👋 Happy Monday! As spring teases us with warmer days, let's dive into the latest ag news—because just like the unpredictable weather, the markets wait for no one.

— TDY team

📊 Market pulse:

A new step in the trade dance with China

In the latest episode of the global trade drama, China has decided to spice things up by slapping tariffs on over $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food products. Starting March 20, they're rolling out a 100% tariff on Canadian rapeseed oil, oil cakes, and peas, alongside a 25% tariff on aquatic products and pork. This move is a direct clapback to Canada's earlier tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum.

The Chinese commerce ministry didn't mince words, labeling Canada's actions as classic protectionism and a smack in the face to WTO rules. As the trade tango intensifies, both nations are left pondering their next moves.

• 🌽 Corn (May futures): $4.69¼ per bushel, up 5¼ cents.

• 🌱 Soybeans (May futures): $10.25 per bushel, down 2¼ cents.

• 🌾 Wheat (May futures): $5.51¼ per bushel, down 2¾ cents. ​

• 🛢️ Canola (May futures): $645.00 per metric ton, up $10.40 (1.64%).

• ⚡️ Crude Oil (April futures): $67.04 per barrel, up 68 cents. ​

• 🐖 Lean Hogs (April futures): $87.35 per cwt, up 70 cents.

 AgTech

🧬 Cattle breeding innovation: From seven years to seven days

In the world of cattle breeding, patience has always been a virtue. Traditional methods demand a lengthy seven-year courtship to achieve a mere 10% improvement in desired traits. Enter Nbryo, the Queensland-based startup that's turned this timeline on its head, promising the same genetic gains in just seven days. It's as if cattle breeding has discovered the espresso shot—quick, efficient, and packing a punch.​

Nbryo's approach isn't just about speeding things up; it's about precision and efficiency. By leveraging advanced bio-digital and robotic technologies, they're producing elite, high-quality embryos at scale. This method allows for significant improvements in selection intensity and accuracy, enabling seven years’ worth of breeding advancements within a single seven-day in vitro embryo production cycle.

Why This Matters: Beyond the Barn

• Productivity Boost: Faster genetic improvements mean cattle that grow better, produce more, and adapt swiftly to market demands.​

• Environmental Perks: Selecting for traits like lower methane emissions contributes to a greener planet, making your steak not just tasty but eco-friendly.​

• Animal Welfare: Healthier cattle with desired traits lead to better living conditions and happier herds.​

The Bigger Picture

Nbryo's innovations are more than just a technological leap; they're a catalyst for change across the entire beef and dairy supply chain. By making embryo transfer accessible and affordable, they're empowering producers worldwide to enhance productivity, reduce environmental footprints, and improve animal welfare. It's a win-win situation that promises to transform the livestock industry.

 Business

🫛 Bayer drops new weed-killing powerhouse

Move over, weeds—your days are numbered! Bayer Crop Science just unveiled Vyconic™ soybeans at the Commodity Classic 2025 in Denver, Colorado, and let’s just say, herbicide-resistant weeds are about to have a very bad time.

This breakthrough trait technology is the first in the industry to pack five herbicide tolerances into a single soybean trait, giving farmers the ultimate flexibility in the never-ending war against weeds. Think of it like the Swiss Army knife of soybean weed control—except instead of tiny scissors and a bottle opener, you get dicamba, glufosinate, glyphosate, mesotrione, and 2,4-D all in one mighty bean.

What Makes Vyconic™ Soybeans a Big Deal?

• 5 herbicide tolerances: Because weeds are stubborn, and sometimes, you need a full arsenal.

• 2 brand-new tolerances (Mesotrione & 2,4-D): Giving weeds even fewer places to hide.

• More control, less stress: Customize your weed management strategy based on field needs.

• Broad-spectrum defense: Effective against the worst offenders—Palmer amaranth and waterhemp.

Pending regulatory approvals, Vyconic soybeans are set to hit U.S. and Canadian fields by the 2027 planting season. And Bayer isn’t stopping there—they’re also whipping up proprietary herbicide formulations to supercharge Vyconic’s performance.

 Industry 

🛒 Global food prices on the rise

Hold onto your shopping carts! February 2025 saw global food commodity prices take an upward stroll, with sugar, dairy, and vegetable oils leading the charge. The Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Food Price Index hit 127.1 points, marking a 1.6% increase from January and an 8.2% jump compared to February 2024.

• 🍬 Sugar prices spiked by 6.6% in February. Why the sudden sugar rush? Blame it on Mother Nature's mood swings in Brazil and India's export policies, which tightened global supplies.

• 🐮 Dairy prices weren't left behind, rising by 4%. Strong global demand for products like milk powders, cheese, and butter, coupled with limited export availabilities from major suppliers, contributed to this creamy climb.

• 🌱 Vegetable oil prices increased by 2.0%, influenced by rising palm oil prices due to robust global import demand and concerns over reduced production. Soybean oil prices also firmed up, reflecting a slow start to soybean crushing in South America.

• 🥣 Cereal prices edged up slightly, with wheat prices increasing due to limited supplies and maize prices also rising. Conversely, rice prices decreased by 6.8%. Meat prices remained relatively stable, with a marginal decline of 0.1% from January.

The FAO forecasts global wheat production in 2025 to reach 796 million tonnes, a modest increase of nearly 1% from the previous year. This projection is based on expected production gains in the European Union, particularly in France and Germany. However, challenges such as dry conditions in Eastern Europe and excessive rainfall in Western regions could affect yields. In the United States, wheat acreage is expected to expand, although yields may decline slightly due to drought conditions impacting winter crops.

Rice production is forecasted to hit a record high of 543 million tonnes in 2024/25, driven by positive crop prospects in India and favorable growing conditions in Cambodia and Myanmar.

So, next time you're at the grocery store and notice your favorite snacks costing a bit more, you'll know the global dance of supply and demand is at play.

More ag news

📢 Ag-bite bulletin

🥚 Egg Shortage Drives Consumers Online: A nationwide egg shortage has led consumers to turn to platforms like Facebook Marketplace to source chicken eggs. The scarcity, driven by factors such as avian flu, has resulted in empty store shelves and rising prices. [read more]

🌽 Strategies for a Bountiful 2025 Corn Harvest: As drought conditions persist, experts share insights on drought-proofing strategies to maximize corn yields in 2025. Implementing these practices could lead to one of the largest corn harvests, despite challenging weather patterns. [read more]

🌾 Minnesota Farmland Hits the Auction Block: Over 5,600 acres of Minnesota farmland are scheduled for auction in March 2025. The listings vary from single 40-acre tracts to a multi-parcel auction encompassing over 1,800 acres, presenting significant opportunities for expansion or new entrants in the agricultural sector. [read more]

🏛️ Federal Relief Falls Short for Farmers: The Canadian federal government has introduced relief measures for farmers, but experts argue they may not suffice to address the industry's pressing challenges. While the initiative aims to support agricultural producers, concerns persist about its adequacy in tackling issues like rising input costs and market volatility. [read more]

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Tractor thought

Humans have different preferences for different foods based on how much the atoms in the food are wiggling. source