Piglets look out from a fence at Cabanas Argentinas del Sol pig farm in Marcos Paz, southwest of Buenos Aires in December 2008.  Photo: Reuters/Enrique Marcarian

Argentina nears China hog deal it hopes could turbocharge local pork production

Buenos Aires | Beijing | Reuters – Argentina is nearing an initial agreement with China that could pave for the way for potential investments by the Asian giant in local pork production for export, Argentina’s undersecretary of trade and investment promotion told Reuters. That could eventually lead to Chinese-backed hog farms in the South American […] Read more



Photo: File

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures retreat on supply concerns

Chicago | Reuters – U.S. live cattle futures opened firm on Monday but retreated from session highs on technical selling and lingering concerns about cattle supply backups in the wake of recent packing plant closures due to coronavirus infections among workers. Prices climbed at Monday’s open in reaction to Friday’s U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cattle on […] Read more


(Conservative Party of Canada video screengrab via YouTube)

CPC leadership hopefuls list ending carbon tax as priority for agriculture

Party leadership candidates also look to strengthen trade relationships

Removing the carbon tax is the main priority for the two top Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) leadership candidates, according to a recent survey. Peter MacKay and Erin O’Toole, considered the front-runners in a small field of leadership hopefuls, listed eliminating the environmental policy in response to a series of questions posed to them by […] Read more

CME August 2020 live cattle with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures gain, fall short on the week

Lean hogs slip after three days' gains

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures gained on Friday, after four consecutive days of declines, as traders anticipated the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly Cattle on Feed report. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) August live cattle futures settled up 0.475 cent at 101.325 cents/lb. and October live cattle added 0.5 cent to close at […] Read more


CME October 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures ease, demand picture foggy

Hogs up on firmer cash, pork prices

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell again Thursday, the fourth consecutive step back after reaching a high not seen since early March. “The rally last week was kind of counter-seasonal. You typically don’t rally the cattle in late July, early August, in the dog days of summer,” said Jeff French, an analyst […] Read more



CME August 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle continue lower on unclear outlook

'Hard hill to climb' expected for lean hogs

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed lower on Wednesday as uncertainty about demand lingers, while dry conditions in the U.S. West have analysts worried about an influx of market-ready cattle in the coming weeks. “You look at pasture range and it is deteriorating very quickly,” said Ted Seifried, chief ag market strategist […] Read more

Steve Verheul, federal assistant deputy minister for trade policy and negotiations, speaks online to the Commons standing committee on international trade on July 9, 2020. (Video screengrab from Parlvu.parl.gc.ca)

Canada’s pace in trade talks with U.K. raising frustration

Doubts remain on potential benefits for Canadian farmers

The Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA) is expressing frustration over the pace at which Canada is engaging the United Kingdom toward a post-Brexit free trade deal. Steve Verheul, assistant deputy minister of trade policy and negotiations at Global Affairs Canada, told a parliamentary committee any deal between the two countries will be impacted by European […] Read more