A wild waterfowl-borne disease creating milk production problems in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico dairy herds has been identified as a strain of bird flu, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says.

Disease affecting U.S. dairy cows re-identified as bird flu
U.S. officials say threat to the public is low; cows don't appear to spread infection within herd

US detects avian flu in milk, says dairy supplies are safe
Samples of milk collected from sick cattle in Kansas and Texas tested positive for avian flu, but the nation's milk supply is safe, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Monday.

U.S. grains: Wheat rises on Black Sea tensions, but off three-week peak
Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) wheat futures settled up on Monday, but fell short of the three-week high that prices hit early in session.

Producers welcome change to cash advance program
After much lobbying, federal government increases interest-free portion of program to $250,000
The interest-free portion of the federal Advance Payments Program will be $250,000 this year, much to farmers’ relief. The amount had been set to drop back to $100,000 at the end of this month after sitting at $350,000 for 2023.

Hemp sector disappointed new report ignores deregulation
Leaders in Canada’s hemp industry were hoping an expert committee would recommend significant changes to hemp regulations so it could be treated the same as wheat, canola and other crops. That didn’t happen. Instead, the committee of experts reviewing the Cannabis Act barely mentioned hemp in its 91 page report published March 21.

Dairy farmers urged to be on lookout for U.S. disease
Older, lactating cattle more likely to be severely impacted, effected farmers say
U.S. dairy producers are reporting high onset of and high morbidity from Texas Agalactiae Syndrome, with confirmed cases in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico. Lactating cows are considered particularly vulnerable.

Large fund short position shrinking in canola
Managed money fund traders continued to chip away at their large net short position in canola in mid-March, covering more of their large bearish bets, according to the latest Commitments of Traders report from the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

U.S. grains: Soybeans slide on profit taking; wheat climbs
Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures fell more than one per cent on Friday to below $12 a bushel on profit taking a day after the benchmark contract neared a two-month high as farmer soy sales and the dollar's surge added to bearish sentiment, analysts said.

Minnesota goat confirmed infected with bird flu
NDSU advises keeping livestock separate from potentially-infected poultry
A juvenile goat in Minnesota has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the first confirmed case of bird flu in U.S. livestock.

Spring wheat bids edge higher in Western Canada
Spring wheat bids in Western Canada moved higher during the week ended March 21, as wheat futures in the United States continued to recover off their nearby lows.