Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell nearly four per cent on Wednesday and European wheat fell three per cent as a bumper Australian harvest and signs of continued competition from Black Sea supplies added to technical pressure, traders and analysts said. Corn followed wheat lower while soybean futures ended modestly higher after monthly […] Read more
Tag Archives COVID-19 — page 9
U.S. grains: CBOT wheat nears two-month low
Corn declines; soy ends firm
Pulse weekly outlook: New investments cause for optimism
Sector looking forward beyond challenges of 2021
MarketsFarm — Canada’s pulse industry had to endure more than its fair share of challenges and obstacles in 2021, domestic and abroad. Nevertheless, the national organization representing pulse growers, traders and processors feels the industry will be strong in the New Year. An already tight supply situation became tighter in 2021 as drought in Western […] Read more
AGRIS Co-operative donates $15,000 to Harvest Hands
AGRIS Co-operative (AGRIS) is giving back to its communities with a $15,000 donation to Harvest Hands, a centralized food distribution bank rescuing surplus food from retailers, bakers and growers to help agencies and thousands of families throughout Southwestern Ontario. Jim Anderson, AGRIS ownership committee chair, said in a release “We unanimously wanted to continue giving back to the […] Read more
Elevators hope mandatory vaccination doesn’t disrupt operations
New regulations will require all federally regulated employees to comply early in 2022
Canada’s major companies hope their operations won’t be disrupted when Ottawa requires federally regulated employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 starting early in 2022. “It depends on whether employees that aren’t vaccinated will get vaccinated, or would they leave their jobs,” Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA) said in an interview […] Read more
Audit finds Canada failing migrant farmworkers on COVID-19, housing inspections
Toronto | Reuters — As the COVID-19 pandemic raged, federal government inspectors frequently deemed the employers of migrant workers compliant with health and safety rules despite a lack of evidence, according to an Auditor General report released Thursday. While Canadian provinces and territories set housing standards, the federal government is responsible for ensuring tens of […] Read more
U.S. EPA proposes biofuel mandate cuts
Proposal seen as boost to pandemic-hit refiners
New York | Reuters — The Biden administration proposed on Tuesday a reduction in the amount of biofuels that U.S. oil refiners were required to blend into their fuel mix since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The long-awaited decision offers some relief to the U.S. refining industry after the health crisis slammed domestic demand […] Read more
Resource-rich Canada grapples with key labour issues
From agriculture to the oilpatch, lack of labour is driving up wages
Canada’s economic recovery from the pandemic is being hampered by labour shortages across industries ranging from energy to aviation to agriculture, forcing companies to consider multiple salary hikes and offer other perks. Statistics Canada data Nov. 5 showed the national unemployment rate hit a 20-month low in October. The shortage of skilled and unskilled workers […] Read more
Strike averted at Cargill’s High River beef plant
Deal that hikes wages by 21 per cent and offers large bonuses receives majority backing
Workers at Cargill’s beef packing plant in southern Alberta have voted in favour of a contract that will hike wages by 21 per cent and provide improved health benefits. “The contract is the best of its kind and presented unprecedented gains in this time of economic and political uncertainty,” United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat slide continues in volatile week
Soybeans rise, corn up on support from crude oil prices
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures slid once again on Friday, after a volatile week in which prices plunged on investor fears about the economic impact of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, traders said. Wheat prices had steadied early in the day’s session but then started falling again on news that U.S. employment growth […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hogs end down on profit-taking
Futures decline despite higher beef prices
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle, feeder cattle and hog futures ended lower on Friday as profit-taking hit the livestock markets ahead of the weekend, traders said. Live cattle futures consolidated after setting contract highs this week, traders said. Most-active CME February live cattle finished 0.625 cent lower at 138.95 cents/lb. (all […] Read more
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