COVID-19 Archives | Country Guide

Trump administration mulls industry-wide biofuel waiver

Comment period would end after Trump's exit

Reading Time: 2 minutes New York | Reuters — The Trump administration is considering requests from the oil refining industry and its backers for a sweeping nationwide waiver to exempt them from their obligations to blend biofuels, a measure they argue would help them weather the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. President Donald Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency […] Read more

Hogs, Livestock, Poultry/Eggs, Reuters

USDA unveils more COVID-19 aid, mostly for livestock farmers

Funds earmarked for farmers under contract

By Reuters 2 days ago

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday it will pay an additional US$2.3 billion in COVID-19 aid to farmers, directing more money to livestock producers suffering from disruptions in slaughtering and restaurant demand for meat. The aid, which comes from money allocated to USDA from previous pandemic stimulus legislation, follows […] Read more

In the face of dealing with the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, so much has come down to resilient operations.

Features, Guide Business, Management

Resilient farmers vs. COVID-19: How one Ontario farm got so resilient

Rather than focussing on pandemic problems, the next generation brings solutions to the table

By Darrell Wade 4 days ago

Reading Time: 4 minutes Our series on farm resiliency has been a fascinating one to write. We have spoken with several farm families about the challenges they faced and overcame during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it affected the ag community. We focused on the positives — stories of families and communities coming together to get last year’s crop […] Read more

Corn, Crops, Markets, Reuters

Argentina ‘evaluating’ corn export suspension

Move meant to boost domestic food supplies

By Maximilian Heath January 8, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes Buenos Aires | Reuters — Argentina’s government said on Thursday it would review its decision to temporarily suspend corn exports after a meeting between the farming minister and the leaders of the country’s main agricultural associations. The agriculture ministry said in a statement that agreements had been struck to guarantee the domestic supply of corn […] Read more

General

Ontario extends lost-labour production insurance

COVID-related coverage held over for 2021 program year

By Dave Bedard January 5, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes A temporary expansion of Ontario’s AgriInsurance program, to cover losses caused by COVID-19-related short-handedness on the farm, will be held over. The province and federal government on Dec. 22 announced the expansion of coverage will be extended to cover the 2021 program year — and that it will insure production of “additional commodities.” Further details […] Read more

Markets, Reuters

Argentina suspends corn exports to ensure domestic food supplies

By Maximilian Heath December 30, 2020

Reading Time: < 1 minute Buenos Aires | Reuters – Argentina will suspend corn exports until March 1, the agriculture ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that announced the surprise move as part of the government’s effort to ensure ample domestic food supplies. “This decision is based on the need to ensure the supply of grain for the sectors […] Read more

Markets

2020 grain market review: The year that felt like a decade

By Phil Franz-Warkentin - MarketsFarm December 30, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm – The column in this space a year ago led with the line ‘the more things change, the more they stay the same.’ That line was a jumping off point for a decade-in-review piece pointing out some of the through lines of the grain markets during the previous ten years. Well, the pandemic hit […] Read more

Markets, Reuters

China meat assoc calls for exporters to disinfect shipments to prevent COVID-19

By Hallie Gu, Shivani Singh December 29, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes Beijing | Reuters – Chinese meat importers and processors have called on exporters in countries with COVID-19 outbreaks to step up checks on shipments before they are sent to the world’s biggest market, the country’s top industry group said. “China has been importing a large quantity of meats this year, and has detected virus on […] Read more

Livestock, Reuters

Cargill to reopen Guelph beef plant after coronavirus outbreak

By Aakriti Bhalla, Rod Nickel December 23, 2020

Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters – Cargill Inc plans to begin reopening its Guelph, Ont., beef processing plant next week on Dec. 29, days after it closed the facility due to an outbreak of COVID-19 infections among workers, the company said. Last week, Cargill voluntarily agreed to the temporarily closure as 82 workers tested positive for the virus and […] Read more

Crops, Markets, Reuters

U.S. grains: Soybeans touch six-year high on Argentina strike, weather

Grains complex rebounds after stepping back on news of new coronavirus strain

By Christopher Walljasper December 22, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybeans climbed to six-year highs on Monday as weather and export troubles in Argentina outweighed concerns of a new coronavirus strain hitting Britain. Corn and wheat futures traded near even as soybeans supported the grains complex. Chicago Board of Trade most-active soybeans gained 23-1/2 cents to $12.47-1/2 per bushel, after […] Read more

Alberta’s Lakeland to offer ag tech degree

Funds’ net long position edges lower in canola

Prairie cash wheat: Bids track rally in U.S. futures

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