Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. corn futures climbed to their highest in more than two months on Tuesday as traders predicted the U.S. will cut its production estimate in a crop report due out Friday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in the monthly report, may reduce its estimates for the average corn yield and for
U.S. grains: Corn tops two-month high
U.S. grains: Prices rise on technicals, positioning before reports
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. grain and soybean futures strengthened on Monday as technical buying and positioning ahead of U.S. crop reports overshadowed concerns about poor export demand. Soybean oil neared a two-month high. Traders were adjusting positions in the markets before the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issues reports on crop production, supplies and
U.S. grains: Wheat nears one-month high on global weather worries
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures neared a one-month high on Wednesday on short-covering and poor weather in Australia and the Black Sea region that worried traders who have recently been focused on large global supplies. Corn and soybean futures ended little changed. Propelling wheat prices higher was dry weather that is threatening the
Storm suspected of carrying new corn disease into U.S.
Chicago | Reuters — A tropical storm could have carried the corn disease tar spot into the heart of the U.S. farm belt for the first time, as winds and rain blew in from Latin America, researchers told Reuters. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed cases of tar spot in at least four locations
McDonald’s cage-free egg pledge pressures farmers
Reuters — This month’s pledge by McDonald’s Corp. to phase out eggs laid by caged hens in its North American restaurants will increase competition for limited supplies of cage-free eggs. The ban, which follows similar moves by Burger King and food services company Sodexo, carries higher costs that may, at least initially, sting farmers. For
Glow-in-the-dark GMO chickens shed light on bird flu fight
But these birds are a long ways from becoming commercialized
In the realm of avian research, the chicks with the glow-in-the-dark beaks and feet might one day rock the poultry world. British scientists say they have genetically modified chickens in a bid to block bird flu and that early experiments show promise for fighting off the disease that has devastated the U.S. poultry and egg
U.S. may kill poultry with heat stress to stop bird flu
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. agriculture officials seeking ways to control deadly bird flu have approved the use of a method to kill poultry by turning up the heat in their barns and shutting off ventilation systems. The Agriculture Department will consider using the method, condemned by animal rights groups as cruel, if there are
Sales from organic U.S. farms reached $5.5B last year
Chicago | Reuters — Sales from organic U.S. farms reached US$5.5 billion last year, a 72 per cent increase from 2008, the U.S. Agriculture Department said in a report on Thursday that highlighted the consumer trend toward such products. The USDA data, compiled through farmer surveys, showed that milk was the top organic commodity in
USDA probes release of incorrect data that pressured crop prices
Chicago | Reuters — A U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) unit is reviewing its procedures after posting incorrect crop data online on Wednesday, an error that temporarily pressured grain prices. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) inadvertently issued the wrong data on crop acreage around 5 a.m. CT and posted corrected data four hours later. The agency
U.S. grains: Soy shakes off 6-year low, corn jumps on U.S. crop fears
Chicago/Reuters – U.S. soybean futures bounced on Friday after a surprise increase in the Department of Agriculture’s autumn harvest forecast knocked prices to six-year lows. Corn futures neared one-month highs after the USDA, in a monthly report, reduced its production estimate, igniting supply concerns. Traders are focused on the size of the crops because prices
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