Dubai/London | Reuters — Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it had completed the first batch of its flour milling sector privatization, according to a statement by the state grain buyer and privatization centre. The long-awaited flour mills sale was one of the first privatizations the kingdom planned as part of a wide-reaching overhaul of its […] Read more
Saudi Arabia completes first phase of flour mill privatization

U.S. grains: Wheat posts steepest drop since August
Soy drop biggest in 2-1/2 weeks; corn extends losses on big supply, weak ethanol demand
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat prices fell more than three per cent on Wednesday as coronavirus fears dragged down equities markets and lifted the dollar, sending Chicago wheat futures to their steepest decline in 7-1/2 months. Soybeans fell more than two per cent, the most in 2-1/2 weeks, and most corn contracts posted fresh […] Read more

Burnett on Markets: Home flour use soars during pandemic
That's led to increased demand for milling wheat -- at least temporarily
It is hard to miss the lack of flour in the grocery aisles lately as consumers stock up on the “essentials.” A number of stores are just rolling out the pallets of flour into the store and they are picked clean by the end of the day. The increased domestic use of flour does not […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat retreats from two-month peak
Corn rallies to end firm
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell on Thursday, retreating from a two-month high set the previous session, as traders booked profits and awaited developments in the coronavirus crisis that had sparked the recent run-up in wheat markets. Soybean futures also declined but corn rallied late in the session to eke out a modest […] Read more

CBOT weekly outlook: Wheat futures underpinned for now
However, traders still watching headlines
MarketsFarm — U.S. wheat futures have climbed higher over the past week, with the largest gains in Chicago Board of Trade soft wheat, as global uncertainty over the COVID-19 pandemic provided some support. However, that uncertainty could also makes predicting market trends rather difficult, according to an analyst. “All of my comments come with a […] Read more

Lots of flour to go around, millers’ association says
System is 'doing extremely well' and should have no problem keeping up with demand, CNMA's Gordon Harrison says
The grain supply chain is working as it should during the COVID-19 pandemic, says the president of the Canadian National Millers Association. “From the milling industry vantage point, the movement of grain from farm to the producer to the elevator systems to mills is doing extremely well,” Gordon Harrison said Tuesday. “The grain supply chain […] Read more

North America’s millers, bakers scramble to satisfy bread binge
Chicago/Winnipeg | Reuters — North American flour mills and bakeries are rushing to boost production as the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus leads to consumer stockpiling of staples such as bread and pasta. The virus’ spread prompted orders to stay at home in some U.S. states, including New York, California and Illinois last week, following […] Read more

Ardent Mills sells Ontario bakery ingredient plant
Flour miller Ardent Mills plans to push off further from the sweet baking ingredient business, with a deal to sell its southern Ontario ingredient mix plant. Denver-based Ardent said Monday it closed a deal the previous Friday to sell its Burlington, Ont. plant to U.S. bakery ingredient processor Dawn Foods. The deal’s financial terms weren’t […] Read more

Glyphosate raises milling questions
There’s more to the controversy surrounding glyphosate than whether the herbicide is safe to use or not: one miller has said it found oats and other grains treated with pre-harvest glyphosate don’t mill as well as untreated grains. Since 2015, Grain Millers Inc. has had a glyphosate-free policy on oats, said Eric Deblieck, a crop […] Read more

You can direct market grain, too — but it’s more complicated
Mark Gibeau sells flour to bakers and chefs while selling direct helped Steven Snider get started
Reading Time: 4 minutes Mark Gibeau wouldn’t be a farmer today if he couldn’t direct market his grains. “Having small acres in the big-boy system doesn’t work,” said the owner of Heritage Harvest near Strathmore. “We had to find something different right from the get-go.” Gibeau, who farms with his wife, began growing certified organic heritage grains on his […] Read more