(CBSA-asfc.gc.ca)

U.S. makes lower trade deficit priority in NAFTA talks

Washington | Reuters — The United States on Monday launched the first salvo in the renegotiation of the 23-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), saying its top priority for the talks was shrinking the U.S. trade deficit with Canada and Mexico. In a much-anticipated document sent to lawmakers, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Organic groups call for Ontario regulations

A look at organic regulation across the country by the Canadian Organic Trade Association (COTA) shows a hodge-podge of support, despite national standards in existence for eight years. In a report released Monday, COTA called out Ontario, the largest market by far for organic products, for having no organic regulations. Five other provinces, including some […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Short covering lifts CME live cattle

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts closed higher on Friday, aided by short covering and futures’ discounts to this week’s better-than-expected cash prices, said traders. CME livestock market funds that follow the Standard + Poor’s Goldman Sachs Commodity Index sold, or “rolled,” August futures and simultaneously bought October on the fifth […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Beef, profit-taking weaken CME live cattle

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts on Thursday eased from Wednesday’s three-cent per pound limit-up settlement, pressured by profit-taking and seasonally struggling wholesale beef values, said traders. They said futures’ discounts to preliminary cash prices limited market losses. CME livestock market funds that track the Standard + Poor’s Goldman Sachs Commodity […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle limit up on cash prices

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts on Wednesday settled up the three cents per pound daily price limit, driven by fund buying and futures’ discounts to stronger-than-expected cash prices, said traders. Funds that follow the Standard + Poor’s Goldman Sachs Commodity Index at times sold, or “rolled,” August futures and simultaneously […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Fund buying rallies cattle futures

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts on Tuesday reversed Monday’s losses, supported by short-covering and technical buying, said traders. Funds that follow the Standard + Poor’s Goldman Sachs Commodity Index periodically sold, or “rolled,” August futures and simultaneously bought October on the second of five days of the Goldman Roll process. […] Read more

(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Hogs seen as key factor in input cost hikes

CNS Canada — Canada’s Farm Input Price Index has climbed slightly for the first quarter of this year. Canada-wide, the index rose 1.3 per cent for the first quarter of this year compared to the final quarter of 2016. When comparing this year’s first quarter to last year’s first quarter, however, input prices in the […] Read more


A close-up screengrab from near 100 Mile House on the B.C. Wildfire Animal Resource Map. Tags in red denote producers with livestock needing to be moved; tags in green denote offers of space or transport for affected livestock.

BCCA connecting ranchers, haulers in wildfire areas

Livestock producers needing to move animals out of wildfire zones in British Columbia’s Interior are being asked to contact the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association. The BCCA, on its website, said it’s helping to co-ordinate haulers with producers who need to evacuate livestock. “With closures of highways and evacuation orders, permits are needed to re-enter evacuated areas […] Read more