The U.S. Department of Agriculture late on Friday walked back comments that it could resume imports of Mexican cattle before year-end holidays, after it suspended shipments last month due to the discovery of New World screwworm in Mexico.

USDA does not expect to resume Mexico cattle imports before holidays, chief veterinary officer says

USDA approves funds to fight screwworm, may resume Mexico cattle imports this year
The Biden administration approved a second round of emergency funding to block New World screwworm from entering the U.S. on Friday, a U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary told Reuters, after Washington suspended cattle imports from Mexico over the pest.

USDA adjusts world, Canadian canola/rapeseed data
Lowers world, Canadian production
The United States Department of Agriculture made a number of revisions to its data for canola/rapeseed in its monthly world oilseed report. On a particular note, the USDA cut its production estimate for Canada, the world's top producer of the oilseed.

USDA cuts corn ending stocks estimate, soybeans unchanged
Corn ending stocks in the United States will be tighter than earlier projections due to increased exports and demand from ethanol producers, according to updated supply/demand estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture released Dec. 10. The projected wheat carryout was also revised lower, while soybean stocks were unchanged.

USDA lowers U.S. soybean/corn yield estimates
There were a few tweaks to the latest monthly report from the United States Department of Agriculture released on Nov. 8. The World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates not only lowered yields for U.S. corn and soybeans, the department reduced the ending stocks for both.

US expands bird flu testing after finding symptom-free infections in people
Farm workers who have been exposed to animals with bird flu should be tested for the virus even if they do not have symptoms, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.

US to begin bulk milk testing for bird flu after push from industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon begin testing bulk raw milk across the country for bird flu, a significant expansion of the agency's efforts to stifle the rapid spread of the virus, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Reuters.

Ukrainian grain exports to fall in 2024/25: USDA attaché
Ukrainian grain exports are expected to be down in the 2024/25 marketing year due to smaller crops, tighter carryout stocks and the ongoing challenges of shipping through the Black Sea, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Kyiv.

More wheat, less corn in Argentina for 2024/25 says United States Department of Agriculture attaché
As wheat production in Argentina is projected to increase in 2024/25, according to the United States Department of Agriculture attaché in Buenos Aires, the country’s corn output is to be smaller than in the previous year.

Fast-food chains hold the onions after McDonald’s E. coli outbreak
McDonald's pulls Quarter Pounder from one-fifth of its US restaurants
U.S. fast-food chains were pulling fresh onions out of their menu items on Thursday after the vegetable was named as the likely source of an E. coli outbreak at McDonald's restaurants that has sickened 49 people and killed one.