Livestock
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures plunged by as much as the daily trading limit on Friday and ended sharply lower after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated supplies above already-high trade expectations. Economic concerns amid rising novel coronavirus infections added pressure to hogs and also dragged down cattle futures, which finished […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs tumble on bigger-than-expected supply, economic concerns
Rising COVID-19 counts raise fears for beef demand
Savvy ways to wisely direct dollars in horse ownership
Uncertain economic times mean taking a hard look at where to make your investments
Reading Time: 3 minutes Whenever economic times become uncertain, peripheral lifestyle choices such as horse ownership often become affected. Regardless of the circumstances that initiate evaluation or re-evaluation of financial resources pertinent to horse-keeping practices, it is prudent to understand where allocation of financial resources contribute the greatest benefit to the horse’s well-being. There is no one single best […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs mostly higher ahead of USDA inventory data
CME feeder cattle firm up on lower corn prices
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures were mostly higher on Thursday, lifted by firmer cash hog markets and position squaring ahead of a quarterly hog inventory report that was released after the close. Futures have been sliding for most of the past two months as hog supplies swelled due to numerous packing plant […] Read more
Royal Agricultural Winter Fair cancelled for 2020
Near-century-old annual ag showcase put off to 2021
Two years shy of its 100th anniversary, Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair has been called off for 2020. Organizers said Wednesday the event, which was scheduled for Nov. 6-15 at Toronto’s Exhibition Place, has been cancelled “due to our ongoing concern regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.” First held in 1922, spearheaded by Ontario cattle producer W.A. […] Read more
U.S. senators question packers over exports to China during pandemic
USDA shows record pork exports to China in April, raising questions about rising U.S. meat prices
Chicago | Reuters — Two prominent U.S. Senate Democrats are pressing America’s top meatpackers to disclose by month’s end how much pork, beef and chicken they shipped to China during the coronavirus outbreak while warning of possible meat shortages at home. The request from Senators Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker increases scrutiny of companies such […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures down on big supplies, economic jitters
Surge in U.S. COVID-19 cases rattles Wall Street
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures eased on Wednesday and hog futures were mostly lower on ample livestock supplies and concerns about rising coronavirus infections and their negative impact on the economy. Wall Street’s three major indexes tumbled on Wednesday and crude oil plunged more than five per cent as a surge in U.S. […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Futures rise as frozen meat stocks decline
Exporters drew down stored supplies during packer slowdowns
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle and hog futures firmed on Tuesday following two sessions of declines after U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data showed a larger-than-anticipated decline in cold-storage stocks of pork and beef. The USDA stocks report, released after the close on Monday, showed a record-large drop in U.S. frozen pork inventories in […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market grinds lower
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady to $4 lower on average. Small packages were available and buyers were picking away with subdued interest. There were some “green” strings of yearlings in Alberta and Saskatchewan which were well bid; however, most cattle were characterized by medium to smaller frames. Some of […] Read more
Young producers wonder if there’s a future in the cattle sector
Pandemic exposes fault lines in a business with a high cost of entry and little protection when a crisis hits
Reading Time: 4 minutes Is the risk really worth it? That was the underlying theme offered by a quartet of young cattle producers during a recent online presentation put on by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “Farming and ranching are already highly risky,” said Kendra Donnelly, who farms near Acme and operates, with her husband and parents, a trio of […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hog futures drop as China tightens food import restrictions
USDA report bearish on cattle futures
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures retreated on Monday, with actively traded nearby contracts sinking more than three per cent and hitting life-of-contract lows amid worries about pork exports to China, which has stepped up oversight of imported goods due to COVID-19. China’s customs authority said on Sunday it had suspended poultry imports […] Read more
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