A Chinese takeover of Smithfields? Monday, August 5, 2013 Last year was financially unkind to Smithfield Foods Inc., the largest pork producer in the United States. While full year sales were up a full percentage point to US$13.2 billion, net income was down to $183.8 million, nearly a 50 per cent drop from $361 million a year before.The company's press release said pork production was not a money maker last year because of higher feed costs and other inputs. Any pork producer could have told you that.No wonder shareholders were enthusiastic about Shuanghui International, the largest butcher in China, taking over Smithfield sometime in the next six months. Shuanghui was offering US$31 a share for Smithfield Foods stock, a 31 per cent premium over the previous trading price of $25.75. The sale requires federal government approval.Shareholders aren't the only ones wondering where this is going. Producers across North America wonder what it will mean if a firm from China, the largest pork consumer and producer in the world, acquires the Smithfield company, if indeed the sale is approved. Is this more pork going to China and away from North American markets, or what else might happen? BP Coping with the wild boar invasion Tennessee backs down on ag-gag law
Minister MacDonald’s record in the House Tuesday, June 30, 2026 With Parliament on its summer recess, Farms.com is summarizing the involvement of Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald and his counterparts during the first session of the 45th Parliament. For context, this session started on May 26, 2025, and Prime Minister Carney appointed MacDonald as... Read this article online
Rogers Sugar Secures Long-Term Labour Deal at Taber Refinery Until 2032 Monday, June 29, 2026 Rogers Sugar Inc. has announced a significant long-term labour agreement that strengthens stability across Canada’s sugar beet sector, with unionized workers at its Taber, Alberta refinery ratifying an extension of their collective agreement through March 2032. The agreement, reached... Read this article online
CFIA Food Fraud Crackdown Protects Canadian Farmers and Food Integrity Monday, June 29, 2026 The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has released its latest , revealing how enforcement actions that kept more than 150,000 kilograms of misrepresented food out of the marketplace are also playing a critical role in protecting Canada’s agriculture sector. While the report... Read this article online
Strong Demand and Heat Boost Grain Outlook Monday, June 29, 2026 On the weekly titled, “Weather + Acres + Chinese Demand = Fund Short Covering rally in Grains” for the week ending June 26, 2026, Farms.com Risk Management Chief Commodity Strategist Moe Agostino and Commodity Strategist Abhinesh Gopal agreed that grain markets may see a strong... Read this article online
- Derecho climatology (Gaustini/Bosart): a corridor through the northern Plains/upper Midwest carries a >65% annual chance of a derecho-strength MCS, driven by northwest flow on the ridge's periphery. We must watch this region over the next 60 days. More on this below... - Cold North Atlantic: Years with the current North Atlantic cold-tongue pattern favor western troughs + heat pushing into the Midwest. Caveat: rapid warming on the south side of the cold plume means the simple composite likely understates the evolving pattern. Plus the Gulf of Alaska has been warming which could negate these impacts. See this part of the video for a deeper dive. - Modeling caution: During Summer, global models like the ECMWF and GFS are at their weakest due to coarse resolution and their inability to res Monday, June 29, 2026 A dangerous early July heat wave is expected to test U.S. corn and soybean crops -- as if they have not already been tested enough -- as the growing season moves into a critical period for yield development. Nutrien agricultural meteorologist Eric Snodgrass says the next two weeks... Read this article online