CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) — Condition ratings for winter wheat declined in February across most U.S. Plains states, including top producer Kansas, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Feb. 26, underscoring the effect of drought in the region. The government rated 12 percent of the Kansas winter wheat crop in good to excellent condition, down from […] Read more
News
U.S. winter wheat crop deteriorated in February
Argentine drought dampens outlook for economic growth
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) — A prolonged drought wreaking havoc on Argentina’s soybean and corn crops could threaten the country’s economic performance in 2018, an official said Feb. 26. The four-month dry spell has prompted analysts to slash forecasts for corn and soybean output in the world’s No. 3 exporter of both crops. Rains in […] Read more
Canada big loser if NAFTA fails: Harper
Former prime minister says the biggest blow to Canada and Mexico would be the potential loss of investment in those countries
RED DEER — Canada and Mexico will be the losers if negotiations to strike a new North American Free Trade Agreement fail, said former Prime Minister Stephen Harper A collapse of NAFTA will not hurt the United States as much because no one will stop investing there but they may shy away from Canada or […] Read moreEuropean Union floats 30 percent cut in ag subsidies
A controversy has erupted in Europe after details emerged of a plan to slash farm subsidies by 30 percent to compensate for the $20.3 billion shortfall after the United Kingdom leaves the European Union. The U.K. voted to leave the EU in 2016 and has a deadline to quit the union by March 2019. With […] Read more
Dryness adds to bigger U.S. cattle placements
The number of cattle that producers sent to feedlots increased 4.4 percent last month than the previous year
CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) — Ranchers moved 4.4 percent more cattle into U.S. feedlots last month than in January 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported, surpassing the high end of analysts’ average forecasts. Analysts partly attributed the placement outcome to severe drought in Texas and Oklahoma, along with continued dryness in parts of the northern […] Read moreU.S. judge halts California plan to require glyphosate warnings
CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked California’s plans to require cancer warnings on products containing the popular weed killer glyphosate, in a win for manufacturer Monsanto Co. U.S. district judge William Shubb said the warnings would be misleading because glyphosate is not known to cause cancer, according to court documents filed […] Read more
Little progress on grain movement
Grain movement improved slightly last week as Canada’s two major railways face a March 15 deadline to satisfy the federal government that they can do better. The Ag Transport Coalition reported in grain week 31 that Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway supplied a combined 45 percent of requested hopper cars, up from 32 […] Read more
Chinese gov’t subsidizes soybean plants
BEIJING, China (Reuters) — China’s Jilin province will issue subsidies to soybean processors and feed makers this year, the provincial grain bureau said Feb. 28, to promote development of the northeastern region’s grain processing sector. No details about the size of the subsidy were included in the notice. “In order to further promote the market-oriented […] Read more
Soybean seed sales slump in Saskatchewan
A year after soybean acres in Saskatchewan made massive gains, they are likely to drop this spring. The question is how much? Rob Stone, who farms near Davidson, Sask., thinks soybean area could decline by about 200,000 acres. That would put the provincial total at about 600,000 acres because Saskatchewan farmers seeded 850,000 acres in […] Read more
Farmers find themselves under a cloud
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — In the long run, Canadian farming appears to be cruising into a beautiful future as growing world population and Canada’s bountiful farmland and water make a rewarding equation. But today’s farming is facing headwinds that are slowing its progress and creating a much less pleasant journey than just a few years ago. […] Read more
