TOKYO (Reuters) — Japan is prepared to cut its high import tariffs on beef and pork and slightly ease tight restrictions on rice imports for U.S. producers, in a rush to seal an ambitious Pacific trade deal, Japanese media said on Friday. Tokyo’s reported concessions come as talks accelerate with Washington to strike a bilateral […] Read more
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Japan to cut beef, pork tariffs, expand rice access in TPP talks
All crops not equal in face of weakening Canadian dollar
WINNIPEG — With the Canadian dollar falling to its weakest levels relative to its U.S. counterpart in six years, the general sentiment holds that it should be good news for exporters, such as Canadian grain farmers. However, any net benefit may depend on what exactly is being exported and who is doing the buying, according […] Read more
Rapeseed crops in western Europe seen vulnerable to frost
PARIS, Jan 29 (Reuters) – Rapeseed crops in western Europe are developing generally well but a mild autumn which boosted plant growth and bug attacks has left them vulnerable to frost damage, mainly in Germany and Britain, analysts and experts said on Thursday. French consultancy Strategie Grains on Thursday put the 2015 rapeseed crop in […] Read more
Weak loonie supports canola against falling soy oil
Another sharp drop in the Canadian dollar offset downward pressure from falling soy oil prices to allow defered canola futures to rise on Thursday. The Nearby March contract edged 70 cents a tonne lower to $449.10 while May crept up 70 cents to $446.10. July and beyond rose a little more. The loonie was under […] Read more
Wheat and durum port prices increase
Spring wheat and durum port prices rose in the latest Agriculture Canada weekly price summary. As of Jan. 23 the West Coast price for No. 1 CW hard red wheat was $338.73 per tonne, up $8.86 a tonne from where it was the week before. No. 1 durum prices at the West Coast rose to […] Read more
Monsanto plans first Russian seed plant
PARIS, France (Reuters) — Monsanto plans to open its first plant in Russia in coming years as the world’s fourth largest grain producer attempts to counter the effects of a plunging ruble. The ruble has almost halved in value against the U.S. dollar in the past year, hit by falling oil prices, a crumbling economy […] Read more
Researchers make milestone GMO discovery
New man-made bacteria may lead to improved containment of genetically modified plants
NEW YORK (Reuters) — Two teams of scientists have achieved another “synthetic biology” milestone, a year after creating organisms that use a genetic code different from every other living thing. They have now created bacteria that cannot survive without a specific man-made chemical, which potentially overcomes a major obstacle to wider use of genetically modified […] Read moreDeere to cut 900 U.S. jobs
CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) — Deere & Co. will lay off more than 900 employees in the latest round of job cuts spurred by a decline in grain prices that is hurting demand for agricultural machinery. The layoffs at plants in Iowa and Illinois, which represent three percent of the company’s workforce in the United States […] Read more
Obama wants trans-pacific trade deal to be completed this year
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — U.S. president Barack Obama’s top Asia adviser has said the president’s request for trade promotion authority shows the administration’s goal is to complete a major trade pact with Asia this year. “We are confident we can and we will get it done,” Evan Medeiros, senior director for Asia at the U.S. National […] Read more
Dozens arrested as Chinese authorities crack down on contaminated pork sales
SHANGHAI, China (Reuters) — China has arrested more than 110 people suspected of selling pork from pigs that died from disease in its latest crackdown on food safety violations. Officials also confiscated more than 1,000 tonnes of contaminated pork. The Ministry of Public Security said the suspects were part of a network made up of […] Read more
