SAO PAULO, Jan 26 (Reuters) – Hot, dry weather throughout January damaged Brazil’s 2014/15 soybean crop, said local consultancy AgRural, which plans to cut its forecast for the crop from 95 million tonnes in its February revision. “Even though there were some rains during the week, the volumes were not enough to normalize the soil […] Read more
News
Hot, dry January weather damaged Brazil soy crop
March canola gains $10.90 on week thanks to weak loonie
The weak loonie continued to support canola futures Friday while stronger than expected weekly export sales lifted corn. The weak loonie makes Canadian canola seed, oil and meal more attractive than American soy products and that has been supporting canola futures this week. March canola closed the week at $461.50 percent, down 70 cents on […] Read more
Dec U.S. cattle placements slowed more than anticipated
By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, Jan 23 (Reuters) – The number of cattle placed in U.S. feedlots in December 2014 fell versus last year, a government report showed on Friday, but the decline was more than was expected, said analysts. Analysts said traders may view this as neutral to mildly bullish for Chicago Mercantile Exchange live […] Read more
CME live cattle futures plunge before USDA report
By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, Jan 23 (Reuters) – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures slumped on Friday, with nearby contracts down the three-cents per pound price limit, ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly Cattle-On-Feed report at 2 p.m. CST. Analysts expected the report to show a decline in the number of cattle placed […] Read more
Deere to cut more than 900 U.S. workers as farm economy weakens
CHICAGO (Reuters) — Deere & Co., the world’s largest maker of farm equipment, will lay off more than 900 employees at plants in Iowa and Illinois in the latest round of job cuts spurred by a decline in grain prices that is hurting demand for agricultural machinery. The layoffs, which represent about three percent of […] Read more
Membership continuing problem for general farm groups
RED DEER — A new name has given the Alberta Federation of Agriculture a boost. Membership in the general farm organization is up 20 percent to 255 individual members, three commodity groups, one non-profit, two association members and 20 patron members. “The new name fits our needs,” said president Lynn Jacobson. The organization, which had […] Read more
CWB wheat PROs fall
Winnipeg, Jan. 22 – Winter Pool wheat and durum are lower in the CWB’s latest Pool Return Outlooks (PROs) The change reflects declines in U.S. wheat futures. Wheat PROs are $25 per tonne lower overall, as U.S. futures fell in reaction to weak US exports and a declining corn market. The Canadian dollar’s weakness helped […] Read more
Alberta to discuss governance changes with municipalities
The Alberta government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the province’s municipalities to have new governance rules in place by next year. The agreement follows years of discussion about how to change the way municipalities are governed. The Municipal Government Act is the framework that allows municipalities to operate. “It’s the document we live […] Read more
CP increases profit by eight percent
Canada’s second largest railway company hauled home record profits last year and is showing no signs of slowing down. Calgary-based Canadian Pacific Railway reported full-year revenues of $6.62 billion in 2014, up eight percent from $6.13 billion the previous year. Operating expenses dropped to $4.28 billion from $4.71 billion a year earlier. The company’s operating […] Read more
Currency issues again dominate grain markets
Foreign exchange shifts were again a big mover in crop futures markets on Thursday with the euro falling and the U.S. buck climbing. Canola futures were still catching up with yesterday’s big drop in the Canadian loonie. March closed at $462.20, up $3.40. Speculators did most of the buying in canola. Farmer selling ticked up […] Read more
