Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures slumped on Wednesday, giving up part of the previous session’s gains, as the U.S. government reported the U.S. ethanol industry saw a near-decade low in weekly production amid massive stocks. Wheat futures followed in mid-day trading, as investors squared up their positions ahead of Thursday’s world agriculture supply […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn slumps as ethanol production hits decade low
Improved U.S. wheat crop ratings raise expectations of bumper supplies
U.S. grains: Corn rally sputters, wheat slides on growing conditions
Soybeans up, eyes on South American crop
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — A rally in Chicago corn futures on Tuesday that was buoyed by a run-up in the energy market sputtered by day’s end as crude oil prices slipped. May corn futures climbed nearly two per cent in mid-day trading, but cut gains in half as crude oil prices closed down for a […] Read more
Canola production paths diverge for Canada, Australia
Issues seen in Canadian crop quality, logistics
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Canola production is on different paths in Canada and Australia, according to the respective attachés from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). For the world’s top two canola exporters, the attachés forecast production in Canada to remain steady and project strong gains for Australia. USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) published the reports Monday, […] Read more
U.S. senators scrutinize meat packers’ profits during pandemic
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. senators are calling for investigations of record profit margins for beef processors such as Tyson Foods and Cargill, after ranchers complained surging meat prices due to coronavirus hoarding did not translate into higher cattle prices. Futures prices for cattle have tumbled during the outbreak, worrying farmers as the U.S. economy […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn drops after USDA pegs plantings above expectations
USDA forecasts largest U.S. corn acres in eight years
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures settled lower on Tuesday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecast 2020 plantings at the largest in eight years, well above trade expectations, while soybeans firmed on a lower-than-anticipated acreage outlook. A tighter-than-expected USDA quarterly corn stocks estimate limited losses, but most contracts notched life-of-contract lows after […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: U.S. bean acres to increase, other pulses down
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Farmers in the U.S. intend to plant more edible bean acres in 2020, but will seed less area to peas, lentils and chickpeas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s prospective plantings report. Edible bean area in the country is forecast at 1.372 million acres, which would be up roughly seven per cent […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn rebounds after multi-year lows
Soybeans firm, wheat sags
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures rose on Tuesday, clawing back from last week’s multi-year lows as traders covered short positions and farmer sales stalled, analysts said. Wheat futures declined, pressured by profit-taking after recent rallies, while soybeans closed modestly higher. Chicago Board of Trade May corn settled up 3-3/4 cents at $3.47-1/4 per […] Read more
U.S. sees progress on China trade deal’s ag provisions
China makes first U.S. hard red wheat buy since 2017
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — The U.S. and China have made progress in implementing the agriculture-related provisions of their Phase One trade deal that took effect on Feb. 14, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Trade Representative said on Tuesday. In a joint statement, they listed a number of steps taken that should help […] Read more
U.S. under pressure to keep slaughterhouses open
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking to reassure meat producers it will keep slaughterhouses staffed with federal inspectors as fears about potential shutdowns due to the COVID-19 coronavirus hammer livestock prices and fuel concerns about food supplies, meat industry groups said on Monday. Livestock markets have been hit hard as […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: Markets focused on virus, oil prices, stocks
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — From where Steve Georgy sits, commodity markets such as the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) are currently focused on only three things. One is the COVID-19 coronavirus — specifically, how the global outbreak affects commodity markets, especially if it results in “the slowing down the movement of grain, the slowing down the movement […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
