Livestock
With the U.S. government poised to square its country-of-origin labeling (COOL) laws on food with world trade rulings and end a long-standing hassle for Canadian exporters, two U.S. groups plan to sue to force Washington to ignore those rulings. The Made in the USA Foundation and the Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund (R-CALF USA), along with […] Read more
U.S. groups suing to void WTO’s COOL ruling
P.E.I. sees ‘improved results’ at Atlantic Beef
Prince Edward Island’s provincial government is seeing "positive indicators" at the only remaining federally-inspected beef packing plant east of Toronto. P.E.I. Agriculture Minister George Webster reported in a release Thursday that "positive steps are being taken to increase profits" at the beleaguered Atlantic Beef Products plant at Albany, about 20 km southeast of Summerside. "I […] Read more
U.S. live cattle post major weekly gain
U.S. live cattle futures were mixed on Friday with the October contract up on better-than-expected beef demand, posting the biggest weekly percentage increase in 15 months, said traders and analysts. They said investors also bought October futures and sold December, playing the spread between the two contracts on the view that tight supplies could force […] Read more
Man. workers’ shooting of pigs in ‘distress’ questioned
Manitoba provincial workers took a full day to shoot 1,300 hogs in a barn that is now under investigation for inhumane treatment of its animals, according to a former employee who claims to have witnessed the event. The weanlings were shot using 22-calibre rifles and some were shot "three or four times" before dying, said […] Read more
Drozd: Hog market slaughtered, as prices fall to 20-month low
Last month I talked about the record-high price of corn and soybeans. As much as this is exciting news to grain producers, especially those fortunate to have a crop, this has been devastating for hog producers. Near-record-high feed costs and a slowing economy are forcing hog producers in China to sell their herds. Liquidation is […] Read more
SW Man. auction house exits cattle sales
A family-owned southwestern Manitoba auction house has halted its cattle sales. Taylor Auctions, operating at Melita, about 130 km southwest of Brandon, will no longer directly auction cattle, the Taylor family announced Thursday in a notice to customers. The company cited the "extreme" expense for needed upgrades, a shortage in available labour and "diminishing cattle […] Read more
Market glut drives U.S. hog futures to 20-month low
U.S. hog futures fell to a 20-month low on Thursday amid increased supplies, with producers rushing animals to market as the worst drought in more than half a century drove feed costs to record highs, said analysts and traders. The decline accelerated as funds liquidated hog futures despite a strong rally on Wall Street, which […] Read more
Japan seen easing beef import rules in early 2013
The range of exportable beef from Canada to Japan could widen early next year as a panel of Japan’s food safety commission is reportedly set to recommend easing such restrictions. Tokyo’s Kyodo news agency on Wednesday quoted Japanese government sources as saying an expert panel — asked last December by Japan’s health ministry to run […] Read more
U.S. live cattle values spike amid cash optimism
U.S. live cattle futures on Wednesday ended firm, and at one point spiked to their highest level in more than five months, driven by cash cattle price optimism and improved wholesale beef values, said analysts and traders. Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle posted modest gains but hogs ended lower. CME live cattle investors grew confident […] Read more
Quebec ag minister unseated in PQ minority win
Quebec’s agriculture minister was among the Liberals defeated Tuesday in a squeaker of a provincial election, out of which the Parti Quebecois returns to power — but at a low wattage. Pierre Corbeil, the Liberal MNA for the southwestern riding of Abitibi-Est from 2003 to 2007 and 2008 until now, had been Quebec’s minister of […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
