Crop Production
Analysis: Super weeds pose growing threat to U.S. crops
Sep 19, 2011 14:42 EDT
PAOLA, Kansas (Reuters) - Farmer Mark Nelson bends down and yanks a four-foot-tall weed from his northeast Kansas soybean field. The "waterhemp" towers above his beans, sucking up the soil moisture and nutrients his beans need to grow well and reducing the ultimate yield. As he crumples the flowering end of the weed in his hand, Nelson grimaces.
Persisting drought in Arkansas plagues hay farmers
Sep 18, 2011 11:13 EDT
LITTLE ROCK, Ark (Reuters) - Cooler weather has arrived in Arkansas but a severe drought lingers, bringing bad news for the state's hay and cattle producers.
Northeast pumpkin crop threatened by Hurricane Irene
Sep 17, 2011 17:42 EDT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The hurricane that might be renamed Wicked Witch Irene has wiped out pumpkin crops in flooded fields throughout the Northeast, where farmers on Saturday were scrambling to meet demand before Halloween.
Insight: Feast of protein in U.S. spring wheat harvest
Sep 09, 2011 09:41 EDT
CHICAGO (Reuters) - North Dakota wheat farmer Terry Weckerly applied extra fertilizer to his wheat this summer to coax more protein out of the crop. Flour mills and grain elevators were paying near-record premiums for high-protein wheat and he wanted a slice of it.
Grain companies tighten GMO policy, eye Syngenta corn
Sep 01, 2011 20:25 EDT
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Major U.S. grain companies have tightened curbs on genetically modified grains not yet approved by foreign markets, with some singling out one popular corn variety made by Syngenta, fearing any trace of the biotech grain in shipments could shut off export markets.
Chavez says speed up takeover of Irish company's land
Aug 31, 2011 22:24 EDT
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged his agriculture minister on Wednesday to speed up the government takeover of land owned by Ireland's Smurfit Kappa in Venezuela.
Hurricane Irene damaged tomatoes, other crops in Virginia
Aug 31, 2011 12:40 EDT
CHESAPEAKE, Va (Reuters) - Virginia's tomato crop took a beating during Hurricane Irene, and corn, cotton and tobacco crops also suffered damage, according to preliminary reports.
Spring floods cost Arkansas farmers millions in lost income
Aug 29, 2011 20:23 EDT
LITTLE ROCK, Ark (Reuters) - Arkansas farmers suffered a severe blow from this spring's floods and stormy weather, with crop damage costing them $335 million in lost farm income, a study released on Monday said.
Insight: Hedge funds watch their assets grow in grain belt
Aug 24, 2011 12:57 EDT
DEFIANCE, Ohio (Reuters) - Except for the spiffy Hunter rain boots that can cost more than $100 a pair, the fund manager was one with the crowd -- farmers and industry folk in a muddy corn field in the heart of U.S. grain country.
Analysis: Weather, USDA trends point to bigger soy crop
Aug 18, 2011 11:56 EDT
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A break in hot and dry weather in the U.S. Midwest grain belt, coupled with the historic trend in crop forecasts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, could spawn a bigger soybean crop than estimated by the USDA this month.
Hidden danger for agriculture investors
Aug 18, 2011 08:41 EDT
This kind of fund is a "sitting duck" for professional traders . There's a frenzy in the corn market.
Drought losses hit $5.2 billion in Texas
Aug 17, 2011 14:03 EDT
SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - The historic Texas drought that has parched most of the state throughout the summer has caused $5.2 billion in losses to agriculture, making it the most destructive drought in the state's history, agriculture officials said on Wednesday.
Moth infestation casts pall on Alaska berry crop
Aug 16, 2011 19:10 EDT
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - This year's blueberry season in Alaska's most populous region is a bust, thanks to a plethora of leaf-eating caterpillars, Alaska pest management officials said.
Nigerian president aims to boost rice production
Aug 16, 2011 15:24 EDT
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday said his government must stop importing rice by 2015 as it works to make rice production a priority for Africa's most populous country.
Parched farm fields mean trouble for wheat planting
Aug 16, 2011 12:00 EDT
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Kansas farmer Larry Kepley is almost out of hope.
Rice from town near Tokyo is radiation-free, tests show
Aug 10, 2011 04:02 EDT
TOKYO (Reuters) - Samples of rice grown in a town near Tokyo showed no radioactive materials when tested, officials said on Wednesday, a relief for farmers preparing to ship Japan's traditional food staple.
EU offers 2.1 mn euros for E.coli research
Aug 09, 2011 10:11 EDT
The EU is to invest 2.2 million euros in research on the new killer E.coli strain which infected almost 4,000 people and left 51 dead across Europe and caused massive losses to vegetable farmers.
Japan rice futures soar on nuclear fears
Aug 08, 2011 03:12 EDT
Japan started trading rice futures Monday but suspended the market after the price of the staple grain soared on fears that radioactive contamination from the Fukushima disaster will restrict supply.
PCs another pest for Australian wheat growers
Aug 03, 2011 04:41 EDT
PARKES, Australia (Reuters) - Outback Australian farmers - hardened from dealing with extreme weather, fires and pests - now have to wrestle with modern trading tools and technology after a tough day tilling the land as they adapt to the rigors of a deregulated market.
Spike in cotton prices hurts quilters' wallets
Aug 02, 2011 12:04 EDT
CARROLLTON, Va (Reuters) - Last year, customers at Bella Fabrics in eastern Virginia paid no more than $9.99 a yard for the designer fabric they fashion into quilts.
