(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle experience weather market

For the week ending May 4, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were quite variable and the market was hard to define. Alberta and certain regions of Saskatchewan received snow, which caused the market to trade $3 to $5 lower. However, in Eastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, feeder cattle prices were steady to $3 higher.

Photo: File

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures mixed, hog futures lower, amid demand questions

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures ended Monday mixed, after conflicting market signals sent feeder cattle futures lower and nearby live cattle contracts slightly higher. Lean hog futures eased, as market participants wrestled with growing uncertainty over consumer demand for meat as the U.S. enters into the traditional summer grilling season. In […] Read more


(TysonFoods.com)

Tyson Foods shares sink on worries over consumer demand, third quarter

Reuters – Tyson Foods TSN.N shares were on track for their worst one-day decline in a year on Monday after the U.S. meatpacker warned that consumers are under pressure from persistent inflation and high commodity costs could weigh on upcoming results. The Arkansas-based meatpacker reported second-quarter sales that fell short of analysts’ estimates, though profits […] Read more

The USDA is still performing two other safety studies on beef related to H5N1 but says meat supplies are safe.  Photo: File

U.S. livestock: CME cattle stabilize after bird flu roils markets

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures stabilized on Friday after U.S. testing of ground beef samples for H5N1 bird flu fuelled wild swings, but markets still closed lower for the week. Live cattle and feeder cattle futures had rallied on Thursday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the samples from retail […] Read more


Health Canada had previously decided that gene edited crops are safe, so, in most cases they will be treated the same as crops developed through traditional plant breeding methods.  Photo: File

CFIA declares gene editing safe for livestock feed

Glacier FarmMedia – Leaders in Canada’s grain industry are praising the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for confirming gene edited crops are safe to use as livestock feed. Today, the Canola Council of Canada, the Canada Grains Council and Cereals Canada “applauded” the CFIA for its new guidance on gene editing. “This is a ground-breaking day […] Read more

The farm operation that uses a model of diversity and maintains and integrates natural landscapes may be more resilient in times of weather and financial stress.

Schoepp: For sale signs of the times

Should farms consider ecological diversity as a risk management tool?

Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s spring and the time of year that farmland often changes hands. The “for sale” sign signals an end to trial and triumph and always invites curious conversations. This spring, there is an increase of sales in certain sectors. Sales driven by land stress and owners’ inability to financially weather another storm. Tree fruits and […] Read more





Photo: Angela Kotsell/iStock/Getty Images

Don’t let furry friends fall to bird flu

Cats reported sick, dying from H5N1 infection; CFIA offers tips to help keep pets safe

According to the CFIA, animals that hunt, scavenge or otherwise consume infected birds are at risk. For example, cats that go outdoors may hunt and consume an infected bird. Dogs may scavenge dead birds. “If your pet has found a sick or dead bird or other wildlife, report it to your regional avian influenza hotline or the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative,” advises the CFIA.