WASHINGTON - Mar 1/02 - STAT -- Dairy product prices were mostly lower during the week ending February 23 despite a small improvement in milkfat prices in the United States. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 1/02 - STAT -- Poultry slaughter activity in January advanced 5% over year earlier levels to 3.31 billion pounds, according to the USDA. This is well ahead of the 2.93 billion pounds certified wholesome in December. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 1/02 - STAT -- Red meat production in the United States slipped below year the record set in 2000, according to the final USDA slaughter report covering the 2001 calendar year. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 1/02 - STAT -- The USDA believes it has found a way of identifying sexually active male sheep in an effort to decrease the expense associated with onfarm breeding programs. . . . Continue or visitors click here

DONALD - Mar 4/02 - STAT -- The Australian Wheat Board (AWBI) made some minor cuts to its projected returns for this year's pools against the realization wheat production levels will likely rise this year. . . . Continue or visitors click here

ISLAMABAD - Mar 4/02 - IRIN -- Water levels at the Tarbela dam, 60 km west of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, are sinking fast, raising fears of a serious water shortage in the country this year, officials told IRIN on Monday. "We have not had theexpected rain and snowfall," the deputy director of Pakistan's ministry of water and power, Rashid Ali, said. . . . Continue or visitors click here

BRUSSELS - Mar 4/02 - STAT -- The European Community will be asked to approve a 10,000 metric tons (MT) increase in its import quota for Argentine beef in an effort to help the country weather its current economic storm. . . . Continue or visitors click here

REGINA - Mar 4/02 - STAT -- The Saskatchewan government opposes the idea of licensing producer car loading facilities as primary elevators, saying it imposes an unnecessary financial burden on producers without yielding any benefits. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 4/02 - STAT -- The United States is showing strong gains in agricultural commodity sales to Cuba since its trade embargo was modified last year. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 4/02 - STAT -- Though managing a year over year advance of 1.3%, output of various dairy products in the United States was down 1.3% from December's production at 695 million pounds, according to the latest USDA data. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 4/02 - STAT -- The quantity of eggs used by manufacturers in the United States posted a solid, 6% advance over last year to 153 million dozen in January, according to the latest USDA data. . . . Continue or visitors click here

KANSAS CITY - Mar 4/02 - STAT -- The USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation office here issued a food aid tender for 12,250 metric tons (MT) of sorghum for shipment during the last half of March. . . . Continue or visitors click here

LONDON - Mar 4/02 - STAT -- Fears of a possible second breakout of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in England were eased, as initial tests came back negative. . . . Continue or visitors click here

CANBERRA - Mar 5/02 - STAT -- The Australian Wheat Board (AWBI) believes its growers are looking at return between A$220 and $240 per metric ton (MT) for 10% protein Australian Premium White wheat delivered under the 2002-02 marketing pool. . . . Continue or visitors click here

OTTAWA - Mar 5/02 - STAT -- Canadian egg producers started 2002 by getting a good jump on the performance recorded in prior years as the number of eggs produced jumped just over 5% to 49.9 million dozen. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 5/02 - STAT -- USDA researchers have bred a new class of durum wheat, called "waxy wheat", which can replace shortening in bread without changing the baking characteristics of the loaf. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 5/02 - STAT -- Extremely dry weather during January and February have increased the stress on winter crops growing in Morocco and Algeria, suggesting yields will be lower than hoped and imports of a wide range of agricultural commodities will end up being greater than initially expected. . . . Continue or visitors click here

TOKYO - Mar 5/02 - STAT -- Japan hopes to finalize guidelines on how the country's Commercial Code and other laws will apply to eCommerce. . . . Continue or visitors click here

KANSAS CITY - Mar 5/02 - STAT -- Farmland Industries Inc. will exit its international grain trading business by selling or closing various Tradigrain operations. . . . Continue or visitors click here

LONDON - Mar 5/02 - STAT -- An organic produce commodity exchange is set to open this Autumn in London, providing a level playing field for all organic producers and farmers. . . . Continue or visitors click here

BUENOS AIRES - Mar 5/02 - STAT -- Argentina is the second largest organic producer in the world, and is experiencing a growth rate of 25-30%. Only 10% of organic products produced are used for domestic consumption, the rest is exported. . . . Continue or visitors click here

CANBERRA - Mar 6/02 - STAT -- World markets for fibers will continue to experience fierce competition, but opportunities remain for wool producers. . . . Continue or visitors click here

CANBERRA - Mar 6/02 - STAT -- Greater adoption of internet based technology could fuel a boom in productivity growth in the world's agriculture industry, suggests a study by Australia's Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources. . . . Continue or visitors click here

CANBERRA - Mar 6/02 - STAT -- The outlook for Australia's livestock sector is not good on account of expectations production will continue rising across the 2002-03 marketing campaign. . . . Continue or visitors click here

CANBERRA - Mar 6/02 - STAT -- Australia's dairy industry will continue to suffer from tough market conditions as pressure on manufactured dairy product returns and milk producer prices continues over the medium term, delegates to this year's ABARE outlook conference here were told. . . . Continue or visitors click here

CANBERRA - Mar 6/02 - STAT -- Australia's grain industry must be careful to avoid becoming complacent in the face of relatively good yields and improved farm incomes this season, ABARE chief commodity analyst, Terry Sheales, warned delegates attending told the Outlook 2002 conference here. . . . Continue or visitors click here

CANBERRA - Mar 6/02 - STAT -- Sugar producers who need to find export markets for their production will continue to face a tough trading environment on account of high trade protection and domestic support in most major consuming and producing countries. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 6/02 - STAT -- Inventories of all types of fats and oils in manufacturing facilities at the end of January posted a solid 5.8% gain over December, according to data compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 6/02 - STAT -- Fats and oil consumption got off to a strong start in January, with consumption in the United States posting a strong year over year advance. Advances in inedible uses offset a month over month decline in edible oil and fat consumption. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 6/02 - STAT -- The USDA reported a solid increase in the number of broiler chicks placed during the week ending March 2 as compared to the same week last year. This continues a strong upward trend. . . . Continue or visitors click here

CANBERRA - Mar 7/02 - STAT -- Delegates attending this year's outlook conference here were told biotechnology frees researchers involved in agriculture to think outside the box and tackle problems head on. . . . Continue or visitors click here

DONALD - Mar 7/02 - STAT -- Australian malting barley continues to dominate world trade, accounting for roughly half of all trade, but more investment in varietal research and development is necessary to maintain that status, warns ABB Grain Ltd (ABB). . . . Continue or visitors click here

DONALD - Mar 7/02 - STAT -- Beekeepers on Kangaroo Island in the State of South Australia are working on methods to detect and control American Foulbrood in hopes the problem can be contained to avoid more drastic measures aimed at containing the disease. . . . Continue or visitors click here

CANBERRA - Mar 7/02 - STAT -- Australian meat output posted a solid month over month decline in January, falling from 236,300 metric tons (MT) in December to 213,888 MT, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. . . . Continue or visitors click here

BONN - Mar 7/02 - STAT -- German grain production is expected to slip 2.9 million metric tons (MT) this year to around 46.7 million MT even though the country's winter grains are expected to start the 2002 growing season in good condition. . . . Continue or visitors click here

STOCKHOLM - Mar 7/02 - STAT - Sweden's oilseed producers are not responding to reductions in European Community intervention levels for rapeseed as they were expected. Instead of declining, winter rapeseed plantings in 2001 jumped 70% to 67,000 hectares. . . . Continue or visitors click here

NAIROBI - Mar 7/02 - IRIN -- A group of 38 students has just graduated from an information and communications technology (ICT) course in Dar es Salaam, the focus of which was to promote development by bridging the so-called "digital divide" in least-developed countries like Tanzania. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 7/02 - STAT -- Introducing alfalfa or spearmint into crop rotations involving potatoes may help cleanse soils of the nematodes which cause corky ringspot disease, believe Agricultural Research Service scientists. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 7/02 - STAT -- The USDA gradually lowered the maximum dockage levels allowed in wheat shipped as food aid from 1% in 2000 to 0.6% for the balance of the 2002 fiscal year. It is now looking at dropping it to 0.5% in fiscal year 2003. . . . Continue or visitors click here

DONALD - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- The Australian Wheat Board (AWB) and Syngenta Seeds will create a joint venture company called LongReach Plant Breeders to develop wheat varieties designed for Australian conditions and markets. . . . Continue or visitors click here

CANBERRA - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- Australian officials speaking at this year's ABARE outlook conference here forgot there were delegates from the United States in the audience when they once again slammed that North American country for its attitudes toward free trade. . . . Continue or visitors click here

SHANGHAI - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- Chinese government officials indicated they will respond to the discover shipments of honey and other food products arrived in Germany, Russia and other countries with unacceptable levels of the antibiotic, chloramphenicol. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- The USDA reports a general decrease in dairy product values for the week ending March 2. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- The United States orange harvest estimate is unchanged from the previous month's USDA crop report, with production still set at 12.4 million tons, fractionally ahead of last season's final utilization. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- Production of sugarcane for sugar and seed for 2001 is estimated at 34.7 million tons, slightly below the February 1 forecast and 4% below last year's record high of 36.1 million tons, according to the latest USDA cropreport. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- The USDA lifted its projection for world wheat ending stocks almost two million metric tons (MT) in the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates outlook report. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- World coarse grain stocks are expected to finish the year in slightly greater abundance than first thought, with the USDA lifting its world ending stock estimate over two million metric tons (MT) to 167.61 million. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- The USDA is more optimistic about season average price prospects for oats for the 2001-02 marketing year, lifting its projected price range five cents a bushel to between U.S. $1.50 and $1.60 per bushel across the 2001-02 marketing campaign. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- Global oilseed production levels continue to be revised upward by the USDA. It is now pegged at a record 324.7 million tons, up 0.9 million tons from last month and 11.7 million tons above last year. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- Sugar production levels in the United States are expected come in higher than initially expected, resulting in a solid increase in the ending stocks to use ratio for the commodity as the increased output is put into storage. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- Global production, imports, exports, consumption and ending stocks are raised from last month in the latest USDA world supply and demand situation report for the commodity. . . . Continue or visitors click here

VANCOUVER - Mar 8/02 - STAT -- Canola and sunflower seed markets finished weekly trading on a slightly easier note, with prices for the two oilseeds finishing on opposite sides of the fence. . . . Continue or visitors click here

KIEV - Mar 11/02 - STAT -- Exports of sunflower seed and oil are down sharply so far this marketing, judging from the latest data available from the Ukraine's agriculture ministry. . . . Continue or visitors click here

ROME - Mar 11/02 - STAT -- Warning they have become increasingly vulnerable to fluctuations in world agricultural commodity markets and a shifting world political situation, the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization said it is important for countries in North Africa and the Middle East to diversify their agriculture. . . . Continue or visitors click here

REGINA - Mar 11 - STAT -- Saskatchewan Wheat Pool (SWP.B) has withdrawn from its marketing agreement with XCAN Grain and will now sell its own merchandise into the Japanese market. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WINNIPEG - Mar 11/02 - STAT -- Western Canadian growers interested in producing linola type flaxseed varieties are being offered an identity preserved (IP) crop production contract by Agricore United, which hopes its segregation program will result in better returns to both itself and participating growers. . . . Continue or visitors click here

BRUSSELS - Mar 12/02 - STAT -- The European Community's agriculture commission approved a request for financial aid to help France restructure its aging tree fruit production sector. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 12/02 - STAT -- The USDA's Agricultural Research Service and the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute in South Africa are looking at the possibility of creating new vaccines for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). . . . Continue or visitors click here

REGINA - Mar 12/02 - STAT -- Western Canadian agricultural producers will have a new option available under crop insurance programs offered jointly by Canada's federal and provincial governments -- rainfall insurance. . . . Continue or visitors click here

TOKYO - Mar 12/02 - STAT -- Sales of beer and the beer-like beverage, happoshu increased 3.5% in February 434,770,000 liters, according to reports from Asahi Breweries Ltd., Kirin Brewery Co., Sapporo Breweries Ltd., Suntory Ltd. and Orion BreweriesLtd. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 12/02 - STAT -- The USDA lowered its calculation of the prevailing world market value for rice, adjusted to U.S. domestic market conditions from the commodity versus numbers contained in the February 26 report. . . . Continue or visitors click here

SAO PAULO - Mar 12/02 - STAT -- Since 1999, the organic industry in Brazil has grown by 86%, making it worth US$150 million today. . . . Continue or visitors click here

TOKYO - Mar 12/02 - STAT -- Poultry consumption in Japan is expected to take a small hit after BSE scares have died down and egg demand has lightened. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 13/02 - STAT -- Broiler hatchery activity continue to expand in the United States during the week ending March 9, judging from the latest USDA numbers. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 13/02 - STAT -- Turkey hatchery activity posted a 2% increase compared to February of last year, according to data compiled by the USDA. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 13/02 - STAT -- The USDA is increasing seed inspection fees to cover the cost of increased employee salaries, rent and supplies. . . . Continue or visitors click here

ETOBICOKE - Mar 13/02 - STAT -- The Ontario government is plans to spend $1.68 million to on promotional campaigns for the province's pork industry and to develop computer technology intended to better match consumer demand with pork production . . . Continue or visitors click here

BISMARCK - Mar 13/02 - STAT -- North Dakota sugar beet growers will have another weapon in their battle against Cercospora leafspot now that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has given them a specific exemption for Eminent® 125SL. . . . Continue or visitors click here

LONDON - Mar 13/02 - STAT -- Biochemist John Paterson working with the University of Strathclyde have performed some tests recently, and found that organic vegetable soups could help fight inflammation, hardening of arteries, and bowel cancer. . . . Continue or visitors click here

BELTSVILLE - Mar 13/02 - STAT -- Agricultural Research, the USDA's science magazine, printed an article in the March 2002 issue entitled "Scientists Seek To Sanitize Fruits and Vegetables", in which various produce sanitation techniques were discussed. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 14/02 - STAT -- Fresh vegetable growers trying to take advantage of the rapidly expanding market for baby greens face a continuing problem cleanly harvesting the small plants used to colorful baby salad mixes. . . . Continue or visitors click here

TOPEKA - Mar 14/02 - STAT -- Animals tested in Kansas state showing symptoms similar to those expected for outbreaks of foot and mouth disease have come back negative for the viral infection, according to Kansas Animal Health Commissioner George Teagarden. . . . Continue or visitors click here

HONG KONG - Mar 14/02 - STAT -- Cargill Inc. will convert the first of three tranches of options it was granted by Global Biochem Technology Holdings Ltd last September, giving Cargill a 99% stake in the company. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 14/02 - STAT -- Potato stocks registered a solid 15% decline from year earlier levels as of February 1, with the USDA estimating there were 168 million 100 pound units (cwt) on hand in the 15 major producing states on that date. Storage accounts for 43% of the 2001 fall storage States' production, the same percentage as a year ago. . . . Continue or visitors click here

SAO PAULO - Mar 14/02 - STAT -- Brazilian soybean crush dropped sharply in January as part of a seasonal down trend, plunging from 1.33 million metric tons (MT) in December to just 793,000 MT in January, according to the latest usage data compiled byABIOVE. . . . Continue or visitors click here

FARGO - Mar 14/02 - STAT -- Recent, massive increases in soybean production levels in the state of North Dakota have generated increased worries about the spread of related plant diseases across the state. More than two million acres were planted last year and that number is expected to go higher this year. . . . Continue or visitors click here

ISLAMABAD - Mar 14/02 - STAT -- The continuing drought in Pakistan will reduce total wheat production by 5% in 2002/2003, according to the USDA Ag Attache service in Islamabad. . . . Continue or visitors click here

ISLAMABAD - Mar 14/02 - STAT -- Pakistan's efforts to become a net exporter of wheat are falling on hard times as drought and other production problems force average yields lower, resulting in predictions the 2002-03 marketing year will only have 18million metric tons (MT) of product available to meet export and domestic needs. . . . Continue or visitors click here

ISLAMABAD - Mar 14/02 - STAT -- Little change is expected in the size of Pakistan's rice harvest this year, with the U.S. agricultural attache here believing production will be nearly unchanged from last year at 3.7 million metric tons (MT). . . . Continue or visitors click here

DONALD - Mar 15/02 - STAT -- Southwestern Australia has experienced a definite change in climate during the past 25 years, with the region receiving 20% less rainfall on average than was the case during the first half of the 20th century. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 15/02 - MFB -- Finding ways for farmers to turn agricultural commodities into high-value energy sources is just one of many top priorities of the U.S. Department of Energy, according to David Garman, assistant secretary for the department's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy division. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 15/02 - STAT -- Dairy product prices recorded a mixed performance during the week ending March 9 despite a modest increase in milkfat values. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 15/02 - STAT -- A nematode which prefers to feed on hickory, pecan and walnut trees is showing up with increased regularity in tree nut groves in New Mexico where growers had complained about declining yields despite the use of normal fertilization and irrigation practices. . . . Continue or visitors click here

BRUSSELS - Mar 15/02 - STAT -- The European Community is looking to amend rules governing the use of geographic names to help identify particular products to provide better protection but also work better within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO). . . . Continue or visitors click here

TOKYO - Mar 15/02 - STAT -- Japan has amended its suspension on poultry imports from the United States to allow product to freely enter the country from all parts of the United States except Maine and Pennsylvania. . . . Continue or visitors click here

ABIDJAN - Mar 15/02 - IRIN -- A UN food assessment mission to three northern regions of Ghana found some localized food shortages that could deteriorate in the coming months, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) reports. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 15/02 - STAT -- The USDA says there was a 2% decline in the number of cattle and calves on hand in feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more animals as of March 1. There were 11.52 million head in inventory, down from 11.70 million head last year. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WINNIPEG - Mar 15/02 - STAT -- The Canadian Oilseed Processors Association reports weekly crush in that country totalled 45,308 metric tons (MT) of canola and 31,746 MT of soybeans. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 15/02 - STAT -- Milk production in the United States totalled 11.4 billion pounds in the country's 20 major producing states during February, up 2.8% from February 2001. . . . Continue or visitors click here

VANCOUVER - Mar 15/02 - STAT -- North American oilseed markets finished the week's trading on a strong note against rising demand for soybeans and products. . . . Continue or visitors click here

VANCOUVER - Mar 15/02 - STAT -- International grain markets continue to be pressured by expectations of a substantial increase in corn seedings in the United States this year and a smaller than needed pull-back in wheat plantings. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 17/02 - STAT -- Bees have had to work hard in California so far this year because the almond bloom happened quickly, with all varieties of trees coming into bloom at the same time, according to the USDA's latest monthly report on itsdomestic industry. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 17/02 - STAT -- North American honey markets were unchanged to slightly firmer during February, with no major supply problems reported by the USDA in a recent market survey. . . . Continue or visitors click here

OTTAWA - Mar 18/02 - STAT -- Canadian oilseed crushers processed 1.47 million metric tons (MT) of canola between August and February, according to the latest monthly crush data compiled by Statistics Canada. . . . Continue or visitors click here

REGINA - Mar 18/02 - STAT -- Recent snowfall events in parts of Saskatchewan have not been enough to convince the provincial agriculture department this year's will improve enough to result in a normal situation. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 19/02 - STAT -- The U.S. based National Honey Board (NHB) barely survived the mandatory referendum over its continuation, with the support of just 51.47% of those who voted. . . . Continue or visitors click here

PRETORIA - Mar 19/02 - STAT -- South Africa reported a net decrease in the size of the country's summer grain and oilseed crops as production for corn was slashed over 200,000 metric tons (MT) to 8.95 million. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 19/02 - STAT -- A one year suspension of USDA grading and inspection services was upheld by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. . . . Continue or visitors click here

KANSAS CITY - Mar 19/02 - STAT -- Afghanistan became an important destination for products bought under the latest USDA PL-480 food aid tender invitation issued by the Commodity Credit Corporation offices here. . . . Continue or visitors click here

DELHI - Mar 19/02 - STAT -- India's spice exports should break their previous annual export record despite a dramatic downturn in the volume of product leaving the country when compared to shipments during the same month last year. . . . Continue or visitors click here

BEIJING - Mar 19/02 - STAT -- China's rapeseed output is expected to climb this year as the country's farmers switch from some classes of winter wheat and rice to the oilseed. . . . Continue or visitors click here

BEIJING - Mar 19/02 - STAT -- Canola exporters will likely feel more pressure from rising domestic oilseed production in China and the implementation of the country's new policy regarding genetically modified (GMO) crops. . . . Continue or visitors click here

LIMA - Mar 19/02 - STAT -- According to the USDA, grape production in Peru is estimated at 113,000 MT for 2001, an increase of 27% over the previous year. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 20/02 - STAT -- Soybean producers using notill cultivation methods can keep soybean cyst nematode (SCN) under control as long as soybeans are rotated with corn, a USDA Agricultural Research Service study suggests. . . . Continue or visitors click here

REGINA - Mar 20/02 - STAT -- Plant breeders at the University of Saskatchewan believe they have developed a variety of apple which grows in the province's short season but will be able to compete with the Gala variety on export markets. . . . Continue or visitors click here

SEOUL - Mar 20/02 - STAT -- Korea took another step forward in efforts to create an international standard for food grade ginseng based on merchandise coming from Korea. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 20/02 - STAT -- The pace of broiler hatchery expansion slowed during the week ending March 16, with the USDA reporting a 1% increase in both the number of eggs set and chicks placed in the major producing states. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 20/02 - STAT -- The United States recorded a solid increase in supplies of red meat and poultry in refrigerated warehouses at the end of February. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 20/02 - STAT -- Stocks of nuts in refrigerated storage were up sharply over month and year earlier levels, according to the latest data compiled by the USDA. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 20/02 - STAT -- House and senate negotiators have figured out tentative spending amount for the new U.S. farm bill, creating some optimism they have a chance of crafting a bill which can be passed in time for program changes to be implemented this year. The goal is to have a package ready for lawmakers by April 9. . . . Continue or visitors click here

LIMA - Mar 20/02 - STAT -- Ecuador's wheat imports for the 2002/2003 market year are forecast at 460,000 metric tons (MT), only 2% higher than the previous year's figures. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 21/02 - STAT -- Researchers with the USDA's Agricultural Research Service in Weslaco, Texas, have made it clear organic fertilizers help boost microbial activity in the soil which in turn contributes to the ability of plants to absorb soil nutrients. . . . Continue or visitors click here

DONALD - Mar 21/02 - STAT -- The Japanese Food Agency rejected another 20,000 metric tons (MT) of wheat because it had been mixed with barley, treated with a food coloring prohibited in that market. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 21/02 - STAT -- The absence of agreement on the new U.S. Farm Bill is having interesting consequences for the USDA, which is being forced to brush the dust off old, existing laws and start implementing them. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WINNIPEG - Mar 21/02 - STAT -- Agricore United reported a net loss of CDN $11.8 million during the last quarter and a net loss of $17.9 million for the six months ended January 31, 2002, reflecting the consequences of last year's drought on handlingvolumes at the company's primary and terminal elevator facilities. . . . Continue or visitors click here

RICHMOND - Mar 21/02 - STAT -- Premium Brands Inc. (TSE: FFF) has sold its 40% equity share in Peace Pork Inc. and redundant capital assets, generating proceeds of CDN $5.6 million. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 21/02 - STAT -- Early season conditions in the central Asia region look good, with early season plants showing good vigor, while mid-March moisture conditions are likely the best in three years in these chronically drought-affected regions. . . . Continue or visitors click here

FARGO - Mar 21/02 - STAT -- North Dakota wheat producers ought to consider planting barley this spring if they are normally able to harvest malting quality, says North Dakota State University economist George Flaskerud. . . . Continue or visitors click here

" WINNIPEG - Mar 21/02 - STAT -- Export clearances of all grains and oilseeds shipped from Canada total 13,585,000 metric tons (MT) so far this marketing year down 2,077,200 MT from the 15,662,200 moved last year." . . . Continue or visitors click here

NAIROBI - Mar 22/02 - IRIN -- The United Nations' World Food Program (WFP)denies charges the sale of food aid it had distributed to refugees in Kenya was contributing in any significant way to an oversupply of maize on the local market, which has resulted in a slump in prices and hit farm incomes. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 22/02 - STAT -- Dairy product prices in the United States experienced general pressure during the week ending March 16, judging from price data compiled by the USDA. . . . Continue or visitors click here

TOKYO - Mar 22/02 - STAT -- Effective March 31, Nissho Iwai Corp. plans to buy Snow Brand Foods Co.'s food additives import division. Final details of the takeover are being hammered out, but Nissho hopes to conclude the purchase for around U.S. $7.6million. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WINNIPEG - Mar 22/02 - STAT -- The Canadian Oilseed Processors Association reports weekly crush in that country totalled 35,562 metric tons (MT) of canola and 33,889 MT of soybeans. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WINNIPEG - Mar 22/02 - STAT -- The Canadian Wheat Board increased initial payment for wheat and barley delivered under the 2001-02 marketing pools. The increase takes effect March 26, 2002. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 22/02 - STAT -- Broiler chicken production growth outpaced that for egg laying chickens during the February, according to the latest USDA production data. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 22/02 - STAT -- Commercial red meat production in the United States ended up at 3.50 billion pounds in February, up 3% from the 3.40 billion pounds produced in February 2001. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 22/02 - STAT -- The USDA reports a massive 33% increase in hop stocks in the United States as of March 1, with growers, dealers, and brewers holding 89.0 million pounds of product. . . . Continue or visitors click here

DONALD - Mar 25/02 - STAT -- As the amount of land and classes of pulses growers include in their rotations increase, more though needs to be given to land management strategies which prevent cross contamination of diseases. . . . Continue or visitors click here

JOHANNESBURG - Mar 25/02 - IRIN -- Mozambique, struggling to cope with the devastating effects of flooding during the 2000 and 2001 rainy seasons, now faces a worsening food security crisis because of a dry spell. . . . Continue or visitors click here

OTTAWA - Mar 25/02 - STAT -- The Canadian government will again offer interest free loans of up to CDN $50,000 to help with spring seeding costs in that country. . . . Continue or visitors click here

DECATUR - Mar 25/02 - STAT -- ADM (NYSE: ADM) Specialty Ingredients is restructuring its sales and marketing organization into market categories: Meats; Nutrition; Baking, Cereals & Snacks; Beverages; Confectionery; Pharmaceutical; Personal Care; Industrial; and Food Processing. . . . Continue or visitors click here

LONDON - Mar 25/02 - STAT -- One of the fastest growing organic food sectors in Scandinavia is the fresh fruit market with a 40% growth rate. . . . Continue or visitors click here

JAKARTA - Mar 25/02 - STAT -- Drought has caused a serious reduction in Vietnamese pepper production, with this year's harvest expected to fall 20% from 55,000 metric tons (MT) to around 44,000 MT. . . . Continue or visitors click here

OTTAWA - Mar 25/02 - STAT -- Canada slapped a provisional 71% import duty on greenhouse tomatoes and fresh tomatoes coming from the United States which are not intended for use by the food processing industry. . . . Continue or visitors click here

DONALD - Mar 26/02 - STAT -- The decision by some Chinese importers to bring in feed barley for resale on their local malting barley market has hurt prices for all classes of malting barley within the country, claims members of a delegation from theAustralian Barley Board (ABB). . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 26/02 - STAT -- Sunflower, safflower and other oilseeds with varieties which contain high levels of oleic acid content could find a new market niche with the creation of biodegradable lubricants using processes developed by USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists. . . . Continue or visitors click here

PARIS - Mar 26/02 - STAT -- Most market participants expect a solid increase in European rapeseed production this year, but debate continues over the size of the increase. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 26/02 - STAT -- The USDA lowered its calculation of the prevailing world market value for rice, adjusted to U.S. domestic market conditions from the commodity versus numbers contained in its mid-March report. . . . Continue or visitors click here

LONDON - Mar 26/02 - STAT -- According to organic market research company, Organic Monitor, the various European Union (EU) elections in 2002 may have a profound effect on the European organic food industry. . . . Continue or visitors click here

LONDON - Mar 27/02 - STAT -- Markets for most types of essential oils have shown some strength during February and March as importers cover immediate needs and take steps to ensure they will not run short of supplies before new crop merchandise becomes available during the remainder of the year. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 27/02 - STAT -- The USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has created a website which provides nutritional informational on any one of 1,147 food items. . . . Continue or visitors click here

LONDON - Mar 27/02 - STAT -- There is a growing chance world trade in wheat will decline across the 2002-03 marketing campaign on account of improved production levels around the world, resulting in a 9.5% increase in ending stocks held by wheat exporting countries 18 months hence. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 27/02 - STAT -- Broiler hatchery expansion faltered in the United States during the week ending March 23, according to the latest data compiled by the USDA. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 27/02 - STAT -- The united States finished February recording a 43% increase in available supplies of peanuts as stocks ended the month at 3.61 billion pounds of equivalent farmer stock, compared to 2.53 billion pounds last year. This total includes 2.53 billion pounds of actual farmer stock. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 27/02 - STAT -- Preliminary estimates of prices received by agricultural producers in the United States during March were generally higher than those achieved during the same month last year and during February. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WINNIPEG - Mar 27/02 - STAT -- Central Soya of Canada Ltd. will become the sole owner of CanAmera Foods once it completes it purchase of Agricore United's 16.7% and the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool's 33% interest in the venture. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- Wheat and corn stocks came in at the high end of trade expectations, which soybean were down the middle, judging from numbers released by the USDA today. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- The USDA reported a massive increase in the quantity of rice on hand as of March 1, saying total stocks were up 28% from last year at 110 million 100 pound units (cwt). . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- Producers in the United States intend to plant 1.47 million acres of peanuts in 2002, down 5% from one year ago, according to the USDA seeding intentions report released today. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- The USDA seeding intentions report for 2002 revealed a general desire on the part of agricultural producers in the United States to move land from soybeans and cotton into corn. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- Coarse grain producers in the United States plan to boost this year's oat and barley seedings, while slashing sorghum plantings, according to the USDA's seeding intentions report released today. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- All wheat planted area is expected to total 59.0 million acres in 2002, down 1% from 2001 and the lowest level since 1972. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- Soybean producers intend to plant 73.0 million acres, down 2% from last year, according to the USDA's 2002 seeding intentions estimates. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- Corn growers intend to plant 79.0 million acres of corn for all purposes in 2002, up 4% from 2001 but down 1% from 2000, according to the USDA seeding intentions report for 2002. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- Sugarbeet growers in the United States are expected to expand this year's planted area 3% to 1.42 million acres, according to the USDA seeding intentions report for 2002. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- The USDA discovered producers in the United States intend to slash this year's cotton area 6% to 14.8 million acres. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- The amount of land harvested as hay is expected to decline almost 1% this year to 63.7 million acres in the United States. . . . Continue or visitors click here

FARGO - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- Specialty soybean producers in North Dakota and regions with similar agronomic characteristics now have available two additional varieties of soybeans intended for the natto market in Japan. . . . Continue or visitors click here

FARGO- Mar 28/02 - STAT -- North Dakota State University (NDSU) plant breeders have developed a new variety of durum wheat called "Dilse" by crossing Maier and the experimental line D88273. . . . Continue or visitors click here

OMAHA - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), saw operating profits rise 30% to U.S. $463 million during its third quarter ending February 24, 2002 even though gross sales slipped 2% from year earlier levels to $6.2 billion. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- Oilseed crush activity during the first two months of the 2002 calendar year were above year earlier levels, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WINNIPEG - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- The Canadian Oilseed Processors Association reports weekly crush in that country totalled 37,089 metric tons (MT) of canola and 38,707 MT of soybeans during the week ending March 27. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- Dairy product prices recorded a mixed performance during the week ending March 23, judging from price data compiled by the USDA. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 28/02 - STAT -- Hog numbers are showing some upward movement as producers expand the number of animals they are raising, suggests the latest USDA inventory report. As of March 1, 2002, there were 58.7 million hogs and pigs on hand inthe United States, 2% above March 2001, but 1% below December 1, 2001. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Mar 29/02 - STAT -- An organic equivalence agreement between Japan and the United States will allow plant-based organic products grown in the US to be sold in Japan without having to be re-certified. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WINNIPEG - Mar 29/02 - STAT -- Export clearances of all grains and oilseeds shipped from Canada total 13,958,400 metric tons (MT) so far this marketing year down 2,040,600 MT from the 15,999,000 moved last year. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WINNIPEG - Mar 29/02 - STAT -- The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) lowered its new crop price expectations, but numbers for the current crop pool were mixed compared to outlooks released last month. . . . Continue or visitors click here

VANCOUVER - Mar 29/02 - STAT -- North American oilseed markets finished the week's trading on a bullish note in response to this week's seedings intention and stocks in all position estimates from the USDA. . . . Continue or visitors click here

VANCOUVER - Mar 29/02 - STAT -- Futures markets for coarse grains finished the week on a softer note, with new crop values declining in response to the latest USDA seeding intentions report. . . . Continue or visitors click here

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