Department of Agriculture said spring-wheat acres are expected to drop 7.3 percent to 13. Because the gap between wheat and corn prices has narrowed, some livestock producers in states where wheat is abundant turned to the grain instead of corn for feed, said William Bayer, vice president and partner at PTI Securities in Chicago. In intraday trading, the grain plunged as much as 30 cents, the exchange limit. Wheat prices have gained 27 percent from a year ago. Analysts surveyed by...

In North and South Dakota producers have planted more winter wheat and expect to shift acreage into corn, while Montana producers have also shifted acres to winter wheat and intend to plant more pulse crops. Expected acreage is up in nearly all States as favorable corn prices, caused by increased demand from ethanol producers and strong exports sales, are encouraging farmers to plant more acres to corn. Growers in Montana are expected to switch acres previously planted to Durum wheat to...

But we have noticed some recent price trends that have piqued our curiosity and led us to wonder what will happen to soybean and wheat acreage in the coming years. Usually we are content to leave crop price comparisons to extension economists and the marketing services because they are on top of the technical issues on a day-to-day basis. Based on the historic multiples, we would not be surprised to see even more corn acres and fewer soybean and wheat acres than currently expected. At the...

Today, dozens of lifesaving drugs are on the market, while many crops are genetically engineered to withstand weed killers. Others are genetically engineering microbes to produce enzymes that will convert the cellulose in crop waste, wood chips and other plants into ethanol. Most of the five billion gallons of ethanol produced annually in the United States is still made by fermenting corn, but the crop is expensive, and its use in biofuels cuts into the nation's food supply. After decades...

As a precautionary measure, Del Monte Pet Products is voluntarily recalling select product codes of its pet treat products sold under the Jerky Treats(R), Gravy Train(R) Beef Sticks and Pounce Meaty Morsels(R) brands as well as select dog snack and wet dog food products sold under private label brands. As a precautionary measure, Del Monte Pet Products is voluntarily recalling select product codes of its pet treat products sold under the Jerky Treats(R), Gravy Train(R) Beef Sticks and...