CME July 2020 lean hogs with 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs lower on China trade worries

CME live cattle close lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures fell Monday on worries that deteriorating relations between the United States and China, the world’s biggest pork importer, could inhibit U.S. pork sales to the Asian nation, traders said. China told state-owned firms to halt purchases of soybeans and pork from the United States, […] Read more

CBOT July 2020 soybeans with 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans end fractionally lower amid China trade woes

Corn pulls back on fair weather; wheat slips as U.S. harvest gets underway

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures closed fractionally lower after a choppy session on Monday as brokers weighed pressure from rising U.S.-China trade tensions against news of fresh U.S. soybean sales to the Asian country, traders said. Corn fell on an above-average planting pace and fair weather forecasts across the Midwest that should support […] Read more


(Gassen/iStock/Getty Images)

China tells state firms to halt purchases of major U.S. farm products

Purchases of soybeans, pork, corn, cotton on hold

Beijing/Singapore | Reuters –– China has told state-owned firms to halt purchases of soybeans and pork from the United States, two people familiar with the matter said, after Washington said it would eliminate special treatment for Hong Kong to punish Beijing. Large-volume state purchases of U.S. corn and cotton have also been put on hold, […] Read more



CBOT July 2020 soybeans with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans slide on China tensions

Midwest weather poses risks for wheat

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures fell on Friday as escalating U.S.-China tensions over Beijing’s proposed restrictions on Hong Kong dampened markets after a week of gains. Three sources told Reuters China may reduce U.S. agricultural imports if Washington issues a severe response to Beijing’s push to impose national security laws on […] Read more

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue holds a U.S. flag-themed face mask while speaking about the U.S. food supply chain as President Donald Trump listens during a COVID-19 pandemic response event at the White House on May 19, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Leah Millis)

President’s cattle call finds expected marks in U.S.

Trump suggests killing trade pacts with unnamed cattle-exporting nations

U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks Tuesday about imports of live cattle into the United States resonated predictably among that country’s various cattle producer groups. At a White House event Tuesday, flanked by U.S. farm and ranch leaders and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for a multi-billion-dollar COVID-19-related farm aid announcement, Trump said he “read yesterday where […] Read more


Barley south of Ethelton, Sask. on July 30, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

China hits Australia with barley tariff

Duty to last for five years; China may turn to Canada, other exporters

Beijing/Sydney | Reuters — China added to tensions with Australia on Monday by announcing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties totalling 80.5 per cent on Australian barley imports from Tuesday (May 19), which is expected to all but halt a billion-dollar trade between them. China’s ministry of commerce said it had confirmed dumping by Australia and significant […] Read more



CBOT July 2020 wheat with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat ends week down four per cent

Soybean, corn futures firm

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell on Friday and recorded their biggest weekly slide in a month, dragged down by rising global stockpiles and improving crop prospects in Europe that signal strong competition for export business, analysts said. Soybean and corn futures closed modestly higher in rangebound trade. Chicago Board of Trade July […] Read more

CBOT July 2020 wheat with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat nears two-month low on export competition

Corn, soybean futures also sag

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures slid to a near two-month low on Wednesday, testing psychological support at the $5-per-bushel mark, pressured by forecasts for rising global grain supplies and strong export competition, analysts said. Soybean and corn futures also declined as a speedy U.S. planting pace supported expectations for large harvests. Traders shrugged […] Read more