Senior Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang met political and business leaders from the U.S. Midwest. Analysts speculate the region’s food exports will be key to any U.S.-China trade deal.
reuters

Wildfire smoke helped counter extreme heat, benefitting this year’s canola crop
As Canada’s western provinces experience the second-worst wildfire season in decades, driven by hotter and drier conditions due to climate change, some canola farmers say they are seeing an unexpected benefit to the hazy summer skies.

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures higher on screwworm news
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed higher on Monday after news that New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, was detected 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, analysts said. Analysts believed the news would mean the U.S.-Mexico border will be closed to feeder cattle imports for the foreseeable future. “It’s bullish […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans drop on lack of Chinese demand, wheat hits contract lows
Chicago | Reuters – soybeans fell to a six-week low on Monday, as a phone call last week between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping provided no signs of progress on negotiations over agricultural exports, analysts said. Wheat fell on expectations of plentiful global supplies. Corn also dipped as dealers awaited the […] Read more

Canadian durum samples show damage from wet weather
Canada’s durum crop has been damaged from rainy, damp conditions, with some farmers holding off on harvesting crops in the hopes of drier weather the Canadian Grain Commission said.

Mexico confirms case of New World screwworm in northern state, USDA says
Mexico confirmed a new case of New World screwworm in Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, less than 70 miles (113 km) from the U.S.-Mexico border, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

China snaps up Australian canola after trade spat with Canada, sources say
Chinese state trading firm COFCO has bought up to nine 60,000-metric-ton cargoes of Australian canola, three trade sources told Reuters, after Beijing last month imposed preliminary anti-dumping duties on imports of the oilseed from traditional supplier Canada.

U.S. grains: Soy, corn futures weaken on harvest pressure, firm dollar
Chicago | Reuters – U.S. soybean and corn futures fell on Thursday on seasonal pressure as the harvest expanded in the heart of the Midwest and the dollar firmed, making U.S. grains less competitive globally, analysts said. Uncertainty about biofuel demand weighed on soyoil futures as well. Chicago Board of Trade November soybeans SX25 settled […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures higher, though traders uncertain about demand
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live and feeder cattle futures rose on Thursday on a tight cattle supply, though industry experts expressed doubt over consumer demand for beef as concerns grew over the U.S. economic outlook. CME December live cattle LCZ25 ended 1.475 cents higher to 234.15 cents per pound. October feeder cattle […] Read more

Beijing urges top hog producers to cut output, state media says
China has called on its top hog producers to “take the lead” in cutting output, state-run Shanghai Securities News reported on Thursday, as the country battles a supply glut and sluggish consumer demand in its massive pork sector.