Washington | Reuters –– The Trump administration on Thursday unveiled a US$16 billion farm aid package to offset losses from a 10-month trade war with China and said payment rates to farmers would be determined by where they farm rather than what crops they grow. The package, the bulk of which will be spent on […] Read more
USDA announces more farm aid to offset trade war losses
Decimation of China’s hog herd has a silver lining for Canada
African swine fever outbreak fuelling price surge but if the disease comes here, it would be a nightmare
African swine fever outbreak fuelling price surge but if the disease comes here, it would be a nightmare
Reading Time: 5 minutes African swine fever could be a boon for the pork sector — if North American producers can keep the devastating disease at bay. “You always hate to make money at the expense of disease in other countries, but nonetheless, the opportunity is there,” said Brent Bushell, general manager of the Western Hog Exchange. The virulent […] Read more
New Trump aid plan for U.S. farmers to rely on direct payments
Washington | Reuters — The Trump administration’s second package of aid for U.S. farmers hit by the trade war with China is expected to have a similar structure to last year’s program, using direct payments and commodity purchases, industry sources briefed on the plan said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is still finalizing the plan, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs mixed, nearbys up on export hopes
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures ended mixed on Thursday, with nearby futures contracts building on strong gains in the previous session on expectations that China would soon sharply accelerate imports of U.S. pork. Deferred contracts were pressed down by active spread trading that featured buying of June futures and selling of October […] Read more
China eyes U.S. poultry, pork imports in trade talks
Reuters — China would likely lift a ban on U.S. poultry as part of a trade deal and may buy more pork to meet a growing supply deficit, but it is not willing to allow a prohibited growth drug used in roughly half the U.S. hog herd, two sources with knowledge of the negotiations said. […] Read more
Swine fever in China poses risks, rewards for Canadian pork
MarketsFarm — Sharp losses in China’s hog herd due to African swine fever (ASF) are underpinning the North American pork market and could create export opportunities for Canada — if this country manages to stay disease-free. ASF does not affect humans, but the highly viral disease is nearly 100 per cent fatal for hogs with […] Read more
Piles of pigs: Swine fever outbreaks go unreported in rural China
Baoding, China | Reuters — When pigs on the Xinda Husbandry breeding farm in northern China began dying in growing numbers in early January, it looked increasingly likely that the farm had been struck by the much feared African swine fever, an incurable disease that has spread rapidly across the country since last year. But […] Read more
U.S. to train more beagles to sniff out swine fever
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. government will increase the number of dogs used to sniff out illegal pork products at airports and seaports in an effort to keep out a contagious hog disease that has spread across Asia and Europe, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday. The disease, African swine fever, can […] Read more
PEDv arrives in Alberta hogs
Veterinary officials in Alberta are now investigating the province’s first-ever outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in hogs. Alberta Pork, the province’s hog producer commission, and the provincial government on Tuesday announced an outbreak of the viral disease at what was described as a “400-head hog operation.” Javier Bahamon, quality assurance and production manager for […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs slump on technical selling, cattle rebound
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell for a fourth consecutive session on Tuesday led by the actively traded February contract, which hit a 4-1/2-week low on pressure from its premium over cash hog prices. Ample hog and pork supplies weighed on nearby futures contracts, while losses in deferred months were […] Read more
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