soy
USDA approves GE cotton and soy that tolerate dicamba
The government approved cultivation of genetically engineered cotton and soybean varieties from Monsanto that tolerate the weedkillers dicamba and glufosinate. So-called super weeds that are resistant to glyphosate, a widely used herbicide known as Roundup, have prompted work on biotech plants that can be matched with other herbicides.USDA said a Federal Register notice of its decision was scheduled to appear on Tuesday, the effective date for deregulation of the new Monsanto strains.
Less winter wheat is sown, suggesting less wheat, more soy
Wheat farmers planted the smallest amount of winter wheat in five years and 5 percent less than last year, said the government, based on a survey of growers in early December. Winter wheat is planted in the fall, lies dormant during the winter and sprouts in the spring for harvest in early summer. The total of 40.2452 million acres was far below trade expectations and also was the second-smallest figure in a decade.
Scientists find gene that helps soybeans to tolerate salinity
A collaboration between researchers in Australia and China identified a gene that allows the soybean plant to better tolerate soil salinity, says the University of Adelaide.
Big US shift to soybeans in 2015, says farmer survey
Growers plan "a massive shift into soybeans" and away from corn in 2015, according to an email survey of 1,650 farmers by Farm Futures that concluded a few days ago.
Record world soybean crop and China soy imports
World soybean production will hit a record 308 million tonnes this year, up 8 percent from the previous season and fractionally larger than an estimate made a month ago, said the International Grain Council. In its Grain Market Report, the IGC said "planting weather in South America was more favourable and, with potentially large 2014/15 outturns in Brazil and Argentina, as well as a bumper US harvest," peak soybean production was in the cards.
Soybean plantings may climb despite downturn in price
U.S. farmers are likely to plant more land to soybeans in 2015 than they did this year despite lower commodity prices, says economist Dan O'Brien of Kansas State University.
Lower prices, brisk sales point to record soymeal exports
Strong demand in the opening weeks of the marketing year and lower market prices are forecast to result in record exports of U.S. soybean meal, said USDA. It estimated sales of 12.8 million short tons, up 10 percent from 2013/14.
US soy crop may top 4 billion bushels, a record by a mile
Analysts look for USDA to forecast the first-ever 4 billion-bushel U.S. soybean crop on Friday, along with possibly boosting the size of the record-setting corn crop.
Smallest soy inventory in four decades
The soybean stockpile was a bare-bones 92 million bushels at the start of this month, less than a week-and-a-half supply with the new crop still reaching maturity, said the quarterly Grain Stocks report.
Three-year price bath for corn, wheat, soy, says think tank
A University of Missouri think tank lowered its forecasts of farm-gate prices for corn, wheat and soybeans because of huge inventories that are building up. It will take three years for prices to recover, said the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, which slashed by 10 percent its forecast of the average price for this year's corn crop, expected to be a record 14.4 billion bushels.
More biodiesel in South America constrains soybean oil exports
Biodiesel production is booming in Brazil and Argentina and will put a pinch on exports of soybean oil, the feedstock for making the biofuel, says the Agriculture Department. Biodiesel is forecast to consume one-third of soy oil in the two countries during this marketing year, double the amount that was used six years ago. "In contrast, exports are forecast to fall from more than half of total use to just over 40 percent over the same period," said USDA'S "Oilseeds: World Markets and Trade" report. Brazil and Argentina are the largest soybean producers in the world after the United States.
Record corn, soy crops but farmers pocket $15 billion less
Despite record harvests, corn and soybean growers will pocket $15 billion less for this year's crops than fetched by their 2013 crops, say Agriculture Department data. The combined value of the crops would plunge by nearly 15 percent, to $89.5 billion, due to sharply lower farm-gate prices - corn down by 95 cents per bushel and soybeans down by $3. It would be the lowest season-average price for corn, at $3.50 a bushel, in eight years, and lowest for soybeans, at $10, in five years.
US corn, soybean ratings improve, bigger crops forecast
Heading into the final weeks of the growing season, U.S. corn and soybeans were in extraordinary condition, said USDA. Its weekly Crop Progress report said 74 percent of corn was in good or excellent condition, up 1 point from the previous week, and 72 percent of soybeans were good or excellent, up 2 points. Eight percent of corn was mature, half the usual figure for the final days of August. U.S. corn and soybean harvests are forecast to set records this fall.
What’s a gluten-free, drought-tolerant grain crop?
It's sorghum, one of the major grain crops of the world yet eclipsed in the United States by the expanding range of corn and soybeans. In Africa and parts of Asia, sorghum is a food crop but in the U.S. market, it is primarily used in livestock rations and as an ethanol feedstock, says the Whole Grains Council. It's gaining some recognition as a gluten-free grain that can substitute for wheat flour in many recipes - muffins, pizza, cakes and casseroles are examples.
High corn and soy ratings despite dry July
The U.S. corn and soybean crops are in phenomenally good shape for the first week of August, said the weekly Crop Progress report, despite dry July weather in the western Corn Belt.
Huge crops to boost world corn and soy surpluses
Bumper crops around the world mean that a dramatic expansion of corn and soybean stockpiles is on the way, says the International Grains Council.
Tour finds outstanding corn, soy in Illinois and Iowa
Ag consultancy Doane says the first day of its crop tour found corn and soybeans in outstanding condition in western Illinois and eastern Iowa. "We believe it's the strongest corn crop we have observed in our long history of this crop tour," says its report. Doane says corn yields in western Illinois could be 10 bushels an acre higher than last year.
Record world soy crop will boost stocks sharply-IGC
In its first formal forecast of the 2014/15 soybean crop, the International Grains Council forecast a record harvest, up 6 percent from the previous season, and a 24 percent jump in carryover stocks.