Washington | Reuters — The Trump administration is ready to provide more federal aid to farmers if required, a White House adviser said on Monday, after rolling out up to US$12 billion since last year to offset agricultural losses from the trade dispute with China. “We have allocated $12 billion, some such, to farm assistance. […] Read more

Trump administration eyes more aid to farmers if necessary

U.S. grains: Wheat futures edge higher in turnaround from losses
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rose on Wednesday in a rebound from falls to one-month lows a day earlier on the Chicago Board of Trade and contract lows in Kansas City and Minneapolis markets. Soybean futures set a five-month low, while corn futures also eased. Tuesday’s wheat price drop attracted bargain buying and […] Read more

World Pork Expo cancelled over swine fever fears
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. pork industry canceled its annual convention on Wednesday over concerns that international attendees could bring in an incurable hog disease at a time when U.S. farmers are already suffering from trade wars. The decision to scrap the World Pork Expo, held by the National Pork Producers Council in Des […] Read more

Canada looks at fresh tariffs on U.S. goods
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada is looking at ways to boost the effectiveness of its retaliatory tariffs against the United States, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Tuesday, but did not address remarks by a senior official who revealed what Ottawa might do. Canada imposed tariffs on $16.6 billion worth of U.S. exports in May […] Read more

Canada gearing up to slap more tariffs on U.S. imports
Canada will update its list of U.S. imports, including farm products, on which it will place tariffs in retaliation to U.S. tariffs on imported Canadian steel and aluminum, David MacNaughton, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, said Monday. “The intention… is not to escalate anything but simply to do what we said we’d do — […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy, corn, wheat sag as trade news awaited
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures fell roughly one per cent on Wednesday and wheat slipped nearly three per cent on sluggish export demand for U.S. grains and a lack of news on U.S.-Chinese trade negotiations, traders said. “The single biggest potential factor right now that could turn these market dynamics is […] Read more

Mexican farmers urge ‘mirror’ tariffs on Trump’s rural base
Mexico City | Reuters — Leaders of Mexico’s agricultural sector are urging “mirror measures” on U.S. farm imports in politically sensitive products such as yellow corn and poultry, in an effort they argue would counter decades of subsidized imports from the United States. The three-month-old government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is currently working […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans fall as news of China trade deal awaited
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago grain futures struggled to gain any traction on Tuesday, with wheat rising slightly on technical buying and soybeans slipping as traders anxiously awaited more news on the U.S.-China trade talks. Corn futures inched up late in the trading session, finding support on planting concerns and technical buying, traders said. “Corn […] Read more

Trump moves to scrap trade privilege for India
Washington/New Delhi | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump looked set to open a new front in his trade wars with a plan to end preferential trade treatment for India that allows duty-free entry for up to US$5.6 billion worth of its exports to the United States. Monday’s move comes as trade tensions between the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hogs sag on large supply, shrug off trade talks
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures slumped on Monday as concerns about mounting supplies overshadowed hopes that Washington and Beijing will resolve the trade war that has reduced shipments of U.S. pork to China. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would delay an increase in U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods thanks to […] Read more