Alberta agricultural commissions could restore mandatory service charges if members agree in a plebiscite. The Marketing of Agricultural Products Amendment Act 2017, or Bill 9, was tabled in the Alberta legislature April 11 and gives the producer-run commissions the ability to decide if their checkoffs should be refundable or non-refundable. These levies are collected every […] Read more
News
USDA report mostly ho-hum, canola futures mixed
The USDA raised its forecasts for year end global stocks of corn, soybeans and wheat on Tuesday, adding to the gloom hanging over crop markets but futures prices hardly reacted. Indeed, wheat futures rose more than one percent on short covering. In canola, old crop futures rose while new crop fell and the spread between […] Read more
UPDATE: USDA raises global year end stocks forecast
WASHINGTON/CHICAGO, April 11 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday raised its outlook for global soybean, corn and wheat inventories above traders’ expectations, adding pressure to futures prices already struggling under the weight of massive supplies. However there was not a severe reaction in Chicago futures prices. Corn and soybeans were down less […] Read more
China edible oil surplus weighs down veg oil price, could affect canola market
SINGAPORE/BEIJING, April 11 (Reuters) – Steep falls in Chinese edible oil prices have knocked soybean processing margins deep into negative territory, leading to a likely drop in imports of palm oil by the world’s top oilseed buyer. That could weaken vegetable oil prices generally, which would weigh down canola futures. Higher vegetable oil imports in […] Read more
Australian farmers commit to wheat despite price slump, threat of dry weather
SYDNEY, April 11 (Reuters) – Australian farmers will maintain wheat acreage during the 2017-18 season at a near three-year high, farmers and analysts said on Tuesday – rejecting incentives to plant alternative crops amid low prices and unfavourable weather forecasts. Australia – the world’s fourth-largest wheat exporter – will begin planting wheat crops in the […] Read more
China to map 174 million acres of critical arable land – Xinhua
BEIJING, April 10 (Reuters) – China intends to map and document its most important cropland over the next three years, in an effort to ensure the country’s long-term food security. Guidelines issued by the cabinet on Monday outline plans to demarcate 70.5 million hectares – 174 million acres or about 272,000 square miles, an area […] Read more
USDA raises outlook for domestic soybean supplies
WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday raised its outlook for domestic soybean supplies, with massive crops in Brazil and Argentina seen keeping a lid on U.S. exports of the oilseed. Corn ending stocks were left unchanged, USDA said in its monthly supply and demand report. U.S. soybean ending stocks […] Read more
Canola futures little changed Monday, awaiting USDA S&D report
Canola futures ended little changed on Monday and only corn trade showed significant life. Canola was down early in the trading day on a stronger loonie and weaker soy oil futures, but rallied toward the end of trade on short covering and slow sales from farmers. The ICE Futures Canada benchmark best basis bid in […] Read more
Farmland values still rising on Prairies
Canadian farmland values continued to rise in 2016, but the rate of increase fell for the third consecutive year. The average value of Canadian farmland went up 7.9 percent, which is down from 10.1 percent in 2015, 14.3 percent in 2014 and 22.1 percent in 2013. Surprisingly strong farm cash receipts fueled increases in every […] Read more
Chase for tastier tortillas starts with age-old ‘Mexican gold’
OTZOLOTEPEC, Mexico, April 7 (Reuters) – Under a scorching sun, Clemente Enriquez tips his wide-brimmed hat up as he proudly displays in an open palm the conico corn seeds he plants on his small plot in the rolling hills outside this village west of Mexico City. “These are very special,” said Enriquez, a 78-year-old farmer […] Read more
