The federal government’s inaction on long-standing calls to set up a Canadian foot-and-mouth vaccine is baffling and “extremely frustrating,” says Melanie Wowk, chair of Alberta Beef Producers. “No country is going to import anything from us – live or dead.”

Foot-and-mouth a ticking time bomb: Is Canada prepared?

Livestock groups want millions of vaccine doses to be stockpiled but say Ottawa is ‘stalling’

Reading Time: 5 minutes Ottawa must stop ignoring requests to create a vaccine bank that could save the country’s livestock sector from a devastating a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, say provincial livestock leaders. The groups have been asking for a vaccine bank for years and in a recent letter, the chairs of Alberta’s cattle, cattle feeders, pork, sheep and goat […] Read more

CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle lower, underpinned by tight supply

October lean hogs also lower

Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange eased on Friday, pressured by softening cash trade across the U.S. Plains, though markets remain supported by tightening supplies as producers continue to liquidate their herds, analysts said. “Our short-term supply issues are still front and centre. We’re running two-three per cent […] Read more



CME December 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (pink line, right column) and CME cash Lean Hog Index (purple line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME December hogs ease

U.S. hog herd shrinks; cattle futures firm

Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark December lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange eased on Thursday ahead of the U.S. Agriculture Department’s quarterly hog and pigs report, released after the market closed. CME October hogs firmed 0.75 cent at 89.45 cents/lb., but most-active December hogs fell 0.1 cent to 75.725 cents/lb. (all figures US$). […] Read more


File photo of a truck arriving at a Smithfield Foods pork plant at Smithfield, Va. on Oct. 17, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Tom Polansek)

Smithfield Foods to pay US$75 million in pork price-fixing settlement

Follows similar settlement by JBS

Reuters — Smithfield Foods has agreed to pay US$75 million to settle a lawsuit by consumers who accused the meat producer and several competitors of conspiring to inflate prices in the $20 billion-a-year U.S. pork market by limiting supply. A preliminary settlement in the antitrust case was filed on Tuesday night with the federal court […] Read more

CME December 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME December hogs extend slide on long liquidation

Cattle futures down on demand concerns

Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark December lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange continued their slide on Wednesday, hitting a nine-month low on recession worries and long liquidation. CME October hogs ended up 0.675 cent at 89.375 cents/lb. (all figures US$). But most-active December hogs fell 0.425 cent to settle at 75.825 cents/lb. after […] Read more


CME December 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20- and 50-day moving averages (brown and black lines, right column) and CME cash Lean Hog Index (pink line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs tumble to nine-month low on recession fears

Chicago live cattle end mixed

Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark December lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange fell for a fifth consecutive session on Tuesday, touching a nine-month low as fears of a recession hurting consumer demand for meat triggered another round of long liquidation, traders said. Sliding prices for cash hogs and wholesale pork added to bearish […] Read more

CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hog futures fall to multi-month lows

Recession fears eat at demand expectations

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures hit a two-month low on Monday and the benchmark December lean hogs contract hit an eight-month low as worries about the U.S. and world economy triggered a round of long liquidation, analysts said. “This market is looking for positive news, and not finding a lot. […] Read more


CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle, lean hogs slide on recession worries

Feeder cattle up on lower corn prices

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell to their lowest level since early August on Friday on fears of a global recession that could curb demand for commodities including beef, traders said. CME October live cattle settled down 0.6 cent at 144.25 cents/lb. and the most-active December contract fell 0.8 cent […] Read more

CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, purple and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hogs sag on macroeconomic concerns

Economy raises concern for beef demand

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended lower on Thursday, extending a pull-back from four-month highs set this week as traders worried about the health of the world economy and softening demand for beef, traders said. CME October live cattle ended down 1.025 cents at 144.85 cents/lb. and the most-active December […] Read more