Frankfurt | Reuters –– Bayer and Monsanto said Tuesday they would spend at least half of their agriculture research and development budget in the U.S. over the next six years, following a meeting with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump last week. The two companies, which are awaiting approval of their agreed US$66 billion deal from Trump’s […] Read more
Bayer, Monsanto confirm spending plans after meeting Trump
U.S. grains: Soybeans set six-month top
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose about two per cent on Tuesday, touching a six-month high on worries about excessive rains in Argentina crimping production prospects, analysts said. Corn and wheat followed the firm trend, drawing additional support from a setback in the dollar. Chicago Board of Trade March soybeans settled up 23 […] Read more
U.S. farmers ask Trump to stay the course on Cuba
Havana | Reuters — Dozens of U.S. farm and agribusiness groups on Thursday urged President-elect Donald Trump to build upon progress made by the Obama administration in relations with Cuba, calling trade with the former Cold War foe particularly important at a time of a severe downturn in farm incomes. The agricultural trade groups stated […] Read more
Trump leaning toward Georgia ex-governor to lead USDA
Washington | Reuters — Former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue is U.S. Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s leading candidate to run the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a senior Trump transition team official said on Monday. Perdue, a Democrat-turned-Republican who founded a grain and fertilizer business, served on Trump’s agricultural advisory committee during his presidential campaign. The official […] Read more
Monsanto shareholders back Bayer deal
Chicago | Reuters –– Shareholders of U.S. seeds and agrochemicals company Monsanto approved the company’s US$66 billion acquisition by Bayer on Tuesday, a deal that still requires regulatory approval to close as expected in late 2017. Increased research and development spending by the combined companies and plans to develop a global seeds and biotechnology hub […] Read more
Trump win unlikely to impact Dow deal, DuPont CEO says
Boston | Reuters — DuPont CEO Ed Breen said on Thursday the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is not likely to have an impact on his company’s planned merger with rival Dow Chemical. While Trump was critical of other large mergers during the campaign, Breen said many U.S. Justice Department officials reviewing the […] Read more
CBOT weekly outlook: Technicals trump recent support in soy
CNS Canada — Soybean futures at the Chicago Board of Trade look technically bearish, one U.S. analyst says, but spec-longs may keep support in the market. Corn futures, meanwhile, are expected to continue in a rangebound trend. “Corn is still basically in a trading range; it doesn’t excite people. Beans, they’re all over the place,” […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle prices climbing
Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were trading $5-$7 above week-ago levels, with higher-quality cattle trading as much as $10 higher. It’s difficult to quarrel with one’s bread and butter; feedlot margins are now in positive territory and cattle feeders are keen on ownership with the positive outlook into the March timeframe. Feature presort calf sales […] Read more
Guenther: Canada’s beef export sector waiting, watching
As speculation swirls around U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to renegotiate NAFTA, officials with Canada’s beef industry are taking a measured approach. They’re not ignoring the possibility of trade disruptions in the U.S., said Ryder Lee, CEO of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association — “but neither are we lighting our hair on fire yet at each […] Read more
Trump pledges U.S. withdrawal from TPP on ‘day one’
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to start the United States’ exit from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal on “day one” of his administration in January. In a video released Monday, Trump said his transition team had been directed to put together “a list of executive actions we can take on day one” […] Read more
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