CBOT March 2019 soybeans, with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans sink on weak China trade data

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures fell to a 1-1/2-week low on Monday on technical selling and on concerns about demand from China as the world’s top soy importer remains locked in a tariff war with the United States. Wheat also fell after Russia, the world’s top supplier, left its export forecast unchanged despite […] Read more

Ann Vermeersch and her family use variable rate technology especially for lime application on their farm.

Measuring savings from variable rate

Farmers suggest finding areas on the farm where precision technology makes sense

Sometimes new tech is employed for what some farmers dub “the cool factor.” For most, though, the adoption of precision farming strategies largely relies on a rather dogged question – namely, does it pay? In many cases the answer remains elusive. This reality has been cited as a major contributing factor to slow rate of […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Health Canada dismisses glyphosate objections

Health Canada’s 2017 decision requiring no major changes to product labels for glyphosate herbicide will stand, despite the objections filed in its wake. The federal health department said Friday it has reviewed eight notices of objection received after it released its final re-evaluation decision on glyphosate in April 2017. The objections were filed with Health […] Read more

Flags in front of the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. (Inakiantonana/E+/Getty Images)

U.S. to seek comprehensive ag access in EU trade talks

Washington | Reuters — The United States on Friday signaled it would not bow to the European Union’s request to keep agriculture out of this year’s planned U.S.-EU trade talks, publishing negotiating objectives that seek comprehensive EU access for American farm products. The objectives, required by Congress under the “fast-track” trade negotiating authority law, seek […] Read more



A freight train at Manchac, La., about 75 km east of Baton Rouge. (CN.ca)

Oil on rail likely won’t interfere with grain movements

CNS Canada — When considering the pattern of how grain is shipped by rail in Canada, it’s very unlikely increased oil shipments would interfere, according to Quorum Corp. “That’s largely because the flow of grain is predominantly to the West Coast and Thunder Bay,” said Quorum president Mark Hemmes. About 80 per cent of Canadian […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Ag seen gaining on slightly weaker loonie in 2019

CNS Canada — Farm Credit Canada (FCC) predicts the Canadian dollar will spend the year around the 75-U.S. cent mark — slightly softer than last year’s average of 76. “We’re going to see volatility throughout the year obviously but when we look at that season, or the full year average, we’re looking for it to […] Read more

CBOT March 2019 wheat with 10-, 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat rallies on dollar weakness, export hopes

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rallied from one-week lows on Friday in a technical and bargain-buying bounce as a weakened U.S. dollar and rising wheat prices in rival exporting nations boosted prospects for U.S. shipments. Corn and soybeans also advanced on technical buying and concerns about crop prospects in South America due to […] Read more


Drawing of an adult Khapra beetle. (GrainsCanada.gc.ca)

Beetles halt U.S. DDGs exports to Thailand

Chicago | Reuters — Exports of U.S. distillers’ dried grains to Thailand have stopped due to new fumigation requirements installed after beetles were discovered in a shipment last year, U.S. traders said on Friday. Thai government officials said U.S. shipments required certificates showing they had been “properly fumigated.” Traders said sales had effectively been halted […] Read more

Strip steak with mushrooms. (Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Pacific pact spurs Canadian ag sales to Japan as U.S. watches

Winnipeg | Reuters — At the Canadian embassy in Tokyo last month, beef promoters flew in a chef from Canada to cook New York strip steaks for hungry Japanese importers and restaurant suppliers. The annual Canadian beef buffet reception attracted 126 people, up sharply from the usual 30 to 40. A trade deal among Pacific […] Read more