Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures set a contract high on Thursday as strong cash prices supported the market, analysts said. After the trading session ended, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a quarterly report the nation’s inventory of hogs and pigs on September 1 was 74.5 million head, down […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures hit contract high, herd falls short of estimates

USDA plan to rebuild beef herd will not include producer payments, says farm secretary
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is developing a plan to revitalize the decimated U.S. beef herd, but will not offer payments to producers, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Thursday.

Canada to boost Indonesia exports to diversify non-U.S. trade, says minister
Canada aims to establish duty-free access for up to 95 per cent of its exports to Indonesia over the next eight to 12 months, International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu said, after signing a trade agreement with one of Southeast Asia’s biggest markets and a major importer of Canadian wheat.

U.S. livestock: Live cattle drop as beef prices, packer margins erode
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures fell on Wednesday on long liquidation by funds and as sinking beef prices and eroding packer margins weighed on the market. Feeder cattle futures also retreated in a technical correction after four consecutive sessions of gains that were fueled by concerns over tightening U.S. supplies. “We […] Read more

B.C. ostrich flock cull paused amid U.S. push to save them
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A flock of British Columbia ostriches set to be culled after two dead birds tested positive for avian flu has been granted a last-minute stay of execution from Canada’s highest court - for now.

U.S. grains: Soybeans near six-week low as China shuns U.S. supplies
Chicago | Reuters – U.S. soybean futures eased on Wednesday on export concerns as large sales of Argentine soy to China kept attention on the top importer’s lack of purchases from the U.S. Corn followed soybeans lower, although losses were limited by early harvest reports of smaller-than-expected yields in the heart of the Midwest Corn […] Read more

Bank of Canada head expresses concern about Trump’s Fed actions
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem on Tuesday expressed concern about President Donald Trump’s attempts to pressure the U.S. Federal Reserve, saying his actions had started to hit financial markets.

Carney expects ‘constructive’ trade talks with China to deepen
Prime Minister Mark Carney said he had “constructive” trade talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the U.N. assembly in New York and covered agri-food products like canola as well as seafood and electric vehicles.

U.S. grains: Soy futures set six-week low as China buys Argentine cargoes, snubs U.S.
Chicago | Reuters – U.S. soybean futures set a six-week low on Tuesday under pressure from a lack of Chinese demand and increased competition for export sales from Argentina, analysts said. The market finished slightly higher in a technical rebound, traders said. Wheat futures also recovered after setting contract lows, with an expected boost to […] Read more

China trade envoy meets US Midwest delegation as agriculture exports loom large in talks
Senior Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang met political and business leaders from the U.S. Midwest. Analysts speculate the region’s food exports will be key to any U.S.-China trade deal.