File photo of chicks on a genetic map of a chicken. (Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Second Nova Scotia poultry operation hit with avian flu

U.S. also books outbreaks in two states

A second farm in western Nova Scotia has been hit with highly pathogenic avian influenza in commercial birds, further expanding containment measures in that province. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Monday it confirmed high-path H5N1 on Wednesday last week in birds at a mixed farm in the area, where operations include poultry and poultry […] Read more

CBOT March 2022 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soy futures set eight-month highs

USDA lowers South America corn, soy crop estimates

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) soybean and corn futures set eight-month highs on Wednesday on concerns about the risk for more unfavorable crop weather in drought-stressed growing areas of South America, traders said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in a monthly crop report, pegged Brazil’s soy crop at 134 million tonnes, […] Read more


File photo of a Prince Edward Island potato field. (Onepony/iStock/Getty Images)

P.E.I. potato exports cleared for Puerto Rico

U.S. territory has no commercial potato production

A U.S. territory with an appetite for Canadian potatoes and no commercial potato production to speak of will be able to resume imports of table stock potatoes from Prince Edward Island starting Wednesday. The resumption of exports to Puerto Rico, announced Tuesday, is a spot of good news for the province’s potato sector. Export certificates […] Read more

CBOT March 2022 soybeans (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, dark green and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans dip ahead of USDA report

Wheat underpinned by U.S. dryness

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean prices fell on Tuesday, a day after hitting an eight-month high, ahead of the U.S. Agriculture Department’s monthly global supply and demand assessment that is expected to downgrade South American crop production. Corn also eased, while wheat firmed, underpinned by ongoing dryness across the U.S. southern Plains. The Chicago […] Read more


CBOT March 2022 soybeans (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, dark green and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans rise on South American crop shortfall

Corn, wheat also up

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures were steady to mostly higher on Friday near an eight-month peak as some traders pocketed profits from strong gains this week, but the market remained underpinned by concerns about weather-reduced yields in South America. Corn was also steady to firmer, while wheat futures rose in a short-covering and […] Read more

CBOT March 2022 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn sags on export worries

Soy ends lower after volatile session

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures fell on Thursday on profit-taking after this week’s multi-month highs and worries about export demand after China canceled a purchase of U.S. supplies, traders said. Wheat sagged on poor weekly export data and a lack of fresh supportive news while soybean futures posted modest losses after a volatile, […] Read more


CBOT March 2022 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn futures hit highest since June

Soy, wheat fall on profit taking

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn futures rose to their highest in seven months on Friday as concerns about production in South America spurred demand for U.S. supplies, traders said. Soybean futures eased from the seven-month top they hit on Thursday, succumbing to a round of profit taking. Soybeans closed well above […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

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



CBOT March 2022 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans, corn supported by South America dryness

Wheat ratings decline in Kansas, Oklahoma, USDA says

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean and corn futures climbed on Tuesday, underpinned by dry weather in parts of South America that could hurt yields in rival export markets, while wheat rose after a three-session decline. The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) closed 34-1/4 cents higher at $13.89-3/4 a bushel, […] Read more