A few days before Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the grilling season, Vienna Beef has recalled 2,030 pounds of beef hot dogs out of concerns they might contain pieces of metal. The Chicago-based business realized the problem and reported it to the USDA. The impacted packages were sold to restaurants in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin and were not available directly to consumers through supermarkets or online grocery stores. (USA Today)

China produces and consumes two-thirds of the world’s pork, but output is plunging as Beijing destroys herds and blocks shipments to stop African swine fever. Importers are filling the gap by buying pork from as far away as Europe, boosting prices by up to 40 percent and causing shortages in other markets. African swine fever doesn’t harm humans but is fatal and spreads quickly among pigs. (FOX 10)

Precipitation the past 12 months (from May 2018 through April) was the wettest yearlong period on record in the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In addition, a new U of I study shows link between excessive rainfall and lower yields. “Heavy rainfall can decrease corn yield more in cooler areas and the effect is exacerbated even further in areas that have poor drainage,” said Yan Li, lead author of the study. (FarmWeekNow)

Last year Brazilian soybean shipments to China jumped by almost a third in efforts to fill the void left by soybean imported from the U.S. South American growers may struggle to maintain the same supply in 2019, said Igor Brandao, chief of the agribusiness division at Apex-Brasil. “The harvest for this year is expected to be smaller than last year. It is a matter of weather conditions, because the dry season is expected to be longer this year.” (South China Morning Post)

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office revealed the details of a long-awaited and sweeping capital plan to key legislators Friday. The plan will invest $41.5 billion over six years and create an estimated 500,000 jobs, according to documents distributed to lawmakers during a briefing. (Chicago Sun-Times)

The Trump administration reached agreements with Canada and Mexico to end U.S.-imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports Friday, removing a major barrier to the three countries’ new trade pact. Passage of USMCA may be treading closer. Key Republican lawmakers had signaled they would not vote for the USMCA deal, which needs congressional approval to take effect, unless the steel and aluminum tariffs against Canada and Mexico were removed. (Wall Street Journal)