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USDA stands pat on U.S. soybean, corn ending stocks

Soy, corn crop projections cut for Argentina

MarketsFarm — Projected ending stocks for soybeans and corn in the United States for the current marketing year were left unchanged by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its latest monthly supply/demand report (WASDE) — coming as a surprise to market participants who had generally anticipated downward revisions to the carryout numbers. USDA left 2022-23 […] Read more

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China agrees to resume imports of Brazilian beef

Beijing authorizes four new Brazilian plants

Beijing/Sao Paulo | Reuters –– Efforts by the Brazilian government to lift a month-long ban on beef exports to China paid off on Thursday, as Beijing agreed to resume imports while also approving four new beef packers based in Brazil, according to authorities in both countries. China’s General Administration of Customs approved the resumption of […] Read more

CBOT May 2023 soybeans with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago soy closes lower

Brazil production, Fed in focus for soy; wheat, corn still capped by Black Sea deal extension

Reuters — Chicago soy futures reversed gains to close lower on Tuesday, pushed down by rising estimates of Brazilian production, while corn and wheat dipped as markets kept a cautious eye on an expected Federal Reserve rate hike. Wheat and corn continue to be capped by the extension of a Black Sea export corridor from […] Read more

A dried-out corn crop next to cotton planted into a dried-out cornfield at Tostado in Argentina’s northern Santa Fe province, on Feb. 8, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Miguel Lo Bianco)

CBOT weekly outlook: Argentina estimates lowered, but attention soon shifting north

U.S. corn, soyoil export outlooks 'a little concerning'

MarketsFarm — Sizeable reductions to Argentina’s soybean and corn crops were confirmed in the latest supply/demand estimates (WASDE) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with more reductions likely in future reports. However, attention in the markets is starting to shift to North American weather, with spring seeding just around the corner. “The USDA was a […] Read more

CME March 2023 feeder cattle with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle highest since 2015 as corn sags

Live cattle mixed, hogs mostly higher

Chicago | Reuters — Front-month feeder cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange hit the highest in nearly 7-1/2 years on Wednesday as falling prices for corn signaled cheaper feed costs, traders said. CME April feeder cattle futures settled up 1.4 cents at 200.075 cents/lb. after setting a life-of-contract high of 200.225 cents (all figures […] Read more


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Several countries ban Brazilian beef as BSE probe goes on

Russia among those halting imports

Sao Paulo | Reuters — The Brazilian agriculture ministry said on Thursday that Thailand, Iran and Jordan have temporarily suspended imports of beef from Brazil while authorities investigate a case of BSE in an animal from Para state, according to a statement sent to Reuters. The ministry also confirmed that Russia has halted imports from […] Read more

A dried-out corn crop next to cotton planted into a dried-out cornfield at Tostado in Argentina’s northern Santa Fe province, on Feb. 8, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Miguel Lo Bianco)

CBOT weekly outlook: It still comes down to South America

Continent's soy situation conflicting

MarketsFarm — Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is set to issue its next supply and demand estimates on March 8, what’s going on in South America continues to dominate the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), according to Andrew Mages of Progressive Ag in Fargo, N.D. “Typically it’s not the most important report because […] Read more

CME April 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle set high on Brazil halting beef exports to China

April hogs close lower, June up

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures reached a contract high on Thursday amid hopes that Chinese importers will buy more U.S. beef after rival supplier Brazil suspended shipments to China, analysts said. Brazil said it would halt beef exports to China, the main destination for its overseas shipments, after confirming a […] Read more


A microscope-level view of damaged brain tissue from a cow infected with BSE. (USDA photo via U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Brazil to halt beef exports to China after BSE case

Indications point to 'atypical' case

Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazil’s beef exports to China will be halted starting Thursday after a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was confirmed in the northern state of Para, the country’s agriculture and livestock ministry said on Wednesday. The suspension is part of an animal health pact previously agreed between China and Brazil […] Read more

CBOT March 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20-day moving average, MGEX March 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. March 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat nears one-month low on Black Sea competition

Chicago soybeans, corn also lower

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell to their lowest in nearly a month on Wednesday as an Egyptian purchase tender highlighted export competition from the Black Sea region, tempering worries about war disruption to Ukrainian supplies, analysts said. Soybean futures fell on profit-taking and expectations of increasing soy export competition from Brazil, where […] Read more