Winslow, Neb./Chicago | Reuters — Midwestern farmers have been gambling they could ride out the U.S.-China trade war by storing their corn and soybeans anywhere they could — in bins, plastic tubes, in barns or even outside. Now, the unthinkable has happened. Record floods have devastated a wide swath of the Farm Belt across Iowa, […] Read more

U.S. farmers face devastation following Midwest floods

U.S. grains: Soybeans inch up on China purchases
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures inched upward on Thursday on news that Chinese state-owned firms bought at least 500,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans, while wheat futures dropped to their lowest levels in more than a year on pressure from a strengthening dollar, traders said. Chinese state-owned firms bought the U.S. soybeans for shipment […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans fall as news of China trade deal awaited
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago grain futures struggled to gain any traction on Tuesday, with wheat rising slightly on technical buying and soybeans slipping as traders anxiously awaited more news on the U.S.-China trade talks. Corn futures inched up late in the trading session, finding support on planting concerns and technical buying, traders said. “Corn […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybeans firm on trade deal hopes
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures climbed on Monday amid news reports that Beijing and Washington are close to settling a lingering trade dispute, a breakthrough that could boost China’s demand for U.S. soy and other agricultural products. Corn also rose, pulling away from a three-month low struck in the previous session. Wheat prices […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat rebounds from seven-month low
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures rebounded on Thursday after a four-day slide, while the grains market overall steadied as U.S. and China trade negotiators sketched an outline for what could be a deal to end the trade war. Thursday’s technical bounce in wheat was encouraged by optimism over the trade negotiations, which also […] Read more

U.S. grains: CBOT wheat plunges to seven-month low
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures plunged yet again on Wednesday as traders fretted over lagging U.S. exports despite them being competitively priced in the global market. Soybeans started the day off on the negative side, with the most active soybean contract dipping just below the one-month low struck a day […] Read more

U.S. grains: Wheat futures plunge on sluggish exports
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade grain and soybean futures all soured on Tuesday as U.S. wheat sellers failed to nab any export sales and traders waited impatiently for news on the latest of talks on the U.S.-China trade war. Wheat was the story of the day: Most CBOT wheat futures contracts — […] Read more

U.S. grains: U.S. exports get no Valentine’s Day love
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) grains and soybean futures tumbled on Thursday on news that China and other buyers had canceled a flurry of U.S. soybean orders in early January and Argentina’s soy crop could be larger than previously expected, traders said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) export sales report […] Read more

U.S. shutdown sends grain traders, farmers hunting for data
Chicago | Reuters — When the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a slew of key farm reports would not be released on Friday due to the partial government shutdown, the phones at crop forecaster Gro Intelligence blew up. The USDA was set to release its views on the projected size of U.S. soybean stockpiles, among […] Read more

As loans and aid dry up, U.S. farmers face fresh challenge from shutdown
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. farmers, already battered by the U.S.-China trade war, are facing increasing anxiety as the partial government shutdown nears the two-week mark, leaving crucial aid and loan payments in limbo. The shutdown has blocked assistance for many farmers, who at this time of year apply for federal loans as they pay […] Read more