Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures climbed to one-week highs on Thursday as plans for Beijing and Washington to hold fresh trade talks raised hopes for U.S. soy sales to China after being stalled by a tariff dispute. The rally in soybeans also helped wheat and corn futures rise, traders said, after China’s Ministry […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy climbs as U.S., China plan to restart trade talks

Quebec offers aid to lessen brunt of U.S. tariffs
Montreal | Reuters — The Quebec government on Wednesday said it would spend $863 million over five years to mitigate the impact of U.S. tariffs on companies and the province’s agriculture sector. The plan would provide direct financial aid to some companies affected by the tariffs and would support investments to improve productivity, worker training […] Read more

Saskatchewan highways minister moves to ag file
Saskatchewan’s highways and infrastructure minister is going off-road in his next cabinet assignment as minister of agriculture. David Marit, the MLA for the southwestern riding of Wood River since 2016, was named Wednesday by Premier Scott Moe to pick up the ag portfolio from Lyle Stewart. Stewart, the MLA for the south-central riding of Lumsden-Morse, […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat, soy fall on firmer dollar, rains
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grains and oilseed futures fell on Wednesday, pressured by broad selling in commodities and equities as a firmer dollar prompted worries about export prospects for U.S. supplies, traders and analysts said. Wheat prices notched some of the biggest declines among agricultural products, dropping after rising slightly during the previous session. […] Read more

U.S. grains: Prices recover from recent losses
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain and soybean futures rose on Tuesday in a turnaround from recent sharp losses, while soymeal futures neared a two-week high following a decision by Argentina to suspend cuts to export taxes for the livestock feed, traders said. Prices were recovering after tumbling on Friday when the U.S. Department of […] Read more

Managing corn mycotoxins needs scouting, hybrid choice
Farmer can reduce risk of mycotoxins, including through insect and spore management
Generally dry conditions have reduced the threat of mycotoxins in corn this year, although rains during humid days could change that as corn moves to tasselling and silking. However, Dave Hooker, of the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown College, says that historical monitoring of mycotoxin levels by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs […] Read more

Roundup cancer verdict sends Bayer shares sliding
Frankfurt | Reuters — Bayer shares plunged as much as 14 per cent on Monday, losing about US$14 billion in value, after newly acquired Monsanto was ordered to pay US$289 million in damages in the first of possibly thousands of U.S. lawsuits over alleged links between a weedkiller and cancer. After the verdict […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy up from three-week low as record harvest looms
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures turned higher on Monday after touching their lowest levels in over three weeks on expectations that domestic inventories will pile up due to a record harvest and the ongoing trade dispute with Beijing. Prices recovered from a 4.7 per cent selloff on Friday that was ignited by a […] Read more

Filtering phosphorus from drainage water
New phosphorus-runoff reduction initiative focused on finding tech solutions that work at the farm level
Every farm is different and what technology works on one may not suit the other. According to representatives from farm groups, environmental groups and municipal governments, understanding this truism is critical to finding solutions to Lake Erie’s algal bloom troubles. Why it matters: Investigating phosphorus filtration technologies for drainage systems and ones that work at […] Read more

Saskatchewan ag minister to exit cabinet
Saskatchewan’s premier expects to name a new minister of agriculture within days, as the incumbent minister steps aside to focus on cancer treatments. Lyle Stewart announced Thursday he will remain as ag minister until Premier Scott Moe names a new minister, a decision to be announced sometime this week. “I was recently diagnosed with colorectal […] Read more