CHICAGO (Reuters) — The U.S. government gave the winter wheat crop its lowest ratings in 12 years on Tuesday as crop health suffered through a cold and dry winter. The U.S. Agriculture Department said in its first conditions report of the spring that U.S. winter wheat was rated 35 percent good to excellent as of […] Read more
Stories by Reuters News Service
Activities suspended at Medicine Hat dump
Operations at Medicine Hat’s dump have been suspended until its operators clean up their act. The Alberta government issued an environmental protection order today and suspended the landfill registration of Westar Landfill Ltd., which had been operating the landfill until early this year. The suspension arises from a prolonged fire at the landfill that began […] Read more
Globex agricultural, grains trading hit by technical problems: CME
CHICAGO (Reuters) — CME Group, the world’s largest futures markets operator, had to shut electronic trading in some agricultural contracts on Tuesday because of technical issues and reverted to old-fashioned open outcry to decide closing prices. The shutdown occurred when traders were squaring their positions on the day before the release of U.S. monthly grains […] Read more
Japan, fresh from Australia pact, says U.S. trade talks “difficult”
TOKYO (Reuters) — Japan, fresh from clinching a trade deal with Australia, said on Tuesday it hoped for a similar result in negotiations with the United States and also for a broad regional trade pact, but said the talks would be difficult. Japan and the United States are pushing for a two-way trade deal, a […] Read more
Many nations wary of extracting carbon from air to fix climate
OSLO (Reuters) — Many nations want a draft UN report to tone down prospects for sucking greenhouse gases from the air to help fix global warming, reckoning the technologies are risky, documents seen by Reuters show. Government officials and scientists are meeting in Berlin this week to edit the report, which says time is running […] Read more
China allows Brazilian corn imports, setback for U.S.
BEIJING (Reuters) — China has allowed Brazilian corn imports to start this month, a further blow to U.S. exports to the world’s No. 2 consumer of the grain already hurt by the discovery of an unapproved genetically modified strain in shipments. Corn from Brazil had been approved for import from March 31, Chinese quarantine authorities […] Read more
Cargill earnings drop, hurt by U.S. energy trading loss
CHICAGO (Reuters) — Cargill Inc., a top global commodities trader, said on Tuesday its quarterly earnings fell 28 percent due to a trading loss in U.S. power markets, China’s rejection of U.S. corn shipments, and rail disruptions. Minneapolis-based Cargill reported net earnings of $319 million for the third quarter ended Feb. 28, down from $445 […] Read more
Canadian bill would force railways to pay for poor service
(Reuters) — Canadian legislators on Monday amended a bill designed to ensure grain moves smoothly by rail by allowing the government to order railways to compensate shippers for poor service. The government’s Canadian Transportation Agency currently has authority only to arbitrate matters on which the parties mutually agree. Railways can avoid paying compensation simply by […] Read more
Australia set to win share of U.S. beef exports to Japan
SYDNEY (Reuters) — Australia is set to boost beef exports to Japan after the two countries reached a trade agreement, analysts said on Tuesday, snatching U.S. market share and adding to pressure on the United Sates to seal its own trade deal. Australia and Japan clinched a basic trade deal on Monday to cut import […] Read more
Japan, Australia clinch trade deal as US-Tokyo talks heat up
TOKYO, April 7 (Reuters) – Japan and Australia clinched a basic trade deal on Monday to cut import tariffs, as U.S. and Japanese officials stepped up efforts to reach a parallel agreement that would re-energise stalled talks on a broader regional pact. The agreement between Japan and Australia comes as the United States and Japan […] Read more
