CBOT November 2019 soybeans (candlestick) and December 2019 corn (line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn futures rally on weather concerns

Chicago | Reuters — Volatility roiled the commodity grain futures markets on Monday, as uncertainty in the U.S. weather forecast supported corn and the growing tensions in the U.S.-China trade war weighed on soybeans. Wheat futures ended the day up on technical buying, traders said. China’s commerce ministry said that Chinese companies have stopped buying […] Read more

(ThamKC/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. refiners urge EPA to keep biofuel waiver requests secret from USDA

Washington | Reuters — A law firm representing small U.S. refineries has urged the Environmental Protection Agency to keep refiners’ applications for waivers from the nation’s biofuel policy secret from the Department of Agriculture, arguing that the petitions include confidential business information. The request, made by Perkins Coie in a letter to the EPA dated […] Read more

A rapeseed field in southern China’s Yunnan province. (YuenWu/iStock/Getty Images)

Trudeau, China’s Xi had ‘positive’ discussions as dispute rages

Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese President Xi Jinping had “positive, constructive interactions” on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Friday as a dispute between the two countries rages, Trudeau’s office said. Trudeau spoke “more than once” to Xi during a meeting of the Group of 20 leading economies […] Read more

A Mexican port-of-entry sign on Highway 92 near Naco, Arizona. (Rex_Wholster/iStock/Getty Images)

Mexico becomes first country to ratify USMCA deal

Mexico City | Reuters — Mexico on Wednesday became the first country to ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) agreed late last year to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) at the behest of U.S. President Donald Trump. By a vote of 114 in favour to four against, Mexico’s Senate backed the trade […] Read more


U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a visit to Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in Council Bluffs, Iowa on June 11, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Trump simplifies reviews of genetically modified farm products

Council Bluffs | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday directing federal agencies to streamline the review process for agricultural biotechnology including genetically modified livestock and seeds. Trump signed the order during a visit to an ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The executive order, he said, would “speed up […] Read more

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U.S. refiner group sues Trump EPA over E15 gasoline

Reuters — The main U.S. refining industry association said on Monday it sued to block the Trump administration’s effort to expand sales of higher ethanol blends of gasoline, arguing the move exceeded the administration’s authority. The legal challenge from the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) association escalated a battle between the oil and corn […] Read more



File photo of a scratch-and-sniff sticker promotion by Chipotle Mexican Grill. (Chipotle.com via PRNewswire)

Trump tariffs could cost an extra nickel per burrito, says Chipotle

Reuters — Chipotle Mexican Grill on Monday estimated a US$15 million hit from President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on Mexican imports, and said it could cover that by raising burrito prices by around five cents. The U.S.-based Mexican-themed chain’s finance chief Jack Hartung said its margins would be reduced by 20-30 basis points if the […] Read more

Kansas City July 2019 wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: CBOT wheat rallies on weather

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rallied on Monday on concerns about harvest risks as more heavy rain was forecast in some U.S. grain belts and warm, dry weather was expected in top wheat exporter Russia. Meanwhile, corn and soybean futures traded choppily as the markets digested a threat of U.S. tariffs against Mexico, […] Read more