SAO PAULO, Feb 9 (Reuters) – Local analysts at AgRural and FCStone have cut their forecasts for Brazil’s soybean crop after dry January weather hurt the crop’s potential, though it is still expected to set a record. AgRural cut 3.1 million tonnes from its estimate for the crop to 91.9 million tonnes in a report […] Read more
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Local analysts cut Brazil soy forecast after dry January
Japan’s farming lobby accepts cooperatives reform plan
TOKYO, Feb 9 (Reuters) – Japan’s politically powerful farming lobby on Monday accepted plans by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to reform the agricultural sector, after the initial proposals were watered down. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made agricultural reform a symbol of his “Third Arrow” structural changes to fuel long-term growth. Investors have been […] Read more
Man-made air pollution reduces Central America rainfall-study
OSLO, Feb 9 (Reuters) – Air pollution tied to industrialisation in the northern hemisphere almost certainly reduced rainfall over Central America in new evidence that human activity can disrupt the climate, a study suggested on Monday. “We identify an unprecedented drying trend since 1850,” the scientists wrote in the journal Nature Geoscience after studying the […] Read more
Live cattle up with cash prices, bargain buyers lift hogs
By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, Feb 6 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed sharply higher, and some nearby months rose the three-cents limit, in response to strong cash prices, traders and analysts said. February closed up 2.650 cents per pound at 156.075 cents. April and June finished three-cents higher at 151.025 cents and […] Read more
Canola gains $6.20 on week, lifted by palm oil
Canola capped a positive week with an increase on Friday, supported by rising palm oil and a weak loonie. March canola closed at $459.60 per tonne, up 90 cents or 0.2 percent on the day. May closed at $456, up $1.30 or 0.29 percent. For the week, March gained $6.20 or 1.6 percent and May […] Read more
Sask. freezes wages of senior officials, including cabinet ministers
Saskatchewan has frozen wages for cabinet ministers and all senior government officials. Premier Brad Wall announced the freeze today, citing revenue challenges due to low energy prices. He said it will save $15 million. The freeze applies to senior managers and out-of-scope employees in executive government and crown corporations, as well as out-of-scope health region […] Read more
CWB sells office tower
CWB has sold its downtown Winnipeg office tower. President Ian White confirmed Feb. 5 that the eight-storey office tower has been sold for $9.7 million to Hopewell, a property investment company from Calgary. CWB will continue to occupy two floors in the building. Company staff are currently housed on a single floor, but a second […] Read more
Paying for dirt
Sky-high land prices and slumping profitability means farmers need to be more hard-nosed when buying or renting land. Experts at an all-morning session of Manitoba Ag Days said the margin for error on land values is disappearing because little profit margin is expected in 2015-16 crop prices. “A lot of decision making has been done […] Read more
Farmers slow to adopt workers compensation
RED DEER — Farmers need to be part of the discussion on farm safety rules or rules will be forced on them, says the vice-president of Keystone Agricultural Producers. In 2009, it became mandatory for Manitoba farmers to take out Workers Compensation Board coverage for their farm employees. However, only 1,500 of the province’s 10,000 […] Read more
Flooded fields require special rehab: agronomist
BRANDON — Ongoing saturation and repeated flooding have made a mess of many farm fields in Manitoba. However, they need to be careful and consider their options when dealing with bad patches. Residue-clogged areas might need to be treated differently than salt-choked corners, Canola Council of Canada agronomist Angela Brackenreed told a Manitoba Canola Growers […] Read more
