Citing post-Labour Day pains at the West Coast, Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) plans to appeal a $50,000 federal fine over the company’s Prairie grain handle. Transport Canada said last week it had issued notices of violation and administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) of $50,000 each against CP and Canadian National Railway (CN) for falling short of […] Read more
CP to appeal federal fine on September grain handle
Veal processor Ecolait to revive Charlevoix brand
Quebec veal producer and processor Ecolait has announced plans to pick up and redevelop a well known brand name in the sector. St. Hyacinthe-based Ecolait, which markets veal under the Vivo brand, said Friday it’s bought the Le Veau Charlevoix brand, for an undisclosed sum, “in order to relaunch it.” Le Veau Charlevoix, which began as […] Read more
China arrests over 110 people for selling contaminated pork
Shanghai | Reuters — China has arrested more than 110 people suspected of selling pork from pigs that died from disease, and confiscated more than 1,000 tonnes of contaminated pork in its latest crackdown on food safety violations. The ministry of public security said Sunday the people were part of a network made up of […] Read more
Prairie wheat bids fall as U.S. futures continue to tumble
CNS Canada –– Average cash bids for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat moved lower during the week ended Friday, as U.S. wheat futures continued to tumble. CWRS prices were ranged from $3.75 to $6 per tonne lower in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The best pricing opportunities were still available in Manitoba, where prices were down […] Read more
China bans U.S. poultry, eggs imports amid avian flu fears
Chicago | Reuters — China has banned all imports of U.S. poultry, poultry products and eggs amid recent reports of highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza found in the Pacific Northwest, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday. All such products currently en route to the country will either be destroyed or returned, according to […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans fall most since June on big global supplies
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures fell more than three per cent on Monday, their largest daily decline since June, after a record supply outlook from the U.S. Department of Agriculture triggered investment fund liquidation. Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures also were lower on pressure from larger-than-expected global supply forecasts while corn reversed […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs slump to two-year low as funds roll positions
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs sank to a two-year bottom on Monday as funds kept selling February contracts and rolling their long positions into back months, traders said. Funds involved in CME’s livestock markets that follow the Standard + Poor’s Goldman Sachs Commodity Index (S+P GSCI) shifted their February positions in […] Read more
Klassen: Holidays leave feeder cattle market undefined
Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were undefined this past week as most auction markets remained on holidays or had limited volumes. Cow-calf producers were not anxious to market calves with adverse temperatures across the Prairies and news of stronger U.S. prices confirmed waiting another week would pay off. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported feeder […] Read more
Ukraine says no grain export curbs planned
Kiev | Reuters — Ukraine has no plans to restrict grain exports after Russia introduced curbs to stabilize surging prices, and will instead meet with traders to plan the year ahead in “normal operating mode,” Agriculture Minister Oleksiy Pavlenko said Saturday. Last month, Moscow announced it would introduce grain export duties of at least 35 […] Read more
Cargill to shutter U.S. turkey plant
Reuters — Agricultural conglomerate Cargill said Friday it will shutter its turkey and cooked meats processing plant in Springfield, Mo., and move the operations to Nebraska City, Nebraska, and Waco, Texas. Cargill said it will close its Springfield plant, which employs 118 people, on March 11. The decision came about after Cargill assessed its turkey […] Read more