Glencore, the global commodities conglomerate that owns Viterra, is considering an initial public offering for its agricultural trading business, Bloomberg reports. The slowdown in commodities has punished Glencore’s balance sheet, and the company wants to reduce its net debt by one-third to $18 to$19 billion by the end of 2016. Selling part of its agricultural […] Read more
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Glencore eyes ag unit change
Disease-resistant pigs latest gene editing win
LONDON, U.K. (Reuters) — A British animal genetics firm, working with U.S. scientists, has bred the world’s first pigs resistant to a common viral disease, using the hot new technology of gene editing. Genus, which supplies pig and bull semen to farmers worldwide, said it had worked with the University of Missouri to develop pigs […] Read more
Wildfires threaten crop in Australia
SYDNEY, Aus. (Reuters) — Wildfires across Australia’s west coast are likely to destroy nearly four percent of the grain production in the country’s largest crop producing state. The news supported global wheat prices in an amply supplied world market. Most of Western Australian grain production at this time of the year is wheat, and Australia […] Read more
Agriculture not mentioned in Paris
BARCELONA, Spain (Thomson Reuters Foundation) — Climate change is threatening agricultural growth, productivity, prices and a new global goal to end hunger by 2030, says a new report released by the International Food Policy Research Institute. For example, it is projected to cut per capita consumption of cereals in the Philippines by 24 percent and […] Read more
New grain handler sets up shop
An Australian grain company and a Japanese agricultural co-operative are spending $120 million on a high-throughput grain elevator network in Western Canada. GrainCorp, which operates the largest grain storage and transportation network in eastern Australia, is investing $30 million in the venture, as is its business partner, Zen-Noh Grain Corporation. Zen-Noh Grain Corp. is a […] Read more
Some areas will welcome dry winter
Forecasts for a winter with below normal precipitation could be just what farmers in east-central and northeastern Saskatchewan need. Most of the province is heading into freeze-up with normal moisture conditions, except for the Pipestone, Qu’Appelle, Assin-iboine, Red Deer, Torch and Carrot river basins, said Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency. In these areas, moisture is surplus […] Read more
Ottawa museum’s new exhibit tells story about canola breeding, uses, benefits
The Cinderella crop is about to become the belle of the ball at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum in Ottawa. It is preparing to launch a five-year exhibit featuring canola. “It’s kind of like this all-encompassing crop, which allows us to really tell the story of Canadian innovation, of success in science and inspire […] Read more
Tackling a taboo: climate activists take tender approach on meat production
PARIS, France (Reuters) — Many people who believe in climate change would be furious if someone tried to take away their steak. That’s why activists at this year’s United Nations climate summit in Paris are taking a gentle approach to tackling the world’s greenhouse gas-intensive love affair with meat, ranging from offering lookalike plant burgers […] Read more
Britain calls for reduction in livestock antibiotics
LONDON, U.K. (Reuters) — Massive use of antibiotics in farming poses a critical threat to global public health and should be reduced dramatically to an internationally agreed target, says a British government-commissioned review. Agreeing on and implementing a global target for agricultural antibiotic use won’t be easy, said the review, led by former Goldman Sachs […] Read more
Dow-DuPont to form three businesses
A merger of Dow and DuPont will create a giant with a market capitalization of $130 billion and result in cost cutting of $3.1 billion. The joining of the two companies may trim their operations in Canada, but assessing the impact is difficult because the deal was consummated just last week. DuPont spokesperson Dan Turner […] Read more
