MarketsFarm — Lack of demand for corn exports has continued to drag prices on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) and the U.S. dollar has been stronger recently, making exports even less attractive, according to Terry Reilly, a grains analyst with Futures International. In contrast, consistent soybean sales since Monday have provided some support to […] Read more

CBOT weekly outlook: Trade uncertainty weighs

U.S. grains: Soybeans sag on diminishing hopes for China deal
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures slipped on Wednesday on diminishing hopes for a deal to ease the trade war with China that has slowed exports of U.S. agricultural products. The market turned lower after a report that trade negotiations “hit a snag” over farm purchases. U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday dangled the […] Read more

Industry reacts to divided vote, minority government
Ottawa — A regionally divided federal election resulting in a minority Liberal government leaves a clear challenge for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his caucus colleagues on how to handle the future of agriculture. Trudeau said clearly in his victory speech Monday night that Alberta and Saskatchewan are part of the country and will be […] Read more

Trump’s hailing of Chinese farm purchases seen as ‘meaningless’
Beijing | Reuters — China is still a long way from forking out US$50 billion for farm goods from the United States, agriculture industry analysts said on Monday, cautioning that getting there is contingent on removing substantial technical and political hurdles. Outlining the first phase of a deal to end a trade war with China, […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn jumps four per cent
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures surged more than four per cent on Friday while wheat and soybeans also firmed, buoyed by expectations for a partial U.S.-China trade deal and worries about wintry weather threatening crops in the Midwest, analysts said. Chicago Board of Trade December corn settled up 17-1/2 cents at $3.97-3/4 a […] Read more

Hopes for trade breakthrough fade as China cancels U.S. farm visits
Chicago | Reuters — A U.S.-China trade deal appeared elusive on Friday after Chinese officials unexpectedly canceled a visit to farms in Montana and Nebraska amid two days of ongoing talks in Washington. Chinese officials were expected to visit U.S. farmers next week as a goodwill gesture, but canceled to return to China sooner than […] Read more

Food, farming not expected to be big election issues
Canadians don’t think that food and agriculture will be a significant issue in the current federal election. A survey conducted Sept. 9 and released Tuesday by Angus Reid Global with the support of Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab shows 31 per cent of Canadians believe food and agriculture will be a prime electoral issue during […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Little to sustain canola bids in bear market
MarketsFarm — Although there will be some bounces in ICE canola futures, there is very little currently to sustain any increases in bids, according to Errol Anderson of ProMarket Communications. While the market has stabilized for the time being, it’s technically oversold, Anderson said. The market can rebound $5-$10 per tonne, he said, but it’s […] Read more

CBOT weekly outlook: African swine fever paralyzes futures
MarketsFarm — Ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s next crop report due out March 29, market experts are looking to headlines for direction in the Chicago futures. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin return to China next week, with the goal of hammering out a trade deal in weeks to […] Read more

Trump budget proposes steep subsidy cuts to U.S. farmers
Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2020 budget on Monday proposed a 15 per cent cut for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, calling its subsidies to farmers “overly generous” at a time when they are going through the worst crisis in decades because of depressed commodity prices and Trump’s trade tariffs. The Republican […] Read more