U.S. challenges Chinese export subsidies WASHINGTON, D.C. (Reuters) — The United States has launched a legal challenge to Chinese export subsidies supporting billions of dollars of exports across a wide swath of industries from steel to shrimp. U.S. trade representative Michael Froman said Chinese companies in designated export hubs benefited from free or subsidized services, […] Read more
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World in brief
Efficiency could bring Brazilian cattle boom
Brazil slaughters more than 40 million cattle per year, but carcass weights are below North America’s
STRATHMORE, Alta. — Brazil could expand its behemoth beef industry if its cow herd was more productive. “We are big but we are not efficient,” said Flavio Santos, an animal nutritionist at Sao Paulo University in Brazil who recently met with Canadian beef producers in Strathmore and described the new grazing concepts that are being […] Read moreU.S. conservationists take monarch butterfly under wing
The campaign will provide funding for landowners who preserve habitat and plant restoration
SEATTLE, Wash. (Reuters) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and conservation groups have launched a US$3.2 million campaign to save the habitat of the embattled orange-and-black spotted monarch butterfly, whose numbers have plummeted in recent years. The monarchs, renowned for migrating thousands of kilometres over many generations from Mexico, across the United States to […] Read moreNew Zealand offers help to dry areas
WELLINGTON, N.Z. (Reuters) — New Zealand has declared a drought in parts of the country’s South Island and offered financial assistance and tax relief to farmers. Dry conditions have cut dairy production and increased sheep and beef slaughter rates. The government said medium-scale drought conditions were affecting the east coast of the South Island, which […] Read more
Biologists use synthetic biology to reprogram plant responses
Water loss was minimized by genetically modifying plant receptors
It could be the coming out party for synthetic biology in agriculture. A biologist at University of California Riverside has developed a technique to reprogram plants so they are more tolerant of drought. Plants that lack water naturally produce abscisic acid (ABA), which restricts plant growth and minimizes water consumption. Scientists have considered spraying plants […] Read moreCrop markets close lower Wednesday
ICE Canada canola futures dropped on Wednesday, pressured by lower soy prices and pulling back after notching a seven-month high in the previous session. U.S. wheat tumbled as much as two percent on Wednesday, with benchmark Chicago Board of Trade futures falling the most in a week. Top global wheat importer Egypt cancelled a tender […] Read more
U.S. farmers disappointed by restrictions in proposed drone rules
By Karl Plume and P.J. Huffstutter CHICAGO, Feb 18 (Reuters) – U.S. farmers hoping to use drones to locate lost livestock or monitor trouble spots in their fields were disappointed by what they say are overly restrictive commercial drone rules proposed Sunday by the Federal Aviation Administration. Two of the long-awaited draft rules were singled […] Read more
BSE cow born after feed restrictions put into place
UPDATED: Wednesday February 18, 2015 – 2210 CST – Canada’s latest case of BSE was discovered in an Alberta cow born March 2009, two years after a stronger feed ban to reduce disease risk became law. The cow died on a farm near Spruce Grove, north of Edmonton, Alta. and the birth farm was located […] Read more
Strong beef prices lift CME live cattle futures, hogs rise
By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed higher on Wednesday on short-covering in response to the jump in wholesale beef values, traders said. February closed up 0.575 cent per pound to 159.175 cents, and April 1.900 cents higher at 152.625 cents. Wednesday afternoon’s Choice wholesale beef price […] Read more
Mustard acres to soften slightly in 2015
WINNIPEG — Canadian mustard acres could have competition this year, says the chair of the Saskatchewan Mustard Seed Development Commission. “I would say mustard acres would be down a little bit from the previous year, just based on the profit potential for other crops,” said Richard Marleau, who farms near Aneroid, Sask. “Lentils are looking […] Read more
