Livestock
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking to reassure meat producers it will keep slaughterhouses staffed with federal inspectors as fears about potential shutdowns due to the COVID-19 coronavirus hammer livestock prices and fuel concerns about food supplies, meat industry groups said on Monday. Livestock markets have been hit hard as […] Read more
U.S. under pressure to keep slaughterhouses open
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures hit 10-year lows
Coronavirus stokes demand uncertainty
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures plunged on Monday to their lowest in nearly a decade, with traders citing uncertainty about what the coronavirus pandemic will mean for long-term demand. Hog futures also were sharply lower, sinking to their lowest since October 2018. All fed cattle contracts and most hog contracts settled down the […] Read more
Poultry, egg farmers renew call on feds for CPTPP compensation
No timeline yet provided for remaining funds
Canada’s poultry and egg farmers say they are disappointed no compensation has yet been put in place for domestic market share given up under the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade pact. Egg Farmers of Canada, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Turkey Farmers of Canada and Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, in a recent release, said […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Lean hogs, cattle limit down on coronavirus fears
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures fell their expanded daily limit on Friday on fears that the coronavirus pandemic could curb consumer demand for meat and threaten the workforce at slaughterhouses, traders said. “The germophobia is in full force,” said Don Roose, president of Iowa-based U.S. Commodities. Traders are considering that more widespread […] Read more
New feed and forage barley lines bring high yields, strong standability
‘Fast breeding’ means producers can expect to see varieties hit the marketplace in almost half the time
Reading Time: 3 minutes New feed and forage genetics are coming down the pipe for cattle feeders. At the end of February, the Prairie Grain Development Committee approved three new feed and forage barley varieties from the Field Crop Development Centre, as well as two triticale varieties that would be suitable for feed and forage. “Over the past couple […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Wall Street leads CME cattle, hogs limit down
'You are developing a demand problem'
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle and feeder cattle futures plunged their daily limit on Thursday, dragged down by another steep sell-off on Wall Street, fears of a global recession and continued uncertainty about consumer demand for meat, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange April live cattle contract settled down its three-cent limit at 100.075 […] Read more
New rest-break rule a challenge for eastern buyers
But reviewing the rules is a good thing because cattle transport is being scrutinized, says veteran cattle buyer
Reading Time: 2 minutes New transportation regulations that cut maximum time cattle can be confined in a transport trailer could have a major impact on buyers such as Ken Schaus. The 48-hour limit is being cut to 36 hours under the new rules (although there’s a two-year transition period which started Feb. 20 when the regulations came into effect). […] Read more
China proposes new standards on hormone residues in beef
New standards would apply to all beef exporters
Beijing | Reuters — China has drawn up food safety standards on residue limits of growth hormones in beef, a move seen as a further step toward opening up its market to imports of the meat from the U.S. China has previously had zero tolerance for any residues of growth hormones, which has restricted the […] Read more
Attention to the details pays dividends when transporting cattle
It’s a long haul from Alberta to Ontario, but cattle arrive in good shape when things are done right
Reading Time: 5 minutes Producers don’t often think about what happens to their cattle after they leave the farm, and the cheque is in the bank. But with more public focus — and new rules — on how animals are transported, it’s worthwhile to have a better understanding of what happens (or doesn’t) after your cattle are loaded on […] Read more
Agrifoods gets license for A1 protein-free milk brand
Dairy co-op to bring New Zealand's a2 Milk brand to Canada
A major Canadian dairy co-operative specializing in organic and grass-fed products is entering the market for A1 protein-free milk with a license for a major international brand. Agrifoods Cooperative announced Wednesday it has an exclusive licensing agreement with New Zealand-based a2 Milk Co. to process and sell dairy products under the a2 Milk brand in […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
