Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — The United States on Tuesday took steps to make clear that U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine do not stand in the way of humanitarian assistance and agricultural and medical exports, among other support. The U.S. Treasury Department in a fact sheet outlined that Americans can engage […] Read more

U.S. says sanctions on Russia don’t affect humanitarian aid, ag exports

Farming behind the lines: Ukraine’s farmers sow amidst wreckage
Despite their best efforts, however, famine looms as war rages
Reading Time: 5 minutes In early April, Ukrainian soldiers expelled the Russian invaders from the northern regions of Ukraine: Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions. The wounded enemy left, leaving behind burned-out war machines and the unburied corpses of his soldiers. However, the invaders managed to do a lot of damage. Many of you are probably aware of the atrocities […] Read more

U.S. grains: Chicago soybeans, corn consolidate
CBOT wheat mixed pending sanctions
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Chicago soybeans and corn eased on Wednesday, consolidating after two days of gains, as traders watch U.S. weather and planting, while wheat traded mixed pending further sanctions against Russia following reports of civilian deaths in Ukraine. The most-active soybeans on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) eased 11-1/2 cents to $16.19-1/2 a bushel […] Read more

U.S. grains: Chicago wheat firmer on U.S. crop conditions’ decline
CBOT corn, soybeans also gain
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat climbed on Tuesday as worse-than-expected U.S. crop conditions added to global supply concerns already heightened by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Corn and soybeans were also higher, bolstered as U.S. growers weigh last-minute planting decisions. The most active wheat contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) ended 35 cents […] Read more

London marine insurers label all Russian waters high risk
Reading Time: 2 minutes London | Reuters — London’s marine insurance market on Monday added all of Russia’s waters to its list of areas deemed high risk, an advisory showed, which is likely to raise the cost of shipping and adds to the logistical pressures on Moscow. Guidance from the Joint War Committee, which comprises syndicate members from the […] Read more

Farming behind the lines: Hostages of globalization
Reading Time: 5 minutes Imagine — even if it looks unrealistic — that one day Canada will be cut off from the rest of the world. And all import deliveries to the country will be possible, for example, only through Alaska, only by trains along one route. It sounds absurd, but Ukraine, in the very heart of Europe, is […] Read more

Putin ally warns agriculture supplies could be limited to ‘friends’
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — One of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s allies warned on Friday that Russia, a major global wheat exporter, could limit supplies of agriculture products to “friendly” countries only, amid Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis. Dmitry Medvedev, who served as president from 2008 to 2012 and is now deputy secretary of […] Read more

EU offers farmers aid, more land to grow due to Ukraine war
Reading Time: 2 minutes Brussels | Reuters — The European Union will distribute 500 million euros (C$692 million) to help farmers and allow them to grow crops on fallow land to mitigate food price spikes and potential shortages resulting from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Published on Wednesday, the proposals by the EU’s executive European Commission also include assistance to […] Read more

Fuel prices may remain high beyond Russian invasion, expert says
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — The decision by the U.S. to halt the import of Russian petroleum products due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine created sticker shock at the pumps in North America — but an end to that invasion would not necessarily mean an end to high fuel prices. On March 15, the average price of […] Read more

Nutrien to produce ‘most potash ever’ in 2022
Company to ramp up production in response to Ukraine conflict
Reading Time: 2 minutes The world’s biggest potash-producing company is set to produce more potash in 2022 due to “uncertainty of potash supply” coming out of Eastern Europe. Saskatoon-based Nutrien, which has an estimated 20 million tonnes of potash-mining capacity across six mines in Saskatchewan, said Wednesday it plans to boost its output for 2022 to 15 million tonnes, […] Read more