Chicago | Reuters - The total number of U.S. cattle fell to its lowest level since 1951 as of Jan. 1, in the herd's fifth consecutive year of decline, U.S. Department of Agriculture data showed on Wednesday.

Total US cattle herd drops to lowest level since 1951 – USDA
Easing dryness could encourage ranchers to begin rebuilding beef herds

Milk concentration project back on track
First of its kind dairy facility had to overcome regulatory challenges
Reading Time: 3 minutes After breaking ground last August, construction on the Western Milk Pool’s $70-million Dairy Innovation West facility is gaining momentum. “We have shovels in the ground as of now, pilings in and we’re getting ready as winter approaches,” CEO Nolan Berg said at a December dairy conference in Winnipeg. “We’re getting that all set up so […] Read more

CUSMA panel rejects U.S. complaint on access to Canada dairy market
Canada 'very pleased' with dispute settlement panel findings
Ottawa | Reuters — A trade dispute settlement panel set up under a major North American free trade agreement has rejected a U.S. complaint that Canada is improperly limiting access to its dairy market, an official report showed on Friday. The United States had accused Canada of not meeting obligations under the 2020 Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement […] Read more

New Zealand, Canada each claim wins in CPTPP dairy dispute
Dispute panel knocks Canada's dairy access rules
A dispute settlement panel called by New Zealand under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade pact has ruled Canada’s limits on dairy market access cramp its agreed-upon obligations. But despite the panel’s findings in New Zealand’s favour, Canada is also framing the panel’s ruling as a win — as it also generally upholds Canada’s ability to […] Read more

Dates moved up in dairy sector’s CUSMA compensation calendar
Calculation date will shift to Aug. 31
Changes are being made to the timetable for the remainder of the program compensating Canada’s dairy farmers for market share lost to recent multilateral trade deals. The Dairy Direct Payment Program (DDPP), which issued $1.75 billion over four payments from 2019 to 2023 to compensate for the Canada-European Union (CETA) and Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade […] Read more

NAFTA meeting to skirt major disputes, U.S. trade rep says
Dairy, corn, energy issues to be discussed via separate channels
Washington | Reuters — U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai’s meetings with North American trade partners Canada and Mexico this week will not delve deeply into major disputes over Mexico’s biotech corn and energy policies nor Canadian dairy access, a senior USTR official said on Wednesday. The annual meeting of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) Free Trade […] Read more

Canada extends Ukraine tariff-free access
Access to supply-managed sectors tightened
Winnipeg | Reuters — Canada on Friday extended Ukraine’s tariff-free access for most goods, but tightened access for eggs, poultry and dairy — sectors protected under the Canadian supply-management system. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said tariff relief for Ukrainian goods such as steel — a temporary measure started a year ago — would continue for […] Read more

New research will look at dairy welfare and technology
The use of artificial intelligence to help farmers improve dairy animal care will be studied on Ontario and Quebec farms
Reading Time: 2 minutes A new research collaboration at McGill University and the University of Quebec in Montreal will explore the role of artificial intelligence in promoting dairy cattle welfare. The project aims to create “a digital living lab to link animal welfare and dairy farms’ profitability.” The creation of the Research and Innovation Chair in Animal Welfare and […] Read more

Continuous tie-stall housing to be phased out in new dairy code of practice
Producer, animal welfare groups praise new code; some drawbacks were noted
New guidelines for dairy cattle care will improve animal welfare while also potentially increasing farm productivity, Dairy Farmers of Canada says. “I think that we’ve come to a very solid revised code,” David Wiens, DFC’s vice-president, said in an interview. The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) on Thursday released its revised Code of Practice […] Read more

Beef sector rips ‘unjust’ result as talks wrap on U.K. entry to CPTPP
Dairy sector calls for 'vigilant' enforcement on British imports
Negotiations have concluded for the United Kingdom to join Canada and its 10 partner nations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade pact, with Canada’s beef cattle sector already calling the results “fundamentally unjust.” Federal Trade Minster Mary Ng on Thursday announced the conclusion of negotiations, making the U.K. the first accession applicant to reach that […] Read more