
U.S. to ban use of chlorpyrifos on food crops
Cancellation already scheduled for most outdoor use in Canada
UPDATED, Aug. 25 –– Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday said it will ban the use on food crops of chlorpyrifos insecticide, which has been linked to health problems in children. The decision is a victory for environmental activists who have fought to stop the use of the chemical that […] Read more

Striking Quebec pork plant staff reject deal with Olymel
Quebec hog farmers call for province to intervene
Quebec’s hog farmers now want Premier Francois Legault to step in on a months-long strike at a major pork packing plant after its workers rejected a tentative deal between their union and employer. Workers at Olymel’s plant at Vallee-Jonction, about 60 km southeast of Quebec City, met Tuesday evening to vote on an agreement in […] Read more

Maersk signs first green methanol deal toward dropping fossil fuels
Copenhagen | Reuters — A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Wednesday it had signed a contract securing green methanol as the world’s largest shipping firm gears up to operate its first carbon-neutral ship in 2023. With about 90 per cent of world trade transported by sea, global shipping accounts for nearly three per cent of the world’s […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME cattle up on firm cash market, beef prices
Speculative buying, cash pork prices lift lean hogs
Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange firmed on Wednesday on higher cash cattle and beef prices, while feeder cattle gained as rains were forecast to hit drought-parched grazing pastures in the western Midwest and northern Plains, traders said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported moderately active cattle sales […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Canola remains expensive
MarketsFarm — Concerns over the likelihood of a much smaller canola crop than previously anticipated, coupled with a very tight supply situation, continued to underpin values this week. That price rationing in turn has kept canola more expensive than other edible oils, according to trader Keith Ferley of RBC Dominion Securities in Winnipeg. “The market […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans fall on technicals, U.S. weather
Wheat, corn futures end firm
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures fell Wednesday on technical selling and forecasts for welcome rains in northwestern portions of the U.S. Midwest, but wheat and corn futures edged higher. Chicago Board of Trade November soybeans settled down 8-1/4 cents at $13.53-1/4 per bushel (all figures US$). CBOT December wheat ended up 2-3/4 cents […] Read more

Haitians grow impatient for quake aid as hungry crowd gathers
Victims say they still lack food, shelter, clean water; some major hospitals damaged
Les Cayes, Haiti | Reuters — A hungry crowd gathered outside an airport in southern Haiti on Wednesday as people left homeless by an earthquake that killed some 2,000 people voiced anger that government aid was slow to arrive five days after the disaster, leaving many without food and water. Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who […] Read more

Russia’s agriculture ministry pauses grain harvesting data
Moscow | Reuters — Russia’s agriculture ministry has paused its daily publication of grain harvesting data while it refines the reporting format used by the country’s growing regions, the ministry said Wednesday. Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter, supplying it mainly to Africa and the Middle East. It competes with the European Union and […] Read more

CBOT weekly outlook: Focus shifts away from USDA supply, demand estimates
MarketsFarm — Nearly a week after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Aug. 12 release of its monthly supply and demand estimates, they still lingered in the minds of traders at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). “Corn at $5.65 (per bushel), that’s where it’s trading right now, that is the fair market value for […] Read more

Nova Scotia Tories’ ag critic returns as party wins election
PCs oust incumbent Liberals, form majority
The agriculture critic for Nova Scotia’s opposition Progressive Conservatives is set to return to the legislature, this time as part of a majority government, following Tuesday’s provincial election. As of about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Tim Houston’s PCs were elected or leading in 31 of 55 ridings, followed by Iain Rankin’s incumbent Liberals with 17 and […] Read more