Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures rose on Friday, with the most-active December contract jumping more than four per cent on short-covering at the end of the month and quarter, traders said. CME October hogs settled up 0.875 cent at 62.175 cents/lb. and December rose 2.45 cents at 57.925 (all figures […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs, cattle rise on month-end buying
World crop briefs: North Carolina losing crops, livestock to Florence
CNS Canada — Record-setting rain and floods in North Carolina caused by Hurricane Florence have destroyed the state’s poultry sector with 3.4 million chickens and turkeys reported killed. Pig losses are estimated at 5,500. Widespread power outages and flooded roads are making it difficult to get help to abandoned livestock operations. The state is home […] Read more

Florence shuts down U.S. slaughterhouses
Chicago/Los Angeles | Reuters — U.S. food companies kept slaughter plants shut on Monday in southeastern states swamped by Hurricane Florence as flash floods collapsed the walls of at least two hog manure pits, made roads undriveable and delayed rail shipments. Catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Florence, which has dumped up to 36 inches of rain […] Read more

Canadian hog prices on rebound
CNS Canada — Improving trade relations and the emergence of swine fever in China have made their presence felt on the Canadian hog market. Weekly signature No. 5 base slaughter weight cash hog prices averaged $117.83 per 100 kg as of Friday, up by roughly $15 over the past two weeks. Those numbers are a […] Read more

U.S. farmers rush to clear crops but animals stay in Florence’s path
Chicago | Reuters — As powerful Hurricane Florence advanced toward the southeastern U.S., farmers in North Carolina rushed to harvest corn and tobacco and stock up on pig rations, while the danger of sustained rain and deadly flooding threatened a state where millions of farm animals are housed. “The governor said that North Carolina is […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle ease on profit-taking, lack of cash sales
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures eased on Friday as traders locked in profits following two straight sessions of higher prices and as beef packers bought few animals in cash cattle markets, traders and analysts said. Expectations that meat packers might pay prices roughly steady with cattle sales of about $109/cwt a week ago […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle mostly higher on technical buying
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were narrowly higher on Wednesday, lifted by light technical buying as traders awaited deals in U.S. Plains cash cattle markets, analysts said. Feeder cattle futures were slightly lower and lean hogs were mixed, with fresh news relatively scant. Most-active CME October live cattle ticked up […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hogs limit up on U.S.-Mexico deal, China swine fever
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures surged by their daily three-cent price limit on Monday, buoyed by hopes of increased U.S. pork exports following news of a trade deal with top importer Mexico, traders said. Hog futures were further supported by the outbreak of African swine fever in China, which has […] Read more

U.S. maps out tariff-related direct payments to farmers
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Monday its farm aid package would include US$4.7 billion in direct payments to farmers to help offset losses from retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports this season. The bulk of the payments, $3.6 billion, would be made to soybean farmers (all figures US$). That amounts […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs ease for second day
Chicago | Reuters — Front-month U.S. hog futures fell on Tuesday for a second straight session on technical selling and doubts about whether trade talks this week between China and the U.S. would ease tensions, traders said. CME Group live cattle futures settled modestly higher while feeder cattle futures declined. Most-active CME October lean hog […] Read more