Adverse weather at Canada’s West Coast is causing a backup of vessels waiting to load grain, according to the latest weekly Grain Monitoring Program performance update compiled by Quorum Corp. A total of 30 ships were waiting in Vancouver as of Sunday, which compares with the year-to-date average of 22, according to the report. A […] Read more
Adverse weather slows West Coast grain movement
German coalition deal sets no timetable to end glyphosate use
Hamburg | Reuters –– Germany’s draft coalition government deal includes a goal of ending use of glyphosate herbicide within the country, but gives no time frame, after Berlin swung a vote in November extending its use across the European Union. The timing of an end to glyphosate use has been highly controversial in Europe amid […] Read more
Brazilian antitrust agency approves Bayer-Monsanto tie-up
Brasilia | Reuters — Brazilian antitrust agency Cade on Wednesday approved Bayer’s proposed takeover of U.S. seeds company Monsanto without requiring further asset sales beyond a global proposal announced last October. Cade’s commissioners voted 4-2 in favour of the tie-up under an agreement, negotiated between the companies and global antitrust agencies, that included the sale […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans up on Argentina weather concerns
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose 1.7 per cent on Tuesday on worries about dry weather hurting crop prospects in Argentina, despite rains expected in the coming days, analysts said. Corn rose on the weather worries and on improving export demand for U.S. supplies, and wheat followed the firm trend. Chicago Board of […] Read more
Soil health tips from long-time tillage reducers
Managing soil means managing water, say farmers who have worked hard to maintain their soil while growing high yielding crops. Why it matters: Soil organic matter levels continue to decline across major agriculture areas. The solutions are complex and sometimes contradictory, and often depend on local soil quality. “Healthy soil means faster water infiltration,” said Ken […] Read more
Nutrien sees demand growth cooling, margins shrinking
Reuters — Nutrien, the Canadian fertilizer and farm supply dealer created from the merger of Agrium and PotashCorp this year, said it expected demand growth for potash in China and India to cool down in 2018. Nutrien, the world’s biggest fertilizer company by capacity, also said higher input costs would shrink nitrogen and phosphate margins. […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat lower on technicals, better weather
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell to a one-week low on Monday on technical selling and an improving weather outlook, including beneficial moisture in parts of the Midwest winter wheat belt, analysts said. Soybean futures set a two-week low on forecasts for much-needed moisture in parts of Argentina, and corn sagged as well. […] Read more
Bayer offers asset sales for EU approval of Monsanto deal
Brussels/Frankfurt | Reuters — Bayer has offered to sell seeds and pesticides businesses to try to address EU competition concerns over its US$63.5 billion bid for U.S. rival Monsanto. The proposed remedies “are very significant and we are confident they fully address the European Commission’s concerns,” the German company said in a statement on Monday. […] Read more
ADM in talks to buy Bunge as early as this week
Reuters — Top U.S. grains merchant Archer Daniels Midland could reach an agreement to buy smaller rival Bunge as early as this week, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The potential deal comes as large grain traders that make money by buying, selling, storing and shipping commodity crops have struggled […] Read more
Le Bulletin marks 100th anniversary
Canada’s oldest francophone farm publication on Friday marked its 100th birthday with an updated look and a new theme for the year. Le Bulletin des agriculteurs — now owned and published by Glacier FarmMedia, operator of this website — recently released its January 2018 issue under the theme “100 ans et tourne vers l’avenir” (100 […] Read more
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