New York | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants energy companies to blend 18.1 billion gallons (68.5 billion litres) of biofuels into the nation’s fuel supply next year, more than in a proposal laid out in May, it said in announcing final rules on renewables use for 2014-16 on Monday. The EPA’s long-awaited […] Read more
U.S. EPA finalizes 2016 renewables target at 18.1B gallons
U.S. grains: Soybeans, corn climb, rallying from last week’s lows
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. soybean futures hit three-week highs on Monday on bargain buying and a technical rebound from long-term lows established last week, traders said. Corn also firmed at the Chicago Board of Trade while wheat ended mixed, with nearby contracts pressured by larger-than-expected deliveries against the December contract. At the CBOT, January […] Read more
Argentina ag minister says grain export taxes on way out
Buenos Aires | Reuters –– Argentina’s incoming government will abolish export taxes on corn and wheat the day after it assumes office and reduce the export tax on soy by five per cent, designated Agriculture Minister Ricardo Buryaile confirmed to the daily Clarin. President-elect Mauricio Macri won the election last Sunday on a platform of […] Read more
Alta. farm bill applies to paid workers only, minister says
UPDATED, Nov. 28, 2015 — New legislation applying Alberta’s rules on workplace standards and workers’ compensation to farm workers is meant for farms’ paid employees — not for family members or neighbours helping out on family farms. The province’s labour minister has said as much after stormy early going in the government’s consultations on Bill […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat tumbles ahead of deliveries, pressured by dollar
Reuters — Chicago wheat futures fell to a 2-1/2-month low on Friday, pressured by expectations of big deliveries next week and strength in the U.S. dollar, during a shortened trading session after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. Expectations of big wheat deliveries, starting with first notice day on Monday for December contracts, weighed on the market, […] Read more
China plans to cut domestic corn prices to shrink stockpiles
Beijing | Reuters — Beijing plans to cut local corn prices for a second year as it pushes to reignite stalled demand from its crisis-hit grain processors and whittle down the world’s biggest corn stockpile, industry sources said. In its latest move to boost a sector that has struggled with the world’s most expensive domestic […] Read more
Low ocean freight rates likely to stick around
CNS Canada –– Ocean freight rates are at some of their lowest levels ever and will likely stay that way for at least the next two years, according to an industry analyst. “We’re near hitting bottom, but just because we hit bottom it doesn’t mean we won’t scrape along it for awhile,” said Jay O’Neil, […] Read more
No fallout seen for Enlist Duo in Canada from U.S. action
The company behind Enlist corn and soybeans and Enlist Duo herbicide expects business as usual for the products in Canada, while the herbicide runs up against a new regulatory hurdle in the U.S. According to the Reuters news service, the U.S. federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a request late Tuesday with the U.S. Court […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: Corn, soy seek direction
CNS Canada — Soybean and corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade moved higher during the week ended Wednesday, but both commodities remain rangebound overall and looking for an outside spark to push values significantly one way or the other. January soybeans moved above their 20-day moving average on Wednesday, which triggered some additional […] Read more
U.S. ethanol output rising as industry awaits new mandates
Reuters — U.S. ethanol production topped one million barrels per day for the first time last week, data showed Wednesday, ahead of a government deadline to issue a plan for the country’s hotly debated biofuels program. The largest boost in production rates since May showed U.S. ethanol makers capitalizing on a recent uptick in profit […] Read more
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