Agricultural trade is said to be the global movement of water, since crops generally move where water is plentiful to where it is less available. Since it is believed that climate change will have significant impacts on rainfall, it is important to monitor geographic changes in precipitation. FAO data available for the six-year period from 2012 to 2017 shows that 20 countries reported net increases in rainfall and 19 countries reported decreases.
Globally, the data shows a one percent increase in overall precipitation over the period. Most changes by country were relatively minor. However, four countries stand out for relatively larger changes in rainfall. A persistent decline in annual rainfall would encourage greater investment in irri...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...
