Bloomberg
First female agriculture minister is appointed in Brazil
Katia Abreu, a former head of the largest farm lobbying group in Brazil, is the first woman to be appointed agriculture minister of the world's largest coffee, sugar and beef exporter, says Bloomberg.
Healthy meals a hard sell, no matter who makes them
Whether they bring food from home or buy food at school, children aren't eating healthy lunches, says a Bloomberg story about two small-scale studies.
Soda giant plans a premium version of milk
Coca-Cola, a giant in the world of soda and other bottled beverages, will launch a brand-name, premium milk, called Fairlife, in 2015, says Bloomberg.
ADM sues Syngenta over rejected GE corn cargoes
ADM, the world's largest corn processor, sued Syngenta in state court in Louisiana over cargoes of corn rejected by China because they contained an unapproved Syngenta variety, said Bloomberg.
China and Australia agree to trade pact with ag benefits
China will reduce its tariffs on a range of Australian farm exports including beef and dairy as part of a free trade agreement, said Bloomberg. Australia said the trade agreement will give its products an advantage over competitors such as the United States and Canada.
Are record US corn and soybean crops bigger than thought?
The government will raise its estimates of the U.S. corn and soybean crops modestly when it issues its new forecasts for the record-setting fall harvest, say traders in two surveys.
Drought-hit California has record processing-tomato crop
Growers in California harvested a record crop of tomatoes for processing, the thick-skinned varieties used in making soup and pasta sauces, says Bloomberg.
McDonald’s may sell more McOrganic food
Fast-food giant McDonald's may sell more organic food to hold on to its customers, says chief executive Don Thompson, according to Bloomberg.
EPA approves Dow weedkiller combo of 2,4-D and glyphosate
The EPA cleared the Dow weedkiller Enlist Duo, which contains the herbicides glyphosate and 2,4-D, for use on genetically engineered corn and soybean in six Farm Belt states. "This action provides an additional tool for the agricultural community to manage resistant weeds," it said. EPA will decide later whether to register the weedkiller for use in the rest of the major corn and soybean states. On Sept 17, USDA approved the GE corn and soybean strains created by Dow to tolerate the herbicide.
Deere to scale back as farmers buy less equipment
The world's largest farm equipment manufacturer said sales were down by 5 percent worldwide - down 8 percent in the United States and Canada - in the third quarter - due to lower commodity prices...
California eyes slow shift to control of groundwater usage
Since the days of the Gold Rush, "groundwater has been considered a property right; landowners are entitled to what's beneath them," says the Los Angeles Times; California is the only state in the West that does not regulate groundwater.
The U.S. crop picture: Record fall harvests, huge surpluses
U.S. farmers are headed for record-breaking harvests this fall, so large that corn and soybean surpluses will be the largest in years, analysts say in surveys ahead of the Aug 12 crop report.
El Nino likely by summer or fall, could aid dry crop areas
The National Weather Service sees an increased likelihood of an El Nino weather pattern developing by this summer and through the rest of the year.