Packages of unidentified seeds which appear to have been mailed from China to U.S. postal addresses are seen at the Washington State Department of Agriculture in Olympia, Washington July 24, 2020.  Photo: Washington State Department of Agriculture/Handout via Reuters

U.S. warns against planting unsolicited seeds from China

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday warned residents against planting unsolicited packages of seeds arriving from China because they could harm the environment. At least eight states, from Washington to Ohio, have also told residents in recent days not to put the seeds in the ground, after they arrived apparently […] Read more

CBOT November 2020 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: China tensions cap soybeans’ gains

Corn prices up slightly on trade optimism; wheat falls back slightly

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures climbed on Thursday, boosted by demand from China, although escalating tensions between Beijing and Washington capped gains. Corn edged higher as optimism over possible continued buying from China offset strong crop conditions. Wheat scaled back on technical selling. The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board Of Trade […] Read more


(Xinzheng/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: The good and bad between the U.S., China

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — The current relationship between the United States and China has continued to be rather chaotic, according to Steve Georgy, president of Allendale Inc. at Fort McHenry, Ill. Despite the two countries’ diplomatic row, China has sharply picked up its purchases of U.S. soybeans. Georgy pointed to the 715,000 tonnes purchased by China on […] Read more

CBOT August 2020 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans trim back on improved crop conditions

Wheat gains on weaker U.S. currency

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures fell on Tuesday, despite renewed exports to China, after the U.S. Agriculture Department issued better-than-expected weekly crop ratings. Corn also eased on better-than-expected crop conditions and favourable U.S. weather as traders eyed record yield potential this fall. The Chicago Board of Trade’s most active soybean contract fell 6-1/2 […] Read more


CBOT September 2020 corn with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn weakens on rain across Midwest

Soybeans gain for fifth session, wheat futures tumble

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures dropped on Monday, as rainfall strengthened crop conditions during a crucial stage in development. Soybean futures gained for a fifth consecutive session on renewed Chinese demand and support from the soybean oil market. Wheat, meanwhile, sank as harvest across the U.S. Great Plains continued and a strengthening dollar […] Read more

CBOT November 2020 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy up after crop ratings dip

Corn sags despite sale to China

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures edged higher on Tuesday after weekly crop condition ratings declined, but improving weather in the Midwest crop belt kept a lid on rallies by backing expectations for large harvests, traders said. Corn closed lower, shrugging off news of a massive Chinese purchase of U.S. corn. Wheat firmed, buoyed […] Read more


CBOT December 2020 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy down as weather favours yield prospects

Trade monitoring Northern Hemisphere wheat crops

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures fell more than two per cent on Monday, nearing a two-week low as Midwest weather forecasts turned milder for the crop’s key growth phase this month, raising the potential for a large harvest, analysts said. The rosy weather outlook also pushed soybean futures lower, and wheat followed the […] Read more

CBOT December 2020 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans drop on favourable weather

Chicago wheat jumps

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures prices fell on Friday on expectations for beneficial rains in crop-growing areas and as President Donald Trump said the country’s relationship with trading partner China was severely damaged. A monthly U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report pegged America’s harvests below analysts’ expectations, although the estimates were […] Read more


(Qingwa/iStock/Getty Images)

USDA’s July WASDE has little effect on markets

U.S. Midwest weather likely having greater effect

Reading Time: 3 minutes MarketsFarm — There were some notable changes in the carryovers for corn, soybeans and wheat in the July supply and demand report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture released Friday. However, the monthly world agriculture supply and demand estimates (WASDE) had very little effect on the markets, according to MarketsFarm analyst Mike Jubinville. “I think […] Read more

Detail from the front of the CBOT building in Chicago. (Vito Palmisano/iStock/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Trade looks to weather for support

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Commodities on the Chicago Board of Trade have been supported by dry growing conditions in key regions of the United States, but remain largely rangebound. “It’s been hot and dry, but it’s tough to pin your hopes on a bull market because sooner or later it will rain,” said Scott Capinegro of Barrington […] Read more