Reading Time: 4 minutes Washington | Reuters –– The Trump administration on Thursday unveiled a US$16 billion farm aid package to offset losses from a 10-month trade war with China and said payment rates to farmers would be determined by where they farm rather than what crops they grow. The package, the bulk of which will be spent on […] Read more
USDA announces more farm aid to offset trade war losses
U.S. to favour soybeans in trade war aid for farmers
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington/Chicago | Reuters — The Trump administration is considering direct payments to U.S. farmers of $2 per bushel for soybeans as part of an aid package to offset the trade war with China, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, an offer that could encourage more soy planting despite record supplies. China is the world’s top soybean importer, […] Read more
U.S. garlic growers profit from trade war as most farmers struggle
Reading Time: 3 minutes Gilroy, California | Reuters — Unlike millions of other U.S. farmers, garlic growers are profiting from the trade war with China and have cheered President Donald Trump’s latest economic attack accordingly. Sales of California-grown garlic are now increasing after decades of losing ground to cheaper Chinese imports. Sales are poised to get even better as […] Read more
China cancels U.S. pork import order as trade war drags on
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The same week U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping increases on tariffs against Chinese goods, Chinese buyers dropped orders for 3,247 tonnes of U.S. pork — the biggest cancellation in more than a year, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data released on Thursday. The cancellation came during the week ended […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: Factors come together to boost prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — A combination of three factors have contributed to the bounce in prices at the Chicago Board of Trade, according to Rich Feltes of R.J. O’Brien in Chicago. “It’s the convergence of the middle of May, which is a critical time and the confirmation that planting is not only delayed, but it’s in for […] Read more
New Trump aid plan for U.S. farmers to rely on direct payments
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — The Trump administration’s second package of aid for U.S. farmers hit by the trade war with China is expected to have a similar structure to last year’s program, using direct payments and commodity purchases, industry sources briefed on the plan said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is still finalizing the plan, […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn, soy rally as slow planting pace ignites short-covering
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures climbed more than three per cent on Tuesday and soybeans bounced back from a decade low as planting delays in the Midwest crop belt sparked a round of short-covering, analysts said. Additional support stemmed from optimistic comments from Washington and Beijing that tempered concerns about a further escalation […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures bounce, cattle end lower
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) closed higher on Tuesday in a technical rebound after Monday’s limit-down close, with firm cash hog values lending support, traders said. Technical traders were encouraged that the benchmark June hog contract was able to hold above Monday’s low, a supportive chart […] Read more
New Mexican duties against U.S. ready soon, minister says
Reading Time: < 1 minute Toronto | Reuters — Mexico is finalizing duties to impose on new U.S. products in retaliation for the Trump administration’s steel and aluminum tariffs and details should be available soon, Economy Minister Graciela Marquez said on Tuesday. Mexico and Canada have both imposed retaliatory measures on billions of dollars of U.S. goods. Mexico said in […] Read more
Trump says more farm aid coming amid China trade war
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — President Donald Trump said on Monday that his administration was planning to provide about US$15 billion in aid to help U.S. farmers whose products may be targeted with tariffs by China amid a deepening trade war. “We’re going to take the highest year, the biggest purchase that China has ever made […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
