Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures dropped to their lowest level in about 3-1/2 years on Wednesday as weekly ethanol output set a record low, reflecting weak demand for the crop during the coronavirus outbreak. Soybean and wheat futures also fell at the Chicago Board of Trade. Demand for corn-based ethanol has suffered as
U.S. grains: Corn futures set 3-1/2 year low as ethanol output tumbles
Soy futures consolidate after 3-1/2 week low
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures recover
Cargill cuts more beef shifts, Smithfield shuts more pork plants
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle and hog futures advanced on Wednesday as the markets recovered slightly from recent losses that traders said had dropped prices too far below the cash markets. Futures prices have tumbled recently as major meat companies have shut slaughterhouses due to the spread of the new coronavirus among employees. The
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures rise as traders hope slaughterhouses reopen soon
Hogs more sensitive to packer disruptions
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures rose Tuesday in a turnaround from recent losses, supported by a temporary easing of concerns over meat plants’ shutting due to cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus among workers, analysts said. Livestock markets have been fixated on shutdowns of meat plants because processing disruptions cause a backup in supplies
‘Elbow to elbow:’ North America’s meat plant workers fall ill, walk off jobs
Supply chains struggling to keep pace with surging demand
Chicago/Winnipeg | Reuters — At a Wayne Farms chicken processing plant in Alabama, workers recently had to pay the company 10 U.S. cents a day to buy masks to protect themselves from the COVID-19 coronavirus, according to a meat inspector. In Colorado, nearly a third of the workers at a JBS USA beef plant stayed
Smithfield shutting South Dakota pork plant indefinitely
Major packer warns of meat shortages during pandemic
Chicago | Reuters — Smithfield Foods, the world’s biggest pork processor, said on Sunday it will shut a U.S. plant indefinitely due to a rash of coronavirus cases among employees and warned the country was moving “perilously close to the edge” in supplies for grocers. Slaughterhouse shutdowns are disrupting the U.S. food supply chain, crimping
USDA to probe surging beef prices versus falling cattle prices
Tyson says will co-operate with department's investigation
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Agriculture Department will investigate why a surge in beef prices because of coronavirus-related hoarding did not translate into higher cattle prices for farmers, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Wednesday. The investigation adds scrutiny on the small group of meat companies such as Tyson Foods and Cargill that dominate
U.S. senators scrutinize meat packers’ profits during pandemic
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. senators are calling for investigations of record profit margins for beef processors such as Tyson Foods and Cargill, after ranchers complained surging meat prices due to coronavirus hoarding did not translate into higher cattle prices. Futures prices for cattle have tumbled during the outbreak, worrying farmers as the U.S. economy
U.S. livestock: April hogs limit down, cattle ease
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures on Monday sank by an expanded daily limit and cattle futures weakened on increased concerns that slaughterhouses will close due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Traders worry that shutdowns could back up supplies of livestock by removing markets for the animals. Canada’s largest hog producer,
Farm suppliers race COVID-19 spread for planting season
Winnipeg/Chicago | Reuters — North America’s biggest farm suppliers are accelerating shipments of fertilizer, seeds and agricultural chemicals to crop-growing regions in an unprecedented race against the coronavirus that threatens to disrupt planting season. The timing could not be worse for farmers preparing to plant crops. Disruptions in deliveries of fertilizer, seeds or chemicals could
As meat demand rises, processors raise pay for farmers, workers
Chicago | Reuters –– North American meat processors said on Monday they would pay extra money to farmers and slaughterhouse workers as the companies scramble to meet surging demand from consumers unnerved by the spread of the new coronavirus. Companies such as Tyson Foods and Cargill want to ensure their slaughterhouses remain supplied with cattle
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