Dairy Cattle & Production Tips

Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland takes part in a news conference at the Canadian embassy in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 31. (Photo: Reuters/Chris Wattie)

U.S. to move ahead with Mexico pact, keep talking to Canada

By GFM Network News August 31, 2018

Washington/Toronto | Reuters — Contentious U.S.-Canada trade talks ended on Friday with no deal to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement after the mood soured, and President Donald Trump notified Congress of his intent to sign a bilateral trade pact with Mexico. U.S. and Canadian trade officials set plans to resume their talks on […] Read more

Dairy cattle in Canada. (Pearman314/iStock/Getty Images)

Dairy Cattle, Livestock, Reuters

Fear, frustration on dairy farms as trade concessions sought

By Rod Nickel, GFM Network News August 30, 2018

Winnipeg/Montreal | Reuters — Marie-Pier Vincent, a fourth-generation Quebec dairy farmer, worries it will be even harder to make ends meet if Canada allows more tariff-free imports of milk products from the U.S. under a reworked North American Free Trade Agreement. Vincent, 28, is already looking for a second job to pay back the money […] Read more

U.S. President Donald Trump holds “Make Our Farmers Great Again” hats during a “Make America Great Again” rally in Evansville, Indiana on Aug. 30, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Dairy Cattle, General, Markets, Reuters

Canada, U.S. push toward NAFTA deal by Friday

By GFM Network News August 30, 2018

Washington | Reuters — Top NAFTA negotiators from Canada and the U.S. increased the pace of their negotiations Thursday to resolve final differences to meet a Friday deadline, with their Mexican counterpart on standby to rejoin the talks soon. Despite some contentious issues still on the table, the increasingly positive tone contrasted with U.S. President […] Read more

Candian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks to journalists outside the U.S. Trade Representative’s office in Washington on Aug. 28. (Photo: Reuters/Chris Wattie)

Dairy Cattle, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

Trump, Trudeau upbeat about prospects for NAFTA deal by Friday

By GFM Network News August 29, 2018

Washington | Reuters — The leaders of the U.S. and Canada expressed optimism on Wednesday that they could reach new NAFTA deal by a Friday deadline as negotiators prepared to talk through the night, although Canada warned that a number of tricky issues remained. Under pressure, Canada rejoined the talks to modernize the 24-year-old North […] Read more

U.S. President Donald Trump announces a bilateral trade agreement with Mexico at the White House in Washington on Aug. 27. (File photo: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Dairy Cattle, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

Canada rejoins NAFTA talks, deal seen as possible this week

By GFM Network News August 28, 2018

Washington | Reuters — Canada’s top trade negotiator joins her Mexican and U.S. counterparts in Washington on Tuesday in a bid to remain part of a revamped trilateral North American trade pact, as U.S. officials expressed optimism a deal could be reached this week. But Ottawa will be under pressure to accept new terms on […] Read more

The Schuurmans were sharing their cross-country tour on their Canadian Milk Tour Twitter account. (Farm Credit Canada via Twitter)

Dairy Cattle

Dairy farmer, advocate Bettina Schuurmans, 55

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News July 22, 2018

Funeral services will be held Wednesday in Elmira, Ont. for well known dairy farmer Bettina Schuurmans, who with her husband took to the road this summer in support of Canada’s dairy sector. Schuurmans and husband Henk, who owned and operated Milky Wave Farms near Elmira with their sons, had been on the road on their […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, Livestock

Babybel cheesemakers to set up Quebec plant

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News July 12, 2018

The makers of those little individual cheese snacks in the red wax shells plan to start producing them at their own new Canadian plant starting in early 2020. France’s Bel Group, whose brands in Canada include The Laughing Cow, Boursin and the aforementioned Mini Babybel, announced Thursday it will put up $87 million to build […] Read more

Crops, Dairy Cattle, Reuters, Spring Wheat

J.M. Smucker to sell U.S. baking brands

By Reuters, GFM Network News July 9, 2018

Reuters — J.M. Smucker Co. said on Monday it would sell its U.S. baking business, which includes brands such as Pillsbury, Martha White and Hungry Jack, to private equity firm Brynwood Partners for US$375 million. The deal includes a manufacturing facility in Toledo, Ohio, but excludes the baking business in Canada, the company said. “The […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Dairy Cattle

Dirty conditions can lead to uterine infections

Barn cleanliness as well as nutrition can be among the contributors

By Peter Vitti July 4, 2018

Many dairy cows come down with a uterine infection after calving. Some are slight but some are more serious. While there are host of factors which cause them, some reasons such as a dirty calving area are obvious, other reasons such as persistent metabolic problems are not so clear. Fortunately, a good spring-cleaning and improvements […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, Livestock, Reuters

Saputo urges end to contentious Class 7 system

By Rod Nickel, GFM Network News June 18, 2018

Winnipeg | Reuters –– Saputo, one of Canada’s largest dairies, supports ending a domestic milk ingredient pricing system that has angered the United States, CEO Lino Saputo Jr. said on Monday, showing a rare crack in solidarity among processors and the country’s dairy farmers. The Class 7 pricing agreement, struck in 2016 between Canadian dairy […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle and hog futures slide

U.S. grains: Corn, soy, wheat futures rise as dollar sags; crop yields eyed

Pulse weekly: Large U.S. pea/lentil crops expected

GFM Network News