Crop Management
(Reuters) — CF Industries Holdings Inc., the world’s second-largest nitrogen fertilizer producer, said on Thursday that it has agreed to long-term deals to supply ammonium nitrate to customers. The deals come as Deerfield, Illinois-based CF focuses on nitrogen production after agreeing last year to sell its phosphate business to Mosaic Co. for $1.4 billion. CF […] Read more
Crop Management
CF industries inks long-term deals to supply ammonium nitrate
Grasshopper threat hinges on spring
Grasshoppers might be a problem in some parts of the Prairies this year. However, whether they become a financial issue on the farm will likely have more to do with spring weather than current forecasts. Previous seasons have had cool springs and May rain, both of which impede grasshopper development and give crops a head […] Read more
U.S. farmers likely to plant less corn, more soy In 2014-15: USDA
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The Department of Agriculture on Thursday said U.S. farmers were likely to plant less corn in the upcoming season, switching land to soybeans and wheat instead, but that normal weather would still result in bumper crops all around. USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist delivered an outlook for much lower corn, wheat […] Read more
Chinese GMO corn crucial for food security, says expert
BEIJING (Reuters) — China will need to plant genetically modified corn if it is to cope with the growing challenge of food security, said a leading biotech scientist, even as the country continues to reject imports of GMO corn from the United States. China’s rapid urbanization and rising wealth has triggered a rapid growth in […] Read more
China tests U.S. soy cargoes for MIR 162 contamination
BEIJING (Reuters) — China has begun testing imported U.S. soybean cargoes at the southern province of Guangdong for contamination with the unapproved genetically-modified MIR 162 strain of corn, traders said on Thursday. Strict testing of corn shipments for the variety developed by Syngenta AG, which has not been approved for import by China’s agriculture ministry, […] Read more
Twelve EU ministers urge Brussels to rethink GM maize
BRUSSELS, Feb 13 (Reuters) – Ministers from 12 EU countries have written to European Health Commissioner Tonio Borg asking him not to approve a strain of genetically modified maize to be grown for human consumption, even though he says he is legally bound to do so. Widely grown in the Americas and Asia, GM crops […] Read more
Mix of farm innovations could take a bite out of world hunger
CHICAGO, Feb 12 (Reuters) – A tailored mix of farming technologies could significantly improve global food security by mid-century as the world’s population swells to a projected 9 billion and the risk of adverse weather from climate change threatens crops and disrupts trade, according to a study published on Wednesday. Global corn yields could jump […] Read more
EU executive set to back new GM crop, member states divided
BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (Reuters) – European Union ministers hit deadlock on Tuesday on whether to let a new strain of genetically modified (GM) maize be grown on EU soil for human consumption, clearing the way for the bloc’s executive arm to approve the crop automatically. European Commission endorsement of insect-resistant Pioneer 1507, developed jointly by […] Read more
Australia sees greater risk of El Nino weather pattern
SYDNEY, Feb 11 (Reuters) – Australian climate models indicate an increased chance of an El Nino weather pattern emerging later this year, the country’s weather bureau said on Tuesday, raising the risk of drought and floods in some parts of the world. The forecast comes after the U.S. Climate Prediction Center last week also said […] Read more
Dean Foods warns of quarterly loss as raw milk prices rise
Feb 11 (Reuters) – Dean Foods Co, the largest U.S. dairy processor, warned it could post a loss in the first quarter due to a surprise rise in the price of raw milk, sending its shares down as much as 10 percent in early trading. The company, which sells Meadow Gold and Dean’s milk, also […] Read more
