(Dave Bedard photo)

Deal for Subway chain worth up to US$9.55 billion

Arby's, Jimmy John's parent wins with 'earn-out' deal

New York | Reuters — Private equity firm Roark Capital agreed on Thursday to buy Subway, in a deal that people familiar with the matter said values the U.S. sandwich chain at up to US$9.55 billion, including debt, subject to targets in its financial performance. The deal marks the conclusion of a drawn-out auction that […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Barley, wheat prices now steady

U.S. corn imports keep lid on barley values

MarketsFarm — Prices for feed barley and wheat didn’t change much for the most part during the week ended Thursday, according to Erin Harakal of Agfinity at Stony Plain, Alta. “This week it has been pretty steady compared to the end of last week,” Harakal said, noting barley prices dropped about $20 per tonne. “Just […] Read more


CBOT November 2023 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans up as heat risk in focus

Weak demand erodes corn, wheat

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures firmed for a second straight session on Thursday, supported by strong exports and supply uncertainty as hot, dry weather cast uncertainty over U.S. prospects. Corn inched down as the market assessed results from this week’s Pro Farmer crop tour. Wheat eased as traders weighed strong global supplies against […] Read more

Photo: iStock/Getty Images

U.S. grains: soybeans end higher amid extreme heat, crop tour findings

Wheat ticked higher as traders assessed the latest Russian attack on a Ukrainian grain port

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago soybean and corn futures firmed on Wednesday, supported by hot, dry conditions that compound signs of stress found in initial results of a widely followed U.S. Midwest field tour. Wheat also ticked higher as traders assessed the latest Russian attack on a Ukrainian grain port and monitored North American spring […] Read more


(Omersukrugoksu/iStock/Getty Images)

Russia hits grain facilities at Ukrainian Danube River port

Some 13,000 tonnes of grain destroyed says Ukrainian deputy prime minister

Reuters – Russian drones struck Ukrainian grain facilities at the Danube River port of Izmail overnight in what a senior official said on Wednesday was a systematic attempt by Moscow to prevent Kyiv exporting grain to the world. Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said the port’s export capacity had been reduced by 15% and that […] Read more

“There’s even a question of would harvest equipment be available for 2023. There will be some equipment available, but will it be what you want and [what] fits your needs?” – Bill Campbell, Keystone Agricultural Producers.  Photo: iStock/Getty Images

Manitoba crop report: dry week helps advance harvest

Cattle producers move herds to hay fields to graze regrowth

MarketsFarm – Dry conditions across crop-growing areas in Manitoba helped the province’s annual harvest get off to a good start during the week ended Aug. 20. Much of the eastern, southern and central regions received two millimetres of precipitation at most during the week with several locations receiving no rainfall at all. The northwest region […] Read more


Container ships pass through locks on the Panama Canal in this file photo. (CIA.gov)

Panama Canal’s drought-induced bottleneck eases

Some vessels detour; transits per day still reduced

Panama City | Reuters — A backlog of vessels waiting to pass the Panama Canal due to drought-related restrictions has eased in recent days after the waterway’s authority authorized more non-booked ships to pass and as others are choosing alternate routes to avoid the delays. The Panama Canal Authority last week opened two additional slots […] Read more

A climate change activist plays a violin in New York City’s Times Square as Manhattan is shrouded in haze and smoke which drifted south from wildfires in Canada, on June 7, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Maye-E Wong)

Climate change made Quebec wildfires twice as likely, scientists say

Early snow disappearance led to earlier fires

London | Reuters — The fires that tore through the province of Quebec between May and July were made at least twice as likely by climate change, scientists said on Tuesday. Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, also made the fires as much as 50 per cent more intense, according to the […] Read more


CBOT November 2023 soybeans with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy, corn fall on crop tour’s promising early reports

Egypt wheat tender signals demand

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybeans fell on Tuesday as above-average crop scouting during a Midwest tour outweighed hot, dry weather in U.S. growing belts. Corn was also pressured by promising early crop tour results, but found support in a recent spate of export sales. Wheat ended higher as global demand remains strong, though an […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Subway reportedly nears sale to Arby’s owner

Chain's parent firm considering sale since February

Reuters — Roark Capital, which owns restaurant chains Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings, is nearing a deal to buy sandwich chain Subway for about US$9.6 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. A deal could be finalized this week, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. “Subway does not intend to make any […] Read more