(Dave Clark photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. grains: Corn tumbles four per cent on acreage forecast shock

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures plunged more than four per cent on Thursday in the market’s steepest drop since mid-August after the U.S. Agriculture Department forecast 2016 planted acreage well above trade expectations. Soybeans firmed on USDA’s lower-than-expected soybean acreage and quarterly stocks estimates, although gains were limited by spillover pressure from corn. […] Read more



(Lisa Guenther photo)

CBOT weekly outlook: Corn, soybeans await data

CNS Canada — Soybeans and corn at the Chicago Board of Trade have been edging higher on investor short-covering ahead of a key report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While trade estimates are bearish for both of those markets, highly-anticipated reports often throw curveballs at investors, one analyst says. Soybeans – “This report is […] Read more

Hard white winter wheat growing in North Carolina in 2010. (Dave Marshall photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. grains: Wheat drops from two-week high

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures tumbled more than two per cent on Wednesday, erasing two sessions of gains, as forecasts for rain in some dry areas of the southern Plains eased concerns about reduced yields. Corn and soybeans also declined as traders adjusted positions ahead of the U.S. Agriculture Department’s planting intentions and […] Read more






(Hagie.com)

Deere buys stake in U.S. sprayer maker Hagie

CORRECTED, March 30, 2016 — Reuters — Deere and Co. said on Tuesday it has acquired a majority stake in Hagie Manufacturing, allowing the farm equipment manufacturer to take a greater position the high-clearance sprayer market. High-clearance sprayers, which allow farmers to spray fertilizers and pesticides in-crop later in the growing season, are “a new market for […] Read more



Syngenta’s Interaction Centre at Stein, Switzerland. (Syngenta.com)

U.S. senators call for review of Syngenta takeover

Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. government panel that reviews foreign acquisitions should assess the impact on domestic food security from state-owned China National Chemical Corp’s planned US$43.1 billion acquisition of Swiss seeds and pesticide maker Syngenta AG, four U.S. senators said in a letter Thursday. The letter, sent to Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, also […] Read more