino-U.S. tensions before a new round of talks aimed at curbing a bruising trade war. The United States and China have both […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
