WASHINGTON (Reuters) — An influential grains analyst at the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday defended the government’s 2014 U.S. crop plantings forecasts released at its annual outlook conference that some analysts said were too low. At its annual Agricultural Outlook conference on Thursday, USDA projected that U.S. farmers would plant a total of 253.8 […] Read more
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Cost of expanding Agrium potash mine jumps on cold, wind
(Reuters) — Canadian fertilizer producer Agrium Inc. said on Friday the cost of expanding its Vanscoy, Saskatchewan, potash mine had jumped 25 percent from the original estimate, after cold and windy weather hampered construction. The Calgary, Alberta-based company plans to complete the project by the end of 2014, boosting potash capacity by 60 percent to […] Read more
Rains still helping Argentine crops, too much in some places: ministry
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) — The past week of rain in Argentina continued to largely benefit soy and corn crops in the 2013-14 season but also created poor growing conditions in some areas, the agriculture ministry said on Friday. The Argentine farm belt has enjoyed abundant showers in February after weeks of dry, hot weather in […] Read more
China cancels U.S. soybean purchases, shipments ease: USDA
(Reuters) — Chinese importers cancelled several cargoes of U.S. soybean purchases last week and U.S. shipments to all destinations fell to the lowest point since October, U.S. Department of Agriculture data on Friday showed. USDA reported a net decline of 145,600 tonnes in U.S. old-crop soybean sales to the world’s top importer in the week […] Read more
USDA’s lower crop acreage forecast baffles analysts
CHICAGO (Reuters) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first 2014 acreage estimates for the eight major crops shocked veteran grain analysts as they expected spring plantings to be up by several million acres from 2013, not down. At it’s annual Agricultural Outlook conference in Washington on Thursday, USDA forecast a total of 253.8 million acres […] Read more
Obama’s ambitious trade agenda hits Asian resistance
TOKYO/SINGAPORE (Reuters) — America’s ambitious trade agenda is running into fierce resistance in Asia, but negotiators say a draft Pacific free-trade deal that papers over some differences may be ready by the time U.S. President Barack Obama visits the region in April. A central element of Obama’s strategic shift towards Asia, the Trans-Pacific Partnership could […] Read more
El Nino threatens to return, hit global food production
SINGAPORE (Reuters) — The El Nino weather pattern that can trigger drought in some parts of the world while causing flooding in others is increasingly likely to return this year, hitting production of key foods such as rice, wheat and sugar. El Nino — the Spanish word for boy — is a warming of sea-surface […] Read more
USDA sees tight U.S. cattle supplies persisting; beef prices to rise
WASHINGTON, Feb 21 (Reuters) – U.S. beef cattle supplies are expected to remain tight well into 2015, driving up retail Choice grade beef prices to record highs this year, despite lower feed prices and global demand for protein, the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Friday. U.S. cattle producers plan to retain two percent more beef […] Read more
USDA looks for bin-busting U.S. soybean crop
By Ros Krasny and Julie Ingwersen WASHINGTON Feb 21 (Reuters) – The United States is on track for record large soybean and corn crops in 2014-15, pushing ending stocks higher and prices sharply lower, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday. Soybeans will be the real bin-buster in the coming season, based on projected […] Read more
USDA census shows more U.S. farms with annual income over $1M
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The proportion of U.S. farms with annual sales and government payments of $1 million or more doubled in the five years through 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Thursday. The figures were part of the USDA’s census of agriculture, which surveys all U.S. farms and ranches and the people who […] Read more
