Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures settled down almost two per cent on Friday, pressured by relatively ample U.S. stockpiles as traders shrugged off support from strong weekly export sales. Analysts attributed the weakness in futures to improved U.S. crop weather and uncertainty about demand for U.S. soybeans, given large carry-over supplies from the […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans slide in post-holiday markets

Alberta extends deadline again for farm trucker training
Alberta farmers who want the Class 1 license needed to drive commercial-scale tractor trailers but haven’t yet met the new training requirements can now apply for another extension to do so. The provincial transportation department on Friday announced further extensions are now available for farmers and farm workers seeking Class 1 licenses and for school […] Read more

U.S., Canada, 14 others slam EU farm product regulation at WTO
Geneva | Reuters — The United States and 15 other countries launched a broadside of criticism at the European Union on Thursday, saying its “hazard-based” approach to regulating pesticides and other “critical tools” used by farmers was damaging livelihoods worldwide. Their statement, submitted to the World Trade Organization, said the EU’s approach created great uncertainty […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn climbs on crop concerns
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn, soybean and wheat futures all settled higher on Wednesday on technical buying and as traders adjusted positions ahead of the U.S. Independence Day holiday. The September corn contract on the Chicago Board of Trade settled up 17-3/4 cents at $4.36-3/4 a bushel (all figures US$). The August contract for […] Read more

Lennon to be new OFA general manager
She has worked across the agriculture sector for farmer organizations
Cathy Lennon will be the new general manager of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), replacing Neil Currie, who retires at the end of August. Lennon comes to the OFA from the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers, after a long career with agriculture organizations. Why it matters: Neil Currie has with the OFA for 19 years, […] Read more

Judge to slash US$80 million Roundup jury verdict
Reuters — A U.S. judge on Tuesday said he would reduce a US$80 million damage award against Bayer to US$50 million or less in the case of a man who blamed his cancer on glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco said the jury’s $75 million punitive damages award to plaintiff […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn settles up as crop rated below expectations
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago corn futures closed higher for the first time in five sessions on Tuesday on technical buying and lower-than-expected condition ratings for developing U.S. crops, analysts said. Following widespread U.S. planting delays this spring, traders have shifted their attention to production prospects for crops that got seeded. Periodic light rains expected […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn, soy ease on warmer weather
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean, corn and wheat futures all settled down on Monday after early strength, as outlooks for improved U.S. weather boosted crop production prospects, analysts said. The August soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade settled down 14-3/4 cents at $8.89-3/4 a bushel and new-crop November settled down 14-1/2 cents […] Read more

Variable rate application good for soil, farmers’ bottom lines
MarketsFarm — For Saskatchewan farmer Terry Aberhart and research scientist Alan Moulin, variable rate (VR) application is a no-brainer. In representing Sure Growth Solutions Inc. at the Global Cash Crop Conference in Winnipeg on Wednesday, Aberhart explained the cost savings farmers can achieve by applying different amounts of fertilizer. “The mentality is, if you want […] Read more

Chinese envoy says Syngenta takeover was a bad deal
Zurich | Reuters — Beijing’s ambassador to Switzerland said ChemChina’s US$43 billion takeover of seed and agrochemicals firm Syngenta was a mistake, adding he would have tried to stop the 2017 deal had he been in Bern at the time, a newspaper reported in an interview on Saturday. “If I had been the ambassador a […] Read more