USDA Slammed Over Data

China’s state-run food trader slammed the U.S. government’s dramatic revisions of its supply-demand data on corn as an “insult,” saying the sharp changes made it difficult for the entity to hedge risks. The unusually candid and critical remarks by a senior COFCO official triggered a quick retort from U.S. analysts and traders, who noted the



Late Blight Moving North

Confirmed cases of late blight have been reported as of June 28 in the northeastern states of Delaware, New York and Virginia, the Manitoba government’s weekly potato news said July 5. No late blight found or reported in Manitoba. The sentinel plots, with potato and tomato plants, also are being regularly inspected, said Vikram Bisht,




Canola Drops On Fund Profit-Taking

ICE Futures Canada canola contracts dropped sharply during the week ended June 24, hitting their lowest levels in over a month as a broad-based fund sell-off weighed on prices. An unexpectedly bearish Statistics Canada acreage report also accounted for some of the selling, although most participants were downplaying the large StatsCan acreage number, given the


High Feed Costs Prevent Expansion Of U.S. Hog Herd

High feed costs are keeping U.S. hog producers from expanding their herds, but low mortality rates will ensure there is sufficient pork for domestic use and for exports, analysts said June 24, following release of a government report. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s quarterly hogs and pigs report showed that there was a slight increase



Plate Replaces Pyramid In USDA Food Guidelines

The pyramid guide to healthy eating that many Americans grew up with has been scrapped, and in its place the Obama administration is serving up a dinner plate icon sliced up by food groups. The U.S. Department of Agriculture unveiled its new icon, MyPlate, recently to help guide Americans toward eating balanced meals. The dinner