Dean Ohrt, Heartland's grain origination manager for the eastern half of the state, isn't worried that high-priced corn will be sitting outside, uncovered. With indoor commercial storage space hard to come by, Iowa's yellow mountains are growing larger by the day as elevators find a temporary home for 14 million acres of corn. As long as Mother Nature doesn't play any more tricks on farmers this fall --- like turning cornfields into lakes --- it's a safe bet combines will be rolling on...

A majority of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News predicted that prices may rise next week on speculation that OPEC won't increase production as fast as consumption grows this winter. Crude prices are within the range of inflation-adjusted highs set in early 1980. He cited calculations by energy consultant Peter Beutel that consumers will spend $100 million a day more on gasoline in early November than at the start of October. The additional expense on those goods means consumers have less...

NEW YORK - Oil and gold prices fell Monday as concerns about the economy and a downturn in the stock market prompted investors to cash in gains from last week, when both commodities reached the highest levels in more than two decades. Several factors combined to send prices falling across the different markets. Citigroup inc.'s announcement Sunday that it sees another $8 billion to $11 billion in additional writeoffs due to credit-related losses raised concerns that the fallout from the...

Agriculture officials worry that some of the thousands of Mediterranean snails that have been found on a peninsula between the Hylebos and Blair waterways will hitch rides on trucks or trains to Eastern Washington, where wheat, barley and hay are major crops. Snail invasion in Tacoma Tideflats worries ag officials- Columbian.com, Clark County, Washington, Vancouver, Breaking News, U. Agriculture officials worry that some of the thousands of Mediterranean snails that have been found on a...

The ratings agency said the prices of corn will not decrease till ethanol capacity increases, estimating 2 to 3 bln gallons of new capacity per year to come online over the next 12-18 months. Thus, while ethanol producers are being squeezed, the benefits of the tax credit are accruing to gasoline wholesalers and retailers," Moody's said in a report. Moody's also said the new capacity will depress ethanol prices and place further demand on an already inadequate and strained distribution...