Reading Time: 5 minutes You might expect to pay $30 for a steak at a restaurant. But at the supermarket meat counter? Not so much. However, Costco customers in Madrid haven’t balked at paying those sorts of prices since the chain began carrying Canada AAA rib-eyes in November. “As a Canadian consumer walking into the grocery store, I don’t […] Read more

Here’s the beef — it’s on Costco shelves in Madrid and that’s a big win
A Canadian beef deal in Spain raises hope the battle for European access is paying off

Up and down is becoming the norm for Canadian beef producers
Demand for beef is strong and prices have been good for cow-calf producers, but the market is increasingly volatile
Reading Time: 3 minutes The markets can be a roller-coaster, but one thing is for sure — the Canadian cattle herd is not expanding. “Heifer retention numbers are not enough to drive any expansion across Canada,” Brian Perillat, manager/senior analyst with Canfax said at the recent Canadian Beef Industry Conference. Fewer cattle are being shipped south of the border […] Read more

Market access, income supports come with Trans-Pacific pact
Canada’s federal government has pledged a suite of compensation programs for supply-managed dairy, poultry and egg sectors, against what it promises will be a mousehole in Canada’s tariff wall. Federal officials on Monday confirmed negotiations have concluded on the multilateral Trans-Pacific Partnership, now billed as “the largest, most ambitious free trade initiative in history.” The […] Read more

JBS doesn’t see Brazil beef exports to U.S. before 2016
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Meatpacker JBS expects fresh beef exports from Brazil to the U.S. to begin no earlier than 2016, later than the Brazilian government predicted, CEO Wesley Batista said Friday. An agreement between the two countries was signed in June, when Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff visited Washington, but Batista said it would […] Read more

U.S. seen approving Brazil fresh beef imports
Sao Paulo | Reuters –– Brazil’s agriculture ministry said on Friday the U.S. is likely to approve imports of Brazilian fresh beef this year, after President Dilma Rousseff visits Washington in June. Brazil, the world’s top beef exporter, is already a steady exporter of cooked beef that appears in items such as canned corned beef […] Read more

Higher U.S. beef prices ahead as grills fire up, imports cool down
Chicago/Wellington | Reuters –– Record-high U.S. beef prices will likely climb even higher this summer just as Australia and New Zealand imports dwindle under an extended drought in those countries and demand for steaks in the U.S. rises. Both countries were among the top three exporters of beef to the U.S. last year as New […] Read more

Futurist to beef producers: Global trends are your friends
Bob Treadway says global demand should stay strong and sustainable beef is a winner, but COOL won’t be solved for a while
Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s a good time to be a beef producer, but keep an eye on long-term trends. That’s the message futurist Bob Treadway brought to the Alberta Beef Industry Conference last month. “I think there’s a bright future ahead. In the animal protein sector, I think you’re where the crop producers were six years ago,” he […] Read more

New centre to boost profile of Canadian beef
The $3.8-million facility in Calgary aims to ‘bring the brand to life’
Reading Time: < 1 minute A new Centre of Excellence is going to do for beef what Cigi has done for grains and oilseeds, says the president of Canada Beef. “I’ve always been high on Cigi — the folks there have done a tremendous job of ensuring Canadian grains have strong international recognition,” said Rob Meijer. Over the last four […] Read more