Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell on Thursday, dragged by technical selling and profit-taking following a recent rally to contract highs. Tight U.S. hog supplies had fueled the recent gains and remained a supportive factor, but the market was oversold. “We had a key reversal in April hogs yesterday and […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs drop on profit-taking, technical selling
Faster slaughter pace drags on cattle futures

U.S. grains: Soybeans reach seven-month peak
Oil strength, South American crop worries lift soy; CBOT corn up, wheat down
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures hit their highest in seven months on Wednesday on technical buying and as soyoil futures rallied with energy markets and historically high palm oil prices. Concerns about a reduced South American harvest and exports from top soy supplier Brazil offered further support, with strength spilling over into corn […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle up on improved slaughter pace
Lean hogs down on profit-taking
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished higher on Wednesday on technical buying and as rising U.S. slaughter rates eased concerns about cattle supply backups. Cattle processing rates have ramped up after pandemic-related staffing shortages at some meat plants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated Wednesday’s cattle slaughter at 118,000 […] Read more

U.S. aims to double cover crop planting to address climate change
Farmers in 11 states to be eligible for program
Chicago | Reuters — The United States aims to double the country’s cover crop plantings to 30 million acres by 2030 under a new Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation program launched on Monday. The agency’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will spend US$38 million to help farmers in 11 states plant crops at a time […] Read more

CGB, soy grower co-op to build North Dakota crushing plant
Reuters — U.S. grain handler CGB Enterprises and farmer co-operative Minnesota Soybean Processors are building a soy processing plant in North Dakota, the second new crushing facility announced in the state this year. The plant — which will be built near Casselton, about 25 km west of Fargo — is expected to crush 42.5 million […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures climb with pork prices
Hog slaughter seen accelerating; beef export picture drags on cattle
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures rebounded on Thursday from four sessions of losses, amid an accelerating slaughter pace and indications that pork prices may be near a bottom following a prolonged slide, traders said. The daily hog slaughter was slower-than-normal earlier this week, which some analysts said may be a […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat hits one-month low on USDA projections
Corn, soybean futures rise
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. wheat futures slumped to a one-month low on Thursday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast larger-than-expected global production and stocks in a monthly report that reinforced a recent spate of bearish news. Corn and soybean futures tracked wheat lower, but promptly rebounded from their lows on speculative and technical […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle post new highs, retreat on profit-taking
Chicago lean hogs close mixed
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures rose to multi-year highs on Monday but closed lower as profit-taking and technical selling clipped gains, traders said. The spread of a new coronavirus variant sparked demand worries as livestock traders feared renewed restrictions on travel and restaurant occupancy. But strong beef packer margins and […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat drops as U.S. dollar edges higher
Australia forecasts record wheat crop; corn, soy down on good South America weather
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures retreated on Monday on a firmer dollar and as a record harvest outlook from major exporter Australia eased recent concerns about rain-damaged crops. Corn and soybeans followed wheat lower, pressured by technical selling and profit-taking and by good weekend rains in Argentina and parts of Brazil. Chicago Board […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle hit fresh high
Higher cash values, beef demand support futures
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures rose for a sixth consecutive session on Wednesday, and the front-month contract touched its highest point in four-and-a-half years, on higher cash market prices and strong beef demand. Most contracts posted life-of-contract highs, extending a multi-session rally, amid rising beef imports by China and […] Read more