Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rose to their highest in more than a year on Tuesday, rallying to keep pace with recent gains in the cash market. The cash market strength stemmed from continued good demand even as the traditional U.S. grilling season draws to a close with the weather turning cooler. “There’s […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cash market strength boosts hog futures
Cash cattle values also boost live cattle

Strong demand, lower supplies support North American hog prices
MarketsFarm — Hog prices in North America typically come under pressure heading into fall, as the end of barbecue season coincides with more hogs coming to slaughter. However, strong global demand has propped up hog prices in recent weeks, with cash prices increasing by over 25 per cent. Fewer hogs coming to market, coupled with […] Read more

Syngenta buys biologics group Valagro
Zurich | Reuters — Syngenta, the Swiss agrichemicals giant owned by ChemChina, has acquired Italian biologicals group Valagro, a company with US$175 million in 2019 sales that uses natural solutions to fight pests and diseases and to improve crops. Syngenta said in a statement Tuesday the acquisition positioned its crop protection business as a key […] Read more

Klassen: Rising feed grains pressure feeder market
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $3-$6 lower with some reports showing prices as much as $10 lower. Calves traded $2-$4 below week-ago levels; however, the market will be more defined next week, with many auction barns scheduling feature calf sales in the major feeding areas of Alberta. Feeding margins in the […] Read more

Dairy cattle traceability system switched on
Lactanet's DairyTrace program now operational
Lactanet Canada’s centralized national system for management of dairy cattle traceability data has formally been plugged in. Guelph-based dairy herd management service provider Lactanet on Monday launched DairyTrace, which it says will operate alongside the traceability module of Dairy Farmers of Canada’s proAction initiative in providing “state-of-the-art traceback capabilities in the event of an emergency […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures rise on strong cash markets
U.S. packers seen dialing up slaughter pace
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle and lean hog futures advanced on Monday on expectations that cash prices will remain firm, analysts said. Cash cattle prices are expected to rise $1-$2/cwt this week as packers ramp up slaughtering, said Brian Hoops, president of broker Midwest Market Solutions (all figures US$). Fat cattle last week […] Read more

Study shows how U.S. farm landscapes could be reshaped by climate
Plains' wheat belt would see 'hollowing-out'
London | Thomson Reuters Foundation — Climate change could render swaths of agricultural land largely useless for farming in the U.S. South, and force Midwestern farmers to move corn and soybeans elsewhere as crop yields decline, researchers said on Monday. The profits of growing six key crops are set to fall by almost a third […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat futures jump on weather woes
CBOT corn flat, soy firm
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rallied on Monday with K.C. hard red winter wheat hitting a two-year high on concerns that dry soils will crimp yields in key production areas around the world, traders said. Corn futures were steady, supported by the strong gains in the wheat market while soybeans closed firm on […] Read more

La Nina to bring colder, drier winter
MarketsFarm — There’s a La Nina poised to exert influence on the coming North American winter, according to Drew Lerner, senior agricultural meteorologist for World Weather Inc. in Kansas. A La Nina generates colder-than-normal temperatures, as opposed to the warm temperatures garnered from an El Nino. Both weather phenomenon can be found over the Pacific […] Read more

CN, CP set third-quarter records for grain movement
MarketsFarm — Canada’s big two railways again reported moving record amounts of Canadian grain during the third quarter of 2020. Canadian National Railway (CN) reported Monday it had shipped 7.76 million tonnes of grain by rail, and Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) said Friday it had moved 7.72 million tonnes. For CN that not only marked […] Read more