Agriculture

• Wednesday, February 18th 2015 - 19:28 UTC

  Canada identifies origin of mad cow disease case; Korea bans Canadian beef

  

  The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association says a beef breeding cow found with mad cow disease on an Alberta farm was born in the province at a different farm. Association spokesman John Masswohl says the Canadian Food Inspection Agency identified the birth farm. It is the first case reported since 2011. South Korea announced it was banning Canadian beef.

• Wednesday, February 18th 2015 - 03:56 UTC

  Brazil's corn and soybean crops flattening out influenced by climate conditions

  

  Brazil's sowings of safrinha corn are to fall for the first time in seven years, Conab (National Supply Co.) said, cutting its forecast for the country's overall production of the grain, and lowering hopes for the soybean harvest too.

• Monday, February 16th 2015 - 08:51 UTC

  Germany urges Brazil with an EU/Mercosur trade agreement

  

  Germany wants to speed negotiations for a free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, said Foreign minister Walter Steinmeier in Brasilia. The agreement has been pending since 1999 when discussions started but so far have been unable to reach a deal or commit a date because of internal problems from both sides.

• Friday, February 6th 2015 - 06:53 UTC

  FAO Food Price Index continued de decline in January; cereal record crop anticipated

  

  The FAO Food Price Index continued to decline in January, averaging 182.7 points for the month, or 1.9 percent below its December 2014 level. Lower prices reflect strong production expectations as FAO also raised its 2014 forecast for world cereal production to a record high and noted that early indications for crops in 2015 are favorable.

• Saturday, January 10th 2015 - 06:28 UTC

  FAO Food Price index falls in 20014 on large cereals' supplies and record stocks

  

  FAO's monthly Food Price Index declined in December after three months of stability. Continued large supplies and record stocks combined with a stronger U.S. dollar and falling oil prices contributed to the decline, which helped bring the 2014 overall Food Price Index down 3.7%.

• Thursday, January 8th 2015 - 01:13 UTC

  Falklands contribution to the development of sheep farming in Magallanes

  

  The close historic and farming links between the Falkland Islands and the Magallanes Region, were underlined in a recent article by Punta Arenas researcher Silvestre Fugellie dedicated to sheep farming, the 'golden fleece' that changed the economy of those barren lands in the extreme south of Chile over a century ago.

• Tuesday, January 6th 2015 - 07:02 UTC

  Argentine farmers netted 24.1 billion dollars from grains and oilseeds last year

  

  Argentine farmers exported more than 300 million dollars worth of grains and oilseeds in the last two days of 2014 to help bring in much needed cash for the nation’s central bank. The situation was boosted by an agreement reached between farmers and the Argentine government regarding foreign currency payment for the grains and oilseed.

• Wednesday, December 24th 2014 - 12:23 UTC

  Katia Abreu to become Brazil's new Minister of Agriculture

  

  Other members of cabinet announced for Dilma's next term due to start on January 1.

• Wednesday, December 17th 2014 - 12:40 UTC

  FAO forecasts record world cereal production buoyed by bumper crops in Europe and US

  

  Latest indications confirm that world cereal production will reach an all-time record of more than 2.5 billion tonnes in 2014. Buoyed by bumper crops in Europe and a record maize output in the United States this year's cereal output should reach 2.532 billion tonnes, including rice in milled terms, or 0.3% higher than 2013, according to FAO's latest Crop Prospects and Food Situation Report.

• Friday, December 12th 2014 - 07:06 UTC

  Brazil hikes soybean harvest estimate by 5.3m to 95.8 million tons

  

  Brazil's commodities bureau, Conab hiked by 5.3 million tons to 95.8 million tons its forecast for the country's soybean crop, reversing the negative trend in harvest forecasts, citing the benefit from rains in some southern areas. The previous estimate for the crop to be harvested early next year was 90.5m tons.