Insights and Stories of Karl Plume

Sep. 10, 2014 at 7:16 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — Retail giant Wal-Mart joined a group of volunteers counting corn ears and soybean pods in fields in the U.S. recently in a clear sign traditional crop tours are expanding their appeal from farmers and traders to all those with a stake in the U.S. food chain. […]

By Karl Plume

Aug. 7, 2014 at 3:16 pm CDT

Reuters — Top global commodities trader Cargill said Thursday its quarterly earnings fell as drought limited farm services opportunities in the U.S. and due to a loss stemming from the drop in the value of Venezuela’s currency. Minneapolis-based Cargill was also stung by elevated rail shipping costs and railcar shortages […]

By Karl Plume

Jul. 23, 2014 at 9:51 am CDT

Reuters — As U.S. farmers turn in record grain crops this autumn, many will have a powerful new tool — giant sausage-shaped storage bags — to help them avoid the lowest prices in years and gain more control over trade with giants such as Cargill Inc. Demand has surged this […]

By Karl Plume

Jul. 8, 2014 at 4:41 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. soybean futures fell for the seventh straight session on Tuesday, and corn slid lower for a sixth day as favourable weather around the Midwest buoyed forecasts of record crops this autumn. Wheat prices were narrowly mixed after hitting a four-year low the previous day, with […]

By Karl Plume

Jul. 7, 2014 at 5:21 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures tumbled more than two per cent on Monday to the lowest point in almost four years as largely ideal crop development weather around the Midwest reinforced expectations for a record-large harvest this autumn. Soybeans slid to five-month lows on good crop weather, with […]

By Karl Plume