Provincial officials have temporarily shut a chicken and turkey slaughter and processing plant in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, citing recent cases of COVID-19 among employees. Eden Valley Poultry’s processing plant at Berwick will be closed “for at least two weeks,” the provincial health department said in a release Friday. “We know this will be a […] Read more
COVID outbreak shuts Nova Scotia poultry plant
Province closes Eden Valley for at least two weeks
Minks, staff positive for COVID-19 at B.C. mink farm
Coronavirus found in eight workers, five mink so far
A mink farm in southwestern British Columbia’s Fraser Valley is now under provincial veterinary quarantine and its staff self-isolating after several animals and workers tested positive for COVID-19. Fraser Valley Health, the regional health authority for the area, on Sunday declared an outbreak at the farm after eight workers tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus […] Read more
U.S. pork packer Smithfield offers ultra-cold vaccine storage
COVID-19 vaccines need storage at -20 C, -70 C
Chicago | Reuters — Smithfield Foods, the world’s biggest pork processor, said on Thursday it had offered to help U.S. health officials distribute COVID-19 vaccines and store them in ultra-cold freezers that are in high demand to support a public vaccination campaign. U.S. states, cities and hospitals are scrambling to buy freezers that can safely […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures step back on demand uncertainty
February lean hog futures lower
Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures trimmed on Thursday as fears of additional pandemic closures weighed on the demand outlook, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange February live cattle futures fell 1.35 cents to 112.575 cents/lb., the contract’s biggest decline in two weeks (all figures US$). CME January feeder cattle ended two cents lower at […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle strengthen on demand outlook
Export demand supports hog futures, for now
Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures rose on Tuesday, supported by strong U.S. consumer demand and high wholesale beef prices, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange February live cattle futures added 0.3 cent to 113.175 cents/lb. (all figures US$). CME cattle futures have been steady in recent weeks, recovering from a slump in late October […] Read more
U.S. border restrictions to last a long time yet, Trudeau says
COVID would need to be 'significantly more under control'
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada will not agree to lifting a ban on non-essential travel with the United States until the coronavirus outbreak is significantly under control around the world, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday. Trudeau’s comments were a clear indication that the border restrictions will last well into 2021. The two neighbours […] Read more
Rural shelters and crisis centres receiving more calls for help
Domestic abuse, addictions and mental health issues rising as pandemic drags on, say social service agencies
Reading Time: 3 minutes The pandemic is taking a toll in many ways, and that includes a rise in domestic violence in both rural and urban centres in Alberta, say social service agencies. “In the beginning of COVID-19, with the government telling everyone to stay home, and the fear of living with other families, we saw a drop in […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market stabilizes on demand hopes
Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were relatively unchanged compared to seven days earlier; however, market reports were quite variable depending on the region and weight category. In most cases, prices for calves under 550 lbs. were $2 to as much as $10 higher while values in the heavier weight categories were $3 lower to $3 […] Read more
U.S. fuel industry frazzled as EPA misses biofuel volumes deadline
COVID-19 fallout complicates process
New York | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was set to miss a deadline Monday to announce how much renewable fuel the nation’s refiners must blend into their fuel mix next year, raising uncertainty in the fuel market and prompting one biofuel association to threaten to take the agency to court. Under federal […] Read more
The cattle backlog is easing, but feedlots are still hurting
Feedlot owners losing $200 to $300 a head even though glut of market-ready cattle is smaller
Reading Time: 4 minutes While the backlog of cattle from packing plant closures and slowdowns last spring has dwindled, feedlot owners are still being hit hard. In the spring, there was a backlog of 130,000 cattle that needed to be processed. That number is now down to 30,000, thanks to no more further shutdowns at packing plants, which have […] Read more
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