Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian farmers planted slightly more wheat overall in 2020 than in 2019, but the coronavirus outbreak will pose “unique challenges” in the production and distribution of crops, Statistics Canada said on Monday. Farmers planted 25 million acres of wheat, up 1.5 per cent from 2019, thanks in part to a 16.2
StatsCan survey shows bump up in wheat acres, particularly durum
Farmers back off canola, soybeans; pandemic expected to cause other problems for ag
U.S. court blocks California cancer label on Roundup
WHO agency's ruling alone insufficient, judge says
Reuters — A U.S. federal appeals court on Monday blocked California from requiring that Bayer label its glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup with a cancer warning, handing the company a victory in its ongoing litigation over the product. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge William Shubb called California’s cancer warning misleading and said the state’s label is
Pompeo urges China to release two detained Canadians
U.S. Secretary of State calls charges 'groundless'
Washington/Ottawa | Reuters — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Monday for the immediate release of two Canadians charged by China with espionage, saying the United States was “extremely concerned” and that the two men’s detention was unjustified. “These charges are politically motivated and completely groundless,” Pompeo said in a statement. Chinese prosecutors
Mexico to resume sending farmworkers to Canada after safety agreement
Mexico City | Reuters — Mexico will resume sending temporary farmworkers to Canada after the two countries reached an agreement on improved safety protections for labourers on Canadian farms during the coronavirus pandemic, the Mexican government said Sunday. Mexico said last Tuesday it would pause sending workers to farms with coronavirus infections after at least
U.S. farming body, Zambian firm partner aim to boost crop yields
Country rebuilding drought-battered ag sector
Lusaka | Reuters — A U.S. non-profit organization has launched a US$40 million joint venture with one of Zambia’s top farm suppliers to boost crop yields and food security as farmers struggle to access finance amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the local company said on Sunday. The chairman of African Green Resources (AGR), Zuneid Yousuf, said
Republican lawmakers ask USDA to ease regs on meat production
Six Republicans in the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee have urged the U.S. Agriculture Department to ease regulations on meat processors that they said make it harder for smaller companies to compete. The price paid to ranchers for cattle dropped and meat prices rose earlier this spring when operations at some slaughterhouses were slowed by
Strategie Grains cuts EU wheat crop outlook again after dry spring
Consultancy Strategie Grains June 11 further reduced its forecast for this year’s soft wheat harvest in the European Union, saying it expected a hot, dry spring to have hurt crops before rains resumed in June. In a monthly cereal report, the French analyst lowered its estimate of 2020 soft wheat production in the EU plus
Louis Dreyfus adds venture capital unit
New unit's potential budget not yet discussed publicly
Paris | Reuters — Agricultural commodities trader Louis Dreyfus Co. has launched a venture capital program to invest in food and farming firms while also announcing a change of head for its innovation business. “Over the coming months, we will invest in early-stage companies with the potential to transform the food and agriculture industries,” CEO
U.K. aims to join Trans-Pacific Partnership
London | Reuters –– The United Kingdom announced on Wednesday it would pursue accession to a revamped version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. “Today we’re announcing our intent to pursue accession to CPTPP, one of the world’s largest free trading areas,” Trade Secretary Liz Truss said. The British government said joining CPTPP would help the U.K.
Kazakhstan opposes extension of Russia-led seed export ban
Kazakhstan will oppose any extension of the agriculture export restrictions a Russia-led trade bloc has so far imposed until June 30, its Agriculture Minister Saparkhan Omarov told reporters June 3. The Eurasian Economic Union, which comprises Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan as well as Kazakhstan and Russia, restricted exports of sunflower seeds, buckwheat, rice, rye and