(Stephen Ausmus photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. grains: Wheat rises on short-covering

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures firmed on Tuesday, with a falling dollar spurring a mild round of short-covering in the beaten-down market, traders said. Corn futures also edged higher, with technical buying underpinning the market. Soybeans weakened, drawing back from sharp gains on Monday as investors locked in profits. Rain in eastern parts […] Read more

Sunset in Egypt on the Nile River south of Luxor. (CIA.gov)

Egypt tightens import quarantine rules on grains

Cairo | Reuters — Egypt has tightened its agriculture quarantine regulations, imposing a rule that will prevent grain shipments suspected of contamination from being offloaded until they receive test results, according to a letter sent to traders Monday. The rule comes just one month after the world’s biggest wheat buyer discontinued its controversial zero tolerance […] Read more


(Jack Dykinga photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Long-term U.K. study links neonics to wild bee declines

London | Reuters — Wild bees that forage from oilseed rape crops treated with insecticides known as neonicotinoids are more likely to undergo long-term population declines than bees that forage from other sources, according to the findings of an 18-year study. The new research covered 62 species of bee found in the wild in Britain […] Read more

The Nile River at Cairo. (CIA.gov)

Egypt public prosecutor orders 13 arrested in wheat corruption case

Cairo | Reuters — Egypt’s public prosecutor has ordered the arrest of 13 people for 15 days pending an investigation into their role in a wheat procurement corruption scandal, judicial sources said on Saturday. Egypt, the world’s largest wheat importer, has been mired in controversy over its wheat supplies, with industry officials claiming that over […] Read more


(Keith Weller photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. grains: Soybeans gain as soyoil rallies

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean future surged 2.8 per cent on Monday to their highest in more than three weeks, supported by strong export demand and a rally in the soyoil market, traders said. The gains in soybeans pulled corn higher, but wheat closed lower as traders locked in profits from early gains amid […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Canada, China canola talks end without deal

Winnipeg | Reuters — Talks between Canadian and Chinese officials ended in Beijing without China backing down from plans to toughen its inspection standard for canola, threatening $2 billion in Canadian exports of the oilseed ahead of a visit by Canada’s prime minister. Discussions will continue between the two governments, and resolving the issue is […] Read more

(Weatherfarm.com)

Wet weather threatens lentils, durum

CNS Canada — Wet weather across the Prairies has put a damper on the region’s crop prospects, according to one weather specialist. While drying events in coming weeks will limit further quality declines, it’s not expected to do so as much as some producers would like. “It’s really quite wet in some locations, and it’s […] Read more



(Bruce Fritz photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Manitoba sunflowers take beating from storms

CNS Canada –– Manitoba crops have suffered an array of problems due to unfavourable weather this year, and sunflowers are no exception. “(Sunflower) crops would be looking really good if it wasn’t for the storms that have been rolling through Manitoba over the last few weeks,” said Troy Turner, agronomist with the National Sunflower Association […] Read more