(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. confirms will boost food stamps by record amount

Washington | Reuters –– The U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) on Monday will announce revised nutrition standards dramatically boosting average food stamp benefits, the agency confirmed Sunday. The New York Times first reported the plan to unveil the largest permanent benefits increase in the history of the government’s primary anti-hunger program, saying the change would result […] Read more







Photo: Canada Beef Inc.

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle firm on scarce supply and firmer cash markets

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed on Wednesday as cash trade firmed and wholesale beef prices march higher, traders said. “We have some tighter market-ready cattle supplies right now. The outlook is for supplies to tighten further later in the year and into next year,” said Doug Houghton, technical analyst […] Read more


Photo: ARS/USDA

African swine fever confirmed in Dominican Republic pigs: USDA

Chicago | Reuters – The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the deadly hog virus African swine fever in samples from pigs in the Dominican Republic, the agency said on Wednesday, fuelling concerns about the disease creeping closer to the United States. The positive tests represent the first detection of the disease in the Americas in about 40 […] Read more



CBOT September 2021 wheat (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: CBOT wheat snaps winning streak

Chicago corn, soybeans also fall

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soft red winter wheat futures plunged 2.6 per cent on Thursday, snapping a six-session streak of gains as traders locked in profits from the rally. Soybean futures were down two per cent, with the latest weather forecasts showing that some timely rains will arrive in key growing […] Read more

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USDA pegs wheat ending stocks to be lowest since 2013-14

MarketsFarm — As the U.S. northern Plains continue to deal with severe drought conditions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has significantly lowered its 2021-22 ending stocks estimates for wheat — especially durum and spring wheat. According to USDA’s monthly world agriculture supply and demand estimates (WASDE) released Monday, 2021-22 ending stocks for wheat are […] Read more