COLFAX, North Dakota (Reuters) – North Dakota bet bigger on Chinese soybean demand than any other U.S. state. The industry here – on the far northwestern edge of the U.S. farm belt, close to Pacific ports – spent millions on grain storage and rail-loading infrastructure while boosting plantings by five-fold in 20 years. Now, as […] Read more
News
U.S. corn yields improving as crop tour reaches west-central Iowa
NEW HAMPTON, Iowa, (Reuters) – Corn yield potential showed signs of improvement across west-central Iowa, scouts on an annual crop tour said on Thursday, but the area was still expected to produce a below-average sized crop after extreme weather delayed planting this past spring. Soybeans were also looking better on the fourth and final day […] Read more
What are the obstacles to Bayer settling Roundup lawsuits?
(Reuters) – Bayer AG is in mediation to potentially settle thousands of U.S. lawsuits claiming that the company’s Roundup weed killer causes cancer, but some legal experts said the cases raises novel questions that may prevent an easy settlement. More than 18,400 plaintiffs claim Roundup causes a type of cancer called non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Bayer to […] Read more
Corn potential poor
In Brief ALLEN COUNTY, Ohio, (Reuters) – Corn yield potential was far below average in northwestern Ohio, scouts on the annual Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour said on Monday, after a wet spring delayed plantings across wide swaths of the U.S. Midwest. Heavy rains early left some areas with large empty gaps in soybean fields, […] Read more
Short-line railways pleased with funding plan
The association that represents short-line railway operators in Western Canada says Ottawa’s recent investment in rural railway upgrades in Saskatchewan is a great first step for shortlines and for the economy. “We are thrilled to see that the federal government recognizes the critical role that short-line railways play in Canada’s export system,” said Perry Pellerin, […] Read more
Global livestock trade hot at Pacific Northwest
Saskatoon’s Delta Bessborough hotel’s salon Batoche was down to standing-room only as farmers and ranchers filled the room for the cross-border livestock session at the Pacific Northwest Economic Region summit in July. The amount of interested people present at this session speaks to the uncertainty that producers are feeling right now while Canada and the […] Read more
Taber corn takes hail hit
Taber corn will make a full appearance at the southern Alberta town’s annual Cornfest Aug. 22-25 despite severe crop damage earlier this month from a hailstorm in the Taber and Barnwell regions. The Aug. 6 storm, with winds of more than 140 kilometres per hour, drove large hailstones that wiped out area crops including the […] Read more
Feds extend cash advance repayment
in Brief The federal government is giving farmers a six-month reprieve in repaying their 2018 cash advances. Growers now have until March 31, 2020 to pay off cash advances on grains, oilseeds and pulses. The original deadline was Sept. 30. “Our government is working closely with our farmers to meet their needs and is taking […] Read more
Ag Notes
Atlantic Canada boosts apple processing tech The federal government is investing nearly $2.5 million so that the Ocean Crisp Apple Company in Nova Scotia can buy and install automated and robotic equipment that increase capacity, improve efficiency and quality, and reduce water usage. An investment of $1,978,157 is being provided under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, […] Read more
Oats market remains steady as harvest starts
Winnipeg – The Western Canadian oats market is stable at prices a bit better than a year ago, as the harvest gets underway and participants wait to see how much will be moving off the combine to the market. Early yield reports are ranging anywhere from 80 to 140 bushels per acre, said Tyler Palmer, […] Read more
