BASF has decided to cease its activities in hybrid wheat seed development in North America, RealAgriculture has learned. The company says it plans to refocus its efforts on the European markets where it sees "the greatest opportunity to successfully bring this innovation to farmers." BASF says it has made significant progress with hybrid wheat breeding and seed production

Wheat farmers are calling on Congress to double the funding for overseas trade programs in the next farm bill. Currently, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Services Market Access Program — MAP — and Foreign Market Development program — FMD — receive $200 million and $34.5 million, respectively... “Studies have shown that the return on investment from MAP (and) FMD is very strong — but our activities overseas and impact are limited today by the erosion of these resources over time," said Rhonda K. Larson, U.S. Wheat chair.

The most active contract fell 1.6% to settle at $7.10 a bushel, the lowest since September 2021. The grain heads for a decline of 6% this month, the biggest monthly loss since November. Top-shipper Russia is expected to post record-high exports in the second half of the season, while Ukraine is seeking to extend its Black Sea grain-export deal by one year.

Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures dropped 1.6% to their lowest level since September 2021 on Monday as rain across key growing areas during the weekend boosted harvest prospects for the U.S. crop, traders said.Optimism that the deal allowing grain shipments from Black Sea ports in war-torn Ukraine will be renewed in the coming weeks pressured both corn and wheat. The agreement has increased competition for suppliers of wheat and corn and expires in March.

Agricultural markets saw widespread change for myriad reasons in the three years since the US Department of Agriculture was last able to invite representatives from across the agricultural supply chains to the nation’s capital. The big picture of disruption for US agriculture in the 2020s to date: COVID and its long tail of economic effects. Prices rising since demand picked up in the fall of 2020. Short crops around the globe. War in Ukraine. It all adds up to tremendous volatility.

Wheat farmers are better situated to benefit from bilateral trade agreements that parallel the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership than other American farmers, says Dalton Henry, U.S. Wheat Associates vice president of trade policy. The U.S. withdrew from the original Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement in 2017. The remaining countries are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam. Those nations put together CPTPP, which was essentially the TPP minus the U.S.

Exports of Ukrainian corn and wheat that supplied Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the European Union all but halted a year ago after Russia invaded the country, closing down Black Sea ports. Now, there is a scheme to lessen the impact if those ports are closed again. Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi has proposed that Western allies build dedicated rail lines to allow Ukrainian farmers to ship corn and wheat directly to ports in Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, where ships can take the grain all over the globe.