Big exports but cattle herd expansion unclear: USDA

Washington / Reuters Recent drought and forecasts for limited rainfall could constrain the size of the U.S. cattle herd despite high retail beef prices and forecasts for near-record exports, the Agriculture Department said Feb. 15. Record-high retail beef prices “are not sufficient to provide the long-term margins and profits the wholesale and cattle-feeding sectors must


Impact of downed Brazil grains loader looms

Sao Paulo / Reuters/ A ship that collided with the main grain terminal at Brazil’s Santos Port could reduce corn and soybean exports from the South American country. There are fears that if repairs at the Guaruja Grain Terminal at Santos drag on into March, Brazil exports will fall far enough to push up world



China ban on Indian meal could benefit Canadian canola

China will boost imports of rapeseed and rapeseed meal from Canada, after Beijing banned Indian meal after tests showed it contained a toxic chemical. If China buys more canola, from Canada, the world’s top exporter, it could firm ICE canola prices, which have been rising for the past two weeks in anticipation of larger imports.

Livestock briefs Feb. 2

No E. coli risk with wheat DDGS Alberta Beef Producers reports that scientists from Alberta Agriculture, AAFC Lethbridge and private industry are studying the impact of wheat distillers grains on the shedding of E. coli 0157:H7. This research addresses concerns that feeding wheat dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) to feedlot cattle may increase the


China eyes even more U.S. soy

China, the world’s biggest food shopper, is likely to buy more U.S. soybeans this quarter, as a withering drought is expected to cut the South American harvest, pushing soy prices up to fresh highs. Benchmark Chicago soy has risen for three weeks on the relentless Southern Hemisphere summer, and analysts say prices could head higher,



No surprise in grain stocks report

Reuters / Canada’s supplies of canola were slightly tighter on Dec. 31 than a year earlier, but all-wheat supplies grew modestly, Statistics Canada has reported. The calendar year-end stocks report is an indicator of how accurate StatsCan’s final production estimates were for the most recent harvest, along with how robust demand was late in the