Chicago | Reuters — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue ordered an investigation into widening prices between cattle and beef on Wednesday after a recent fire at a Tyson Foods slaughterhouse in Holcomb, Kansas, shut the plant. Cattle prices have tanked because the fire temporarily eliminated a key buyer of livestock. Producers have worried that meat […] Read more

USDA to probe beef market after Tyson plant fire

U.S. livestock: CME cattle down as USDA launches beef market probe
Chicago | Reuters — U.S live cattle futures fell on Wednesday on large domestic supplies, analysts said, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched an investigation into the wide gap with beef prices. Cattle prices have weakened recently after a fire at a Tyson Foods slaughterhouse in Kansas temporarily eliminated a key buyer of livestock. […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soy slumps on improved crop rating
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. soybean futures retreated on Tuesday on improving crop prospects and a lack of progress in trade talks with China, the world’s top importer of the oilseed, traders said. Prices took a hit after soybeans climbed on Monday on short covering and hopes for easing tensions in the trade war between […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME hogs, cattle drop on large supplies
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures crumbled under the weight of large supplies and a lack of news about trade talks with China on Tuesday, while cattle futures also weakened. The declines were a turnaround from Monday, when hog futures climbed on hopes for easing tensions in the trade war between Washington and […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME hogs limit up as trade tensions cool
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures jumped Monday as U.S. President Donald Trump predicted a trade deal with China after positive gestures by Beijing. Signs of cooling trade tensions supported the market, traders said, after China imposed retaliatory tariffs on imports of U.S. pork and other farm products last year […] Read more

U.S. grains: Soybean futures rise as trade tensions ease
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures rose on Monday as President Donald Trump predicted a trade deal with China, cooling fears about escalating tensions with the top importer of the oilseed. Traders grew hopeful that the world’s two largest economies could move toward an agreement to end their trade war as Trump said he […] Read more

China buys U.S. soybeans after declaring ban on U.S. farm goods
Chicago | Reuters — China snapped up a small volume of U.S. soybeans last week after pledging to halt purchases of U.S. farm products due to the escalating trade war between Washington and Beijing, U.S. Department of Agriculture data showed on Thursday. The world’s largest soybean importer struck deals from Aug. 9 to 15 to […] Read more

Farmer’s threat prompts USDA to pull staff from crop tour
Henry County/Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Agriculture Department said on Wednesday it had pulled all staff from an annual crop tour after an employee was threatened, and three sources said the threat came over the phone from an angry farmer. Farmers have complained this month that a government crop report did not reflect damage […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures set nine-month low on big supplies, China trade tensions
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) hog futures extended their decline on Friday, with the most active contract touching its lowest price in nine months under pressure from large supplies and the worsening U.S.-China trade war. Cattle futures also weakened. China on Friday vowed to fight back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s abrupt […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME hogs drop to five-month low as U.S.-China trade tensions escalate
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) hog futures sank on Thursday, with the most-active contract touching its lowest price in more than five months, as U.S. President Donald Trump ratcheted up tensions in a war of tit-for-tat tariffs with China. Feeder cattle futures also slumped, and live cattle traded higher. American hog farmers […] Read more