Livestock
Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady to $3 per hundredweight lower on average last week. Softer fed cattle prices, along with a stronger Canadian dollar, set a negative tone. U.S. feeder cattle prices were down $2-$4 per hundredweight at major auction barns in the southern U.S. Plains. General comments from the industry suggest that […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market feels toppy
BIXS funds to help ‘complete circle’ of cattle data flow
Additional funding for the Beef InfoXchange System (BIXS) is expected to help cattle producers and beef packers "complete the circle" of animal and carcass data. The federal government on Thursday announced a further $3 million for BIXS during the annual meeting in Ottawa of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, which operates the system. "This additional funding […] Read more
Maple Leaf pork plant upgrades get public funds
Upgrades for Maple Leaf Foods’ pork processing plants at Winnipeg and Brandon, Man. will be backed in part by federal funding. The upgrades, part of a sweeping round of consolidations and staff cuts announced last fall for the company’s processed meats operations, will get over $4.5 million in repayable funding from the federal Slaughter Improvement […] Read more
Pork Council files claim over sow-cull funds
The Canadian Pork Council is seeking almost $1 million after a hog operation that received federal Cull Breeding Swine Program (CBSP) funding was allegedly put back into operation by new owners. A statement of claim, filed Feb. 7 in a Brandon, Man. court, names Westoba Credit Union, Crocus Country Pork and BDO Dunwoody Ltd. All […] Read more
B.C. moves appeals of animal seizures to farm board
British Columbia’s Farm Industry Review Board (FIRB) has been tapped to take over hearing residents’ appeals of animal welfare allegations and seizures. The provincial government on Tuesday introduced amendments to its Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, allowing residents to appeal to FIRB instead of taking the matter to court. "The legislative changes will lead […] Read more
Alta. economist urges Australian-style beef grading
Canadian beef producers and retailers could add value to their product by moving to a "more consistent" beef grading system, a University of Alberta economist suggests. Canada’s current beef grading system, in which carcasses are visually inspected and meat labelled accordingly, "cannot provide the same quality assurance as the more extensive (Meat Standards Australia, or […] Read more
Arctic bacteria eyed for salmonella vaccine in chickens
Genes from bacteria found in Arctic waters are being studied for their use in breeding vaccines to prevent a common foodborne illness in chickens. Francis Nano, a microbiologist at the University of Victoria, has picked up "proof of concept" funding from Genome BC to harvest Arctic bacteria and use a gene from the bugs to […] Read more
Legendary smoked-meat deli finds new owners
The standard-bearer for Montreal’s iconic smoked-meat sandwich is under new ownership. Schwartz’s Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen, a mainstay on the city’s downtown Boulevard St-Laurent dating back to 1928, has been sold to Montreal’s Nakis and Angelil families for an undisclosed sum, the new owners confirmed Monday. "I can speak on behalf of my partners, when I […] Read more
Que. pork chain’s members get special co-op dividend
Members of a new producers’ network in Quebec will get La Coop Federee’s first-ever patronage dividend to be paid directly to hog farmers. Coop Federee, the province’s largest agrifood company and the owner of meat packer Olymel, on Monday announced it would pay out special dividends directly to members of the Filiere porcine cooperative, which […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle climb continues
Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady to $2 per hundredweight higher on average in comparison to week-ago levels. Buyers appeared to be more aggressive for cattle over 800 pounds. A large group of tan/white Charolais steers averaging 935 pounds sold for $141/cwt west of Edmonton, which is a record high for this weight category; […] Read more
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