Insights and Stories on Weather

Mar. 11, 2011 at 5:24 pm CST

U.S. grain futures fell after an earthquake in Japan raised fears that the world’s third largest economy would slow commodity purchases, extending a sell-off in which wheat prices notched their biggest weekly loss in more than two years. Grain companies bought the futures at the dips but were still overwhelmed […]

By Mark Weinraub

Mar. 11, 2011 at 5:19 pm CST

U.S. hog futures fell Friday, closing at their lowest in four days on worries that sales could slow to Japan, the top export market for U.S. pork, after a massive earthquake damaged ports and roadways. “We have to assume lower demand from Japan from consumer fear and confusion. Additionally, we […]

By bob-burgdorfer

Mar. 10, 2011 at 5:24 pm CST

Top-grade canola made up just three quarters of last year’s crop in Western Canada, the lowest proportion in six years, after too much rain and cool weather kept the oilseed from fully maturing, a Canadian government report said. Canada is the world’s top exporter of canola. In contrast to last […]

Mar. 9, 2011 at 5:57 pm CST

Canada’s biggest grain handler expects “strong fundamentals” in its ag input business this year, based partly on more canola acres — but it grants that the Prairie spring thaw may have other plans. Viterra on Wednesday posted improved results for its first fiscal quarter ending Jan. 31, largely on the […]

Mar. 9, 2011 at 2:49 pm CST

Weather patterns point to greater risk of poisoning in livestock this summer due to soil-borne anthrax, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency warns. Spores that cause anthrax poisoning are known to exist in the soil across Canada’s Prairies and generally surface during the summer, particularly when hot, dry temperatures follow a […]