Chicago | Reuters — CME lean hog futures on Tuesday dropped to their lowest prices since January on technical selling and concerns about risks to demand for U.S. meat, brokers said. U.S. pork exports to China have tumbled this year as Chinese producers rebuild their herds after outbreaks of the pig disease African swine fever. […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs drop to January lows
Lower grain values continue to lift cattle

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures backpedal off April high
Chicago cattle futures up
Chicago | Reuters — Profit-taking weighed on Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures on Tuesday after prices leapt to their highest price this month, traders said. Most-active June lean hogs settled down 1.075 cents at 121.325 cents/lb. (all figures US$). The contract is up eight per cent since nearing a one-month low on April 5 […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn pulls back after reaching decade high
Wheat also gives up gains amid profit-taking, traders say
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn futures ended lower on Tuesday, consolidating below a decade high reached earlier, as traders assessed risks to global supply from the war in Ukraine and a slow start to planting in the U.S. Wheat futures also weakened, with profit-taking pressuring the markets, traders said. The July […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn futures above $8 on supply concerns
Ukraine war continues disrupting Black Sea grain exports
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn futures topped US$8 a bushel and reached their highest price in nearly a decade on Monday on concerns over unfavourable U.S. weather slowing plantings and the Ukraine war disrupting grain exports. Traders worry chilly weather hampering plantings this spring could potentially contribute to lower yields come […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures top two-week high
Chicago cattle futures ease
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures rallied to their highest price in more than two weeks on Monday, while live cattle and feeder cattle futures weakened. Hopes for increased domestic demand from summertime grilling and cookouts helped lift hog futures, analysts said. They added that surging grain and soybean futures raised […] Read more

No poop for you: Manure supplies run short as fertilizer prices soar
Ontario honeywagon maker all sold out
Chicago | Reuters — For nearly two decades, Abe Sandquist has used every marketing tool he can think of to sell the back end of a cow. Poop, after all, needs to go somewhere. The Midwestern entrepreneur has worked hard to woo farmers on its benefits for their crops. Now, facing a global shortage of […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn, wheat, soy futures fall
Traders monitoring Ukraine crisis
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain and soybean futures eased on Friday as traders monitored diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and gauged continuing disruptions to Black Sea crop exports. More than three weeks after launching its invasion, in what Moscow calls a “special military operation,” the Russian advance has stalled and failed […] Read more

CF Industries boosts U.S. fertilizer shipments as Russian exports cut
Chicago | Reuters — CF Industries is increasing fertilizer shipments to both U.S. coasts from the world’s largest nitrogen complex in Louisiana to help offset a decline in exports from Russia after it invaded Ukraine, CEO Tony Will said. Global fertilizer supplies have tightened and prices have increased from already high levels as sanctions bite […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME cattle hit multi-month lows
Hogs drop by daily limit
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures dropped to a six-month low and feeder cattle hit a nine-month low on Friday, while lean hog futures sank by the daily exchange-imposed trading limit. Follow-through selling pushed down cattle contracts after a string of losses in the markets, brokers said. Recent weakness in wholesale […] Read more

U.S. grains: CBOT wheat posts record weekly rise as Ukraine war drives volatility
CBOT corn touches highest price since 2012
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures posted their biggest-ever weekly gain as prices on Friday jumped by their daily limit on deepening fears that Russia’s attack on Ukraine will cause prolonged disruptions to exports from the Black Sea region. Trading was volatile amid uncertainty over how much global demand may shift […] Read more