U.S. hog farmers see ‘significant progress’ in Trans-Pacific talks

Washington | Reuters –– U.S. pork producers on Monday hailed “significant progress” in Asia-Pacific regional trade talks and urged lawmakers to give the White House authority to fast-track trade deals, a sign that a deadlock with Japan may be softening. An impasse between the U.S. and Japan, the two biggest economies in the 12-nation Trans-Pacific […] Read more

(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs break five-day stretch of two-year lows

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs ended higher on Monday on short-covering, and the wholesale pork price bounce that helped snap futures’ five-day streak of two-year lows, traders said. February closed 1.525 cents per pound higher at 70.825 cents, and April up two cents, to 72.65 cents (all figures US$). CME lean […] Read more


(USDA.gov via Flickr)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures plunge before USDA report

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures slumped on Friday, with nearby contracts down the three-cents-per-pound price limit, ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly Cattle-On-Feed report at 2 p.m. CT. Analysts expect the report to show a decline in the number of cattle placed in feedlots last month. February and […] Read more

(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: Cash price plunge sends CME hogs to another two-year low

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs drifted to a two-year low for a third straight session on Thursday, pressured by the steep drop in cash and wholesale pork prices, traders said. February closed 0.75 cent per pound lower at 71.6 cents, and April fell 1.35 cents, to 72.875 cents (all figures US$). […] Read more


(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle bounce with beef prices

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle closed higher on Wednesday, lifted by short-covering stirred by the morning’s wholesale beef price rebound, traders said. February live cattle closed up 0.65 cent per pound, to 153.7 cents, and April 0.8 cents higher at 151.875 cents (all figures US$). Wednesday morning’s choice wholesale beef climbed […] Read more

(CMEGroup.com)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle resume downtrend, but off lows

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle closed lower on Tuesday after skittish buyers and fund liquidation wiped out Friday’s modest gains that briefly halted an eight-day losing skid, traders said. February live cattle closed down 1.4 cents per pound, to 153.05 cents, and April ended 1.875 cents lower at 151.075 cents (all […] Read more



(CMEGroup.com)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle snap eight-day losing skid

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle posted modest gains on Friday on short-covering before Monday’s Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday that snapped an eight-day string of losses, traders said. The U.S. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday could result in roughly 5,000 fewer cattle and 30,000 less hogs processed that day, an economist […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: More CME live cattle selling as cash prices plunge

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle ended lower in volatile trade on Thursday, pressured by residual fund liquidation and the steep drop in cash prices, traders said. CME live cattle’s selloff extended losses to eight straight days. The February contract’s limit-down move on Tuesday delayed the “roll” by funds out of that […] Read more

Chipotle’s pork plight could hurt Q1 results

Reuters –– Chipotle Mexican Grill’s decision to suspend purchases from a pork producer that ran afoul of its animal welfare requirements could bolster its reputation with diners but threatens sales and profits this quarter, an analyst said Wednesday. The burrito chain’s move caused a supply shortfall that is hitting about one-third of its roughly 1,800 […] Read more