One of the joint-venture owners of Winnipeg pea and canola protein processor Merit Functional Foods says it’s in talks to buy full control of the cash-strapped company. Two days after Merit entered a court-ordered receivership, Vancouver-based Burcon NutraScience announced Friday it “intends to submit a formal proposal to acquire the business.” Burcon said Merit’s receivership […] Read more
Merit Foods stakeholder looking to buy company
Burcon 'actively engaged' with company's receiver
Prairie cash wheat: Bids dip with U.S. futures
Canadian dollar also down on week
MarketsFarm — Spring wheat bids in Western Canada posted losses during the week ended Thursday, underpinned as losses in U.S. futures weighed on values. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were down by $3.50-$8.10 per tonne across the Prairies, according to price quotes from a cross-section of delivery points […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybean, corn futures end week strong
Chicago May wheat falls
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose for the third consecutive day on Friday, supported by expectations that the soy crop in global supplier Argentina is smaller than estimated because of damage from drought conditions. “Behind the support in the market is the simple fact that this is horrible finishing weather for the soybeans […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs rally on strong outside markets
Weather forecast also supportive
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog and cattle futures rose sharply on Friday, as gains in outside markets bolstered optimism about the economy and consumer demand for beef and pork, traders said. Concerns that a late winter storm forecast for the U.S. Midwest this weekend could disrupt supply chains added support to livestock […] Read more
Ontario police charge seven with trafficking, exploiting migrants
Workers provided for farms and other sites, police say
Toronto | Reuters — Ontario’s York Regional Police have charged seven people with trafficking and exploiting 64 Mexican migrants, saying the accused were part of an international labour trafficking ring operating in the Toronto region. Police in Ontario said on Friday they had obtained information in November that migrant men and women were being exploited […] Read more
Several countries ban Brazilian beef as BSE probe goes on
Russia among those halting imports
Sao Paulo | Reuters — The Brazilian agriculture ministry said on Thursday that Thailand, Iran and Jordan have temporarily suspended imports of beef from Brazil while authorities investigate a case of BSE in an animal from Para state, according to a statement sent to Reuters. The ministry also confirmed that Russia has halted imports from […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Barley exports slowing down, local prices steady
Feedlots relatively well covered
MarketsFarm — Canadian barley exports slowed down in January, but out-of-country movement is still running ahead of the year-ago pace, according to updated export data from the Canadian Grain Commission. Canada exported 131,100 tonnes of barley from licensed facilities in January, with China the top customer taking 100,500 tonnes. Total barley exports were well off […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans up on technical bounce
Wheat firm; corn weak
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose on Thursday, extending their rebound from the one-month low hit this week on a round of technical buying, traders said. “I think we got too cheap too fast and we are seeing a technical recovery,” said Scott Harms, Ag risk specialist at Archer Financial Services. Wheat futures […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs ease on weak exports
Boxed beef prices seen firm
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle and hog futures fell on Thursday, with signs of weakening export demand for beef and pork pressuring prices. Traders also said the cattle market was still ripe for profit taking even after falling on Wednesday. The U.S. Agriculture Department said on Thursday morning export sales of beef […] Read more
North Korea’s Kim demands more farmland to boost food production
Seoul | Reuters — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered improvements to infrastructure and expansion of farmland to ramp up food production, state media said on Thursday, amid warnings of an impending food crisis. Kim gave instructions to revamp irrigation systems, build modern farming machines and create more arable land as he wrapped up […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
