Frankfurt | Reuters — Bayer is facing a double hit from a higher legal bill for claims relating to weedkiller Roundup as well as 9.25 billion euros (C$14.2 billion) in impairments on agriculture businesses, much of it related to its Monsanto deal. The company said the write-downs, driven by weaker demand from farmers due to […] Read more

Bayer takes major writedown, flags Roundup settlement bill
Company writes down agribusiness assets

Tech firm aims to boost regenerative ag through A.I., machine learning
Terramera proposes to cut emissions, sequester carbon through efficiencies
A Vancouver ag tech firm is pitching a proposal to both public- and private-sector investors that would use Microsoft technology to help the ag sector “pull carbon from the air.” Terramera on Monday put forward a $730 million proposal for an initiative it calls the Global Centre for Regenerative Agriculture, which would oversee efforts to […] Read more

Canadian food laureate Anita Stewart, 73
Guelph flags to be lowered for Food Day Canada founder
Flags at the University of Guelph are to be flown at half-mast Tuesday in honour of Canadian food advocate Anita Stewart, who died Thursday in hospital in Hamilton. Stewart, 73, was the first person in the world to be conferred with the title of “food laureate,” as she was named by the University of Guelph […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn declines on long liquidation
Soybeans lower, wheat rallies
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures declined on Monday as funds scaled back long positions ahead of the U.S. presidential election, and forecasts called for optimal weather in the Midwest, where farmers are wrapping up the harvest of corn and soybeans, analysts said. Wheat futures turned higher, rallying on bargain-buying after a five-session slide. […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle up with wholesale beef prices
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures inched higher on Monday as rising wholesale beef prices buoyed the market in light-volume trade, analysts said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange December live cattle futures settled up 0.25 cent at 108.55 cents/lb. (all figures US$). “That’s still the underlying factor — (cattle) weights are not as big as […] Read more

Foreign worker isolation support extended
Federal program extended alongside federal restrictions
The federal program helping employers of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) cover the costs of isolating new workers for two weeks on their arrival in Canada has been extended through November. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced Monday that the Mandatory Isolation Support for Temporary Foreign Workers Program will now run to Nov. 30, as the government […] Read more

WMO officially calls a La Nina winter
MarketsFarm — A La Nina weather event has officially developed in the Pacific Ocean and is expected to continue into 2021, affecting temperatures, precipitation and storm patterns around the world, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The global declaration of the La Nina event by the United Nations’ agency will be used by governments […] Read more

China rejects Australia’s appeal to remove barley tariff
Sydney | Reuters — China has rejected Australia’s appeal to scrap a tariff on its barley exports, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, all but closing the door on a trade worth about A$1.5 billion (C$1.4 billion) in 2018. The rejection comes after Australia sought a formal review over duties totalling 80.5 per […] Read more

Input Capital takeover falls through
Input says U.S. buyer to walk away, pay termination fee
The Regina company that brought “streaming” to the Prairie canola marketing business is considering its other options now that a friendly cash bid from a U.S. suitor has been taken off the table. Input Capital said Thursday that Washington, D.C.-based investment firm Bridgeway National, which in August proposed to buy Input for about $96.15 million, […] Read more

Prairie cash wheat: Durum springs forward, red spring falls back
MarketsFarm — Bids in Western Canada were weaker for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheats for the week ended Thursday, while there were increases for Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD). Double-digit losses in U.S. wheat markets weighed on values and a drop in the Canadian dollar provided support. Average […] Read more