CME July 2020 lean hogs with 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures still face headwinds over demand questions

Cattle futures mixed on USDA report expectations

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures traded choppy on Wednesday, amid ongoing pressure from large domestic supplies and rebounding pork production, analysts said. Meanwhile, concerns over a potential slowdown in U.S. pork exports kept markets jittery for a second session, traders said. China’s meat importers fear clearing delays and a hit to demand […] Read more

Jean Rousselle. (Video screengrab from Assnat.qc.ca)

Quebec Liberals name new agriculture critic

New leader names former Laval police officer to handle ag file

Quebec’s official opposition Liberals have shuffled their shadow cabinet and moved their labour critic, a former police officer, to the agriculture portfolio. Dominique Anglade, who was named last month as the Liberals’ new leader, on Tuesday appointed Jean Rousselle, MNA for the Laval-area riding of Vimont, as the party’s critic for public safety and for […] Read more


CME July 2020 lean hogs with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs down, cattle up on demand issues

Cash cattle values hint at increased demand

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures dipped on Tuesday, as questions continued to grow about whether pork export demand from China will surge and eat through massive domestic stockpiles, traders said. Meanwhile, cattle futures rose as the cash market showed hints of increased demand from packers hungry to supply grocery stores and restaurants […] Read more

File photo of Smithfield Foods’ pork plant at Sioux Falls, S.D. on April 16, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)

U.S. meatpacking workers often absent after plants ordered to reopen

"There's still so many risks"

Chicago/Washington | Reuters — Smithfield Foods is missing about a third of its employees at a South Dakota pork plant because they are quarantined or afraid to return to work after a severe coronavirus outbreak, according to the workers’ union. Tyson Foods was forced to briefly close its Storm Lake, Iowa plant — a month […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Futures up as meat production grows

Live cattle up off last week's lows

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose on Monday, after plunging to their lowest price in more than a month last week, amid signs of meat production increasing — even as cash market prices continue to strain livestock producers’ profits. Chicago Mercantile Exchange August live cattle rose 0.675 cents, to 96 cents (all […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures touch one-month low

Improving production pressures hog futures

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures dropped to their lowest price in more than a month on Friday, weighed down by expectations for increasing meat production. Beef output has improved as slaughterhouses have resumed operations after closing temporarily in April and May due to outbreaks of the new coronavirus among plant workers. The […] Read more


File photo of Cong Peiwu, China’s ambassador to Canada, speaking at the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa on Nov. 22, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Blair Gable)

U.S. is ‘trouble maker’ in China-Canada relationship, envoy says

No word on whether China would retaliate against Canada over latest court decision

Ottawa | Reuters — The United States is using the case of a senior Chinese telecoms executive who was arrested in Vancouver on a U.S. warrant 18 months ago to create friction between China and Canada, China’s envoy to Canada said on Thursday. “The U.S. has been taking advantage of Canada, and the U.S. is […] Read more

CME July 2020 lean hogs with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures down on large supplies

CME August cattle also close lower

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures extended a decline on Thursday under pressure from large supplies and rebounding pork production, analysts said. Traders expect meat packers to have ample hogs to slaughter after livestock backed up on farms when processing plants temporarily closed in April and May because of COVID-19 outbreaks among meatpacking […] Read more


CME August 2020 lean hogs with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs weaken on expectations for abundant supplies

Cattle futures seen as rangebound

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures fell on Wednesday on expectations for abundant pork supplies as meat processors work their way through pigs that backed up on farms when slaughterhouses shut due to the coronavirus pandemic. Traders expect meat packers to start eating into the backlog of hogs within the next two weeks […] Read more

CME August 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 10–day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle set one-week highs in rebound

Chicago lean hogs close lower

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose on Tuesday, reaching one-week highs in a rebound from losses last week, as traders noted that meat companies have been slaughtering more livestock. The number of livestock being killed each day has recovered from April and May, when processors temporarily shut slaughterhouses due to massive outbreaks […] Read more