Western South Dakota ranchers lost tens of thousands of cattle in last weekend's blizzard, and many will dispose of carcasses in pits set to open Oct. 14. Cattle ranchers dealing with weather-related losses would typically turn to the federal Livestock Indemnity Program, but that farm bill provision expired and its future is in flux due to congressional gridlock and the continuing federal shutdown, reported Twincities.com. Full Story
Processing demand is rising for sweet potatoes. Grower-shippers stated they're selling more to processing customers to satisfy growing demand for frozen and other processed sweet potato products, reported The Packer. Full Story
The Czech Republic's total 2013 grain harvest is expected to be up more than 22% compared with last year's harvest, thanks to improving crop yields of most grains excluding rye amid favorable weather in key summer months, according to the Czech Statistics Office. The overall harvest is now estimated at 6.898 million metric tons this year, higher than then 6.746 million metric tons forecast a month earlier and well up from the 5.645 million tons of total grains harvested in 2012, reported The Wall Street Journal. Full Story (WSJ Subscription Required)
Soybean prices rose, rebounding from the lowest price in almost two months on speculation rain in the U.S. will slow harvesting, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story
Total U.S. retail sales of orange juice fell to 563.2 million gallons during the 2012-13 season that ended Sept. 28, the lowest level in 15 seasons, stated the Florida Department of Citrus, citing Nielsen data. That was the lowest sales volume since the 1998-99 season, the oldest data available from the state agency, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis, reported Dow Jones Newswires. Full Story
Rice stockpiles in Thailand are expanding to a record as a government program to buy production spurs farmers to plant the most crops ever and add to a global glut. Reserves in Thailand will increase 24% to 15.5 million metric tons, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story
The Vidalia Onion Business Council set the mandatory Vidalia onion packing date for 2014. Vidalias may not be packed or shipped before April 21, reported The Packer. Full Story
Cocoa prices rose on speculation data will show bean processing increased in North America just as chocolate makers need to buy futures. The so-called cocoa grind in North America may have risen 6% to 10% in the third quarter, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story
The U.K.'s oat harvest may be the largest in about 40 years after farmers boosted planting. Production may be 850,000 to 1 million metric tons, the highest since the late 1970s, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story
California navel shippers and officials reported excellent flavor and size. About 88 million cartons of California navels are expected to ship this season, about 2% less than last season, reported The Packer. Full Story
High-quality South American mangoes should ship in promotable volumes through the end of the year. Brazilian volumes were peaking the week of Oct. 7, while Ecuadorian product was just starting to increase, reported The Packer. Full Story	
The Florida avocado industry faces a loss following the devastating effects of exotic pests and disease on avocado tree crops. The commercial avocado industry in Florida consists of about 7,500 acres, 60% of the total tropical fruit crop acreage, about 951 growers and 35 registered avocado handlers and shippers, reported Miami Today. Full Story
Avocados From Mexico launched a national marketing campaign, "Avocado All-Stars," designed to differentiate and distinguish avocados from Mexico from those of other countries, as well as from processed avocado products, reported The Packer. Full Story
Corn prices rose on speculation China has been buying American supplies of the grain at a time when investors lacked data on export sales because of the U.S. budget impasse and partial government shutdown, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story
Florida citrus and strawberry growers face crop losses in the early part of their 2012-13 season because the two-week-old federal government shutdown has delayed processing of agricultural guest workers, reported The Lakeland Ledger. Full Story
Per-capita juice consumption in the U.S. dropped to 35.5 liters last year, from 39.9 liters in 2007, according to Euromonitor International. Last year, U.S. retail sales of PepsiCo’s Tropicana were $1.5 billion, down from $2 billion in 2007. Coca-Cola’s Minute Maid sales were down 11.5% in that period, to $1.3 billion, reports Bloomberg Businessweek. Full Story
San Francisco-based Jacobs, Malcolm & Burtt Produce will add organic asparagus to its product line in November, reported The Packer. Full Story
Alsum Farms & Produce is nearing completion of its 15,000-sq.-ft. Wisconsin specialty potato packaging facility and expects to have it up and running in early November, reported The Produce News. Full Story
Wheat analysts are the most bearish since July on speculation the grain’s biggest premium to corn in three years will curb demand after farmers reaped a record crop; more than 25% of the crop planted for harvesting next year is off to an above-average start, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story