China said on July 10 that it predicted higher corn and soybean imports for 2019-20, as the country was expected to step up purchases from the United States to fulfil the Phase 1 trade deal. Corn imports for the crop year that ends in September are now seen at six million tonnes, up two million
China expects higher soybean, corn imports for 2019-20 on rise in U.S. cargoes
Feds proposing to expand wage subsidy program
Ottawa | Reuters — The Canadian government wants to expand an emergency wage subsidy program so that all businesses suffering losses from the COVID-19 outbreak will benefit, Finance Minister Bill Morneau said on Friday. Morneau told a news conference that Ottawa would drop an earlier requirement stipulating that businesses needed to show a 30 per
Elanco Animal Health wins U.S. approval to buy Bayer unit
Elanco to shed cattle pour-on brand, others for approval
Washington | Reuters — Elanco Animal Health has won U.S. antitrust approval to buy Bayer’s animal health business on condition that it sell assets to treat three ailments, two in dogs and one in cattle, the Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday. The deal was valued at $7.6 billion when it was announced in August
Russia’s wheat exports may fall in July before rising in autumn, say analysts
Reuters – Russian wheat exports will fall in July after a slow start to the harvest but will rise in later months when there will not be export quotas, IKAR and SovEcon agriculture consultancies said July 3. The world’s largest wheat exporter, which competes with the European Union, Ukraine and others to supply Africa and
China reports lumpy skin disease outbreaks in cattle
Beijing | Reuters — China is facing outbreaks of a debilitating virus in cattle that causes a condition called lumpy skin disease, following an incident on a farm in the eastern province of Zhejiang this week, the agriculture ministry said on Wednesday. On its website, the ministry of agriculture and rural affairs said five cases
Elanco forgoes Canadian poultry insecticide rights for Bayer deal
Reuters — Elanco Animal Health has decided against acquiring Bayer’s Canadian distribution rights to several poultry insecticides, Canada’s Competition Bureau said on Tuesday, as it looks to complete a $7.6-billion deal. The U.S.-based company will also divest its canine ear infection treatment product Osurnia and Bayer’s feline dewormer Profender to address competition concerns about its
Kazakhstan’s president says farmland won’t be sold to foreigners
Almaty | Reuters — Kazakhstan will permanently ban sales of agricultural land to foreigners, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday, ending a long-running discussion about controversial land reform plans. Provisions that would have allowed foreign ownership of farmland prompted public protests throughout Kazakhstan in 2016. The government decided at the time to put off the
China’s slower meat imports seen worsening its protein shortage
Beijing | Reuters — China’s dwindling pace of meat imports, thanks to its tough measures against coronavirus contamination, will provide further support for prices already buoyed by a severe shortage of pork, analysts said. Purchases of pork and other meats have soared this year after domestic production shrank 30 per cent following an outbreak of
U.S. forecaster says La Nina expected to develop in fall 2020
Reuters — A U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday forecast the development of a La Nina pattern during the August-October season, which is expected to persist through the remainder of 2020. There is about 50-55 per cent chance of La Nina developing during the Northern Hemisphere fall, with a 50 per cent chance it will
G4 swine flu virus not new, China says
Ag ministry says virus does not infect or sicken humans, animals easily
Shanghai/Beijing | Reuters — China’s ministry of agriculture and rural affairs said Saturday that the so-called “G4” strain of swine flu virus is not new and does not infect or sicken humans and animals easily, rebuffing a study published last week. That study, by a team of Chinese scientists and published by the U.S. journal