Reuters — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday made it easier for small oil refineries to win exemptions from a federal law requiring increasing levels of ethanol and other renewable fuels to be blended into their products, a major setback for biofuel producers. The justices overturned a lower court decision that had faulted the U.S. […] Read more

U.S. Supreme Court backs refineries in biofuel waiver dispute
Top court overturns ruling against EPA granting waivers

Feed weekly outlook: New-crop prices to rise
MarketsFarm — Well covered with grain for now, feedlots are beginning to set their sights on the new crop. Drought conditions on the Prairies and the U.S. northern Plains are causing new-crop feed wheat and feed barley prices to go up, according to a Saskatchewan-based trader. “Demand for old crop (is) dwindling and the focus […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybean futures fall after rain
Chicago corn, wheat futures both mixed
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn soybean futures fell on Thursday, pressured by rain in key growing areas of the U.S. Midwest this week, traders said. “I think it is probably confirmation of fairly widespread rain in areas that were in really dire straits,” said Chuck Shelby, president of Risk Management Commodities. […] Read more

U.S. livestock: July hogs limit-down to lowest since late March
August live cattle down, feeders up
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures tumbled to their lowest in nearly three months on Thursday with rising supplies pressuring the market, traders said. CME July hogs settled down the 4.5-cent daily trading limit at 100.025 cents/lb. (all figures US$). That was the lowest for the front-month contract since March 29. Actively […] Read more

Canada to lift more border restrictions in weeks to come, Trudeau says
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada will further relax border restrictions in the weeks to come as long as the science supports such a move, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday, suggesting Ottawa would move more quickly than initially announced. Trudeau, under pressure to allow non-essential travel from the U.S., was more categorical than he had […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Weather, carryout support canola
MarketsFarm — As higher-than-normal temperatures become almost a weekly occurrence in Western Canada amidst tightening carryout stocks, canola seems primed for another extended rally. Despite rains in Western Canada over the past three weeks, providing some relief for canola crops and triggering fund liquidation on the markets, carryout remains very low, with warmer temperatures exacerbating […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat rallies on Plains weather concerns
Chicago soybeans, corn weaker
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rose on Wednesday, led by gains in MGEX spring wheat contracts that firmed on concerns that dry conditions in key growing areas of the northern U.S. Plains and Canada could limit the size of the harvests. Soybean futures were lower as improving crop prospects in the U.S. Midwest […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures fall as cash pork prices slide
Cattle futures, beef cutout values lower
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures fell sharply on Wednesday, with the front-month Chicago Mercantile Exchange contract sinking 2.8 per cent to its lowest in more than two months. Weakness in the cash market pressured hog futures, traders said. CME July hogs settled down three cents at 104.525 cents/lb., its lowest since April […] Read more

CBOT weekly outlook: MGEX wheat spread widens over winter wheats
MarketsFarm — Hot, dry growing conditions in key spring wheat-growing regions of the northern U.S. and Canadian Prairies have seen Minneapolis (MGEX) spring wheat futures widen their spread over Chicago and Kansas City winter wheat contracts over the past few weeks — with additional strength likely given the current weather forecasts. Nearby spring wheat futures, […] Read more

Another swine flu variant case appears in Manitoba
Variant of H3N2 confirmed in southern Manitoba resident
A single and apparently isolated case of another influenza variant normally seen in hogs has turned up in a Manitoba resident, the province announced Monday. Manitoba Public Health on Monday said the H3N2 influenza variant (H3N2v) seen in this case is related to flu viruses that circulate in pigs, noting that while such viruses don’t […] Read more