Cash Market Moves

Summary: After Canada's Federal Labour Minister MacKinnon formally rejected calls from CN for binding arbitration, both the CN and CPKC railways are preparing to lock out union workers in four days.

A decision handed down by the Canada Industrial Relations Board opened the door for a lockout or strike if the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City railways could not come to a contract agreement with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference.

The watch is on for the possibility of Fusarium head blight (FHB), also known as scab, to infect wheat crops in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota where rain and humidity have been prevalent during key stages of the wheat growth.

The annual Wheat Quality Council hard red spring wheat and durum tour kicks off this week with scouts representing much of the wheat industry and more.

The possibility of a rail strike in Canada by over 9,200 CN and CPKC workers still hangs in limbo until the Canadian Industrial Relations Board makes a final decision on failed negotiations by all parties to date.

The flooding on the Minnesota River has added to extensive flooding on the Mississippi River in St. Paul and, as floodwaters flow south, some lock and dam closures have stopped barge traffic.

Hail can strike crops at any stage of development and most of the time it can destroy or severely lessen crop yield and quality if it the plants survive.

Growth Energy Senior VP Chris Bliley told the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop in Minneapolis there have been important policy wins in the last year, and reasons to be bullish about the future, but noted where there aren't total victories and where work remains to be done. He added that...

The International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo taking place in Minneapolis will provide attendees with a comprehensive overview of the current state of the ethanol industry.

The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report on the catastrophic structural failure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore after it was struck by the container ship M/V Dali.

The Surface Transportation Board recently announced it has, by unanimous vote, implemented the final rule for reciprocal switching.

As Upper Midwest farmers finish up with spring wheat planting, most of the rest of the Midwest states have been busy planting or trying to plant corn and soybeans depending on the weather.

Planting this spring started early in parts of the U.S Upper Midwest as weather conditions during April were favorable for most farmers to plant spring wheat, small grains and get a start on corn and even soybeans.

It's been a struggle for ships trying to move through the Panama Canal since early 2023 due to low water issues from drought. Some good news came on April 15 when the Panama Canal Authority announced an increase in booking slots in the Panamax locks...

The FRA finalized the long-awaited two-person crew rule for most U.S. railroads on April 2, 2024.

President Joe Biden visited the site of the Francis Scott Key bridge collapse on April 5, recognizing the families of the workers who lost their lives and the efforts of the first responders the night of the collapse.

Mississippi River mayors held a news conference to offer insights on possible increases in shipping traffic on the Mississippi River to aid the backlog occurring from the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

A container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning, causing a catastrophic failure as the bridge collapsed. Shipping and agricultural interests are still determining the impact the accident will have on shipping in and out of the Port of Baltimore.

A mild winter and lack of heavy ice allowed the Great Lakes shipping season to open early.

The Upper Mississippi River shipping season officially opened March 17 as the first tow arrived in St. Paul, Minnesota.