Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to media at the GLOBE Forum 2022 in Vancouver on March 29, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Jennifer Gauthier)

Canada lays out $9.1 billion roadmap to meet 2030 climate targets

About $1 billion earmarked for new or expanded ag programs

Reuters — Canada released its first real roadmap to meeting 2030 climate targets on Tuesday, laying out detailed plans and $9.1 billion in new spending to cut planet-warming carbon emissions after years failing to meet its goals. The Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) is the first time Canada has had a comprehensive plan, rather than just […] Read more

CME June 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and dark red lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures rise as grains fall

Hogs ease ahead of USDA data

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange rose on Tuesday with the benchmark June contract hitting a four-week top, led by a surge in feeder cattle futures and optimism about consumer demand for beef, traders said. CME June live cattle settled up 1.7 cents at 138.475 cents/lb. while May feeder […] Read more


CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

Klassen: Feeder market showing strength in deferred positions

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were $3-$5 lower on average while calves traded steady to $4 lower. Outside central Alberta, the steer-heifer spread appeared to widen by $2-$4. Strength in corn futures contributed to the defensive tone. Feedlot operators buying hand-to-mouth have been caught off guard with the recent jump in feed […] Read more

CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20- and 50-day moving averages (pink and dark red lines) and CME’s cash lean hog index (blue line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs climb on firm cash

Cattle futures end lower

Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark June lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange rose on Monday, setting a life-of-contract high on firm cash hog prices and expectations of tightening supplies. CME June hogs settled up 0.2 cent at 126.05 cents/lb., paring gains after reaching a contract top of 126.875 cents (all figures US$). The […] Read more


CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs set new contract highs with supplies in focus

USDA shows more cattle on feed

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures rallied on Friday, with most contracts setting new highs as strong prices for pork and concerns about supplies underpinned the market. Most-active June lean hog futures jumped 3.775 cents to finish at 125.85 cents/lb., closing above the high end of its 20-day Bollinger range after facing […] Read more

In all of Western Canada, total beef cows as of January 1, 2022 were 3.089 million head, down only 23,500 head from last year. This isn’t significant enough to say that producers liquidated cows due to the drought. This is a minor change due to market influences.

Stats Can survey updates the beef numbers

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Drought impact was less than expected, but what will the war in Europe mean to beef markets?

Feeder cattle prices across Western Canada have been quite volatile due to geopolitical issues. I’ve received many calls from cow-calf producers and backgrounding operators regarding the timing of feeder cattle sales. Prices have varied significantly from week to week. For example, the price of 600-pound steers in Alberta varied recently by as much as $15 […] Read more


Insulators for electric fencing will be a black-and-white PST-exempt expense for ranchers in Saskatchewan starting April 1, 2022. (Gallagher.com)

Saskatchewan clarifying certain on-farm PST exemptions

More items to be specified as exempt in tax regulations

Saskatchewan farmers’ and ranchers’ concerns about some inconsistencies in how and when provincial sales tax is applied to purchases of on-farm equipment will be dealt with in a revised list effective late next week. The province said Wednesday in a budget release that a “number of clarifications” will be made to its Provincial Sales Tax […] Read more

CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures ease after hitting contract highs

Chicago cattle futures firm

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures were mostly lower on Thursday as traders locked in profits after many contracts rallied to fresh highs on Wednesday. Weak exports of pork added pressure to the hog market. Most-active June lean hog futures eased 0.9 cent to finish at 122.075 cents/lb. (all figures US$). The […] Read more


Lean into strategic planning skills for 2022

In February, Farm Credit Canada released recommendations for farmers to navigate the challenges 2022 might present. According to FCC, this year is going to be a balancing act between growth, innovation and risk management, in which strategic planning will play a large role. “Canadian producers are encouraged to lean into their strategic planning skills this […] Read more

You need some patience, but the positioning of this cowboy to the side of the heifer will gently encourage her to move forward without a lot of yelling and stress.

Make use of portable corrals on pasture

Weaning and timely vaccinations can be done without bringing the herd home

Using portable equipment (some of which is not new but hasn’t been mainstream in the cattle industry) such as portable corrals or a “Bud Box” can make handling much easier when cattle are in large range pastures, says Dr. Tom Noffsinger, a Nebraska veterinarian. Having proper facilities makes it much easier to sort and load […] Read more