File photo of a steak sandwich with chimichurri sauce at a street food market in Buenos Aires. (Aleksandr_Vorobev/iStock/Getty Images)

Tensions build over Argentina’s beef export ban

Rural associations pledge pause in livestock trading

Buenos Aires | Reuters — Argentine farm groups will halt trading of livestock in protest against a 30-day government ban on beef exports aimed at bringing down domestic prices, the country’s main producer groups said in a joint statement Tuesday. The South American country’s centre-left Peronist government unveiled the ’emergency measure’ to tamp down high […] Read more

CBOT July 2021 corn (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange, dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn tops $7 for first time since 2013 in most-active contract

High corn prices are not destroying demand, Bunge CEO says

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures on Tuesday topped US$7 a bushel in the most-active contract for the first time since 2013 as unfavourably dry crop weather in Brazil kept attention on tightening global supplies. Surging prices have done little to curb robust demand for corn used to feed livestock and produce ethanol, opening […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

USDA plans more pandemic programs for disadvantaged farmers

Review found disparities in farm aid distribution

Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday it will dedicate at least US$6 billion to help smaller-scale and socially disadvantaged farmers who were hurt by the pandemic, along with producers of organic food and other specialty crops. The agency said it would also increase by approximately $5.6 billion payments made […] Read more

Elanco Animal Health CEO Jeff Simmons speaks during an interview at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Sept. 20, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

Second activist investor buys into Elanco

Reuters — Hedge fund Starboard Value LP has taken a stake in Elanco Animal Health and nominated three directors to the animal healthcare company’s board, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The WSJ report did not mention the size of Starboard’s stake in Elanco, which makes treatments for pets […] Read more


(Bob_bosewell/iStock/Getty Images)

Farmers’ net cash income improves as crop prices soar

Winnipeg | Reuters — Canadian farmers reaped record profits last year and are on track to do the same this year, the federal agriculture ministry said on Thursday, as prices for its top crops soared. Prices of canola hit all-time highs this month, rallying with oilseed rival soybeans, on brisk Chinese buying to produce feed […] Read more

Tom Vilsack speaks to farmers at a rural agricultural co-operative at Guira de Melena in Cuba on Nov. 13, 2015. (Photo: Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini)

U.S. Senate confirms Vilsack as Biden’s ag secretary

Pandemic leaves USDA 'a lot of work to do'

Reuters — The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Tom Vilsack to head the Department of Agriculture, returning the former Iowa governor to the job he held under ex-President Barack Obama. The 100-member Senate approved Vilsack 92-7. He needed a simple majority in the Democratic-controlled chamber to be confirmed. As secretary of the sprawling department, Vilsack […] Read more

Consumers have become more interested in pork over the last 10 years as they learn more about its preparation.

Pork’s affordability may create opportunities

Industry told it can capitalize on COVID-19-driven changes with cheaper meat and convenience

Glacier FarmMedia – Sylvain Charlebois sees opportunities for pork, and by extension hog producers, amid trends emerging from the pandemic. The Dalhousie University professor and researcher, who has become known as The Food Professor, told participants at the Banff Pork Seminar that the hog industry should find new ways to present pork to capitalize on […] Read more


File photo of a Chinese cornfield. (Baona/iStock/Getty Images)

China’s 2020 corn, wheat imports reach record highs

Beijing | Reuters — China’s grains imports soared to record highs in 2020, customs data showed on Monday, after tight domestic corn supplies pushed prices to multi-year peaks, driving demand for cheaper imports. China, the world’s top agricultural market, bought a record 11.3 million tonnes of imported corn last year, including 2.25 million tonnes in […] Read more