Livestock
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s become a nightmare scenario. Thousands of workers at meat-packing facilities across North America, including Alberta’s three beef plants, have contracted COVID-19 — and the resulting closures and production slowdowns have created a crisis for livestock producers. But is there any way out? “This will renew calls for more packing capacity in Canada,” said Mike […] Read more
Is there a better way? How COVID-19 might transform packing plants
The pandemic has demonstrated the need for change, but that won’t be an easy or cheap process, say experts
U.S. livestock: Hog futures fall
Live cattle futures firm while slaughter numbers rise
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures fell on Tuesday, pressured by an increase in daily slaughter totals as pork plants come back online, traders said. CME live cattle futures firmed despite rising kill numbers, with the most-actively traded contract passing through a key technical benchmark. The nearby CME June live cattle futures contract settled […] Read more
Trump floats halt to U.S. cattle imports as pandemic hurts ranchers
'We have a lot of cattle in this country'
Washington/Chicago | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the United States should consider terminating trade deals under which it imports cattle as he looks to help U.S. ranchers hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak. The United States imports cattle from Mexico and Canada to supplement domestic supplies at lower prices and to […] Read more
Alberta’s cattle producers facing a wall of worry
The situation is already grim for many, and many more are ‘questioning their future’
Reading Time: 4 minutes Alberta Beef Producers recently did something it hasn’t done since the BSE crisis nearly two decades ago — went to the government and asked for money. Ottawa responded by offering $50 million to help cover the cost of feeding cattle stranded by slaughter plant closures and slowdowns — an offer that was appreciated but disheartening, […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market jumps on renewed optimism
Weekly slaughter pace improving
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle over 800 lbs. traded $8-$10 higher while lighter weight categories were up $4 to as much as $12 in some cases. Feeder cattle under 800 lbs. were very well bid across the Prairies; feeder cattle under 700 lbs. are now trading at prices similar to late February, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle book third day of gains
CME to change cattle futures trading rules
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose for the third day in a row on Monday, hitting their highest since April 1, with ongoing strength in the cash markets leading the way higher, traders said. Hog contracts were lower, with the front-month contract sinking to its lowest since April 29. The nearby CME […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Firm cash market lifts live cattle
Weaker pork prices, supply ideas drag on hogs
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed higher on Friday, with the front contract gaining against back months, led by higher cash cattle prices, traders said. Cash cattle traded as high as $120/cwt in the southern Plains on Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, up from trades a week earlier that ranged […] Read more
WLPIP calf price insurance deadline extended
Three-week extension includes nine purchasing days
Cattle producers in the western provinces will get extra decision-making time this year on the calf price insurance available through Western Livestock Price Insurance (WLPIP). The Prairies’ Crown ag insurance corporations announced Thursday that the deadline to buy WLPIP calf price insurance for 2020 has been extended to June 18. The new deadline, reset from […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle end mostly lower as beef prices ease
June hogs up, August lower
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed mostly lower on Thursday as wholesale beef prices began to retreat from historic highs as the U.S. slaughter pace improved, generating more meat supplies, analysts said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) August live cattle futures settled down 1.425 cents at 97 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Front-month June […] Read more
Saskatchewan to adjust WLPIP premiums for producers
Province also opts in to fund AgriRecovery set-aside plan
The Saskatchewan government plans to temporarily subsidize livestock producers entering the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP) against its recent jump in program premium costs. The province on Thursday announced it will provide $5 million to “partially offset” WLPIP premiums, which it noted have risen “significantly” since the end of February this year on COVID-19-induced […] Read more
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