Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne made the announcement March 17.

“Agriculture is without a doubt one of the most important and investable sectors in our economy,” said federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald in a news release.

“The pace of technological advancement we’ve seen across the industry in recent years has been impressive, and investments like this will continue to accelerate innovation.”

The federal cash is part of an $50 million equity commitment alongside Idealist Capital to support the next phase of Solugen’s growth and commercial expansion.

Solugen produces and commercializes Azogen, a fast-release liquid ammoniacal nitrogen fertilizer derived from hog manure.

The investment will allow Solugen to expand capacity at its existing plant in St-Patrice-de-Beaurivage, Que. and construct a second facility in the province.

Solugen was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Lévis, Que. Its Azogen is produced through a fully circular process. By converting manure into high-performance fertilizer, it reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with conventional fertilizers, the news release said.

The funding comes through the Canada Growth Fund, a $15 billion, arm’s length public investment vehicle launched by the federal government to attract private capital and invest in Canadian projects and businesses.

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• The February live cattle contract gained 2.525 cents per pound at 234.900 cents. Feeder cattle were up 0.900 cents in the March contract at 360.175 cents per pound.  
• Extreme cold temperatures and precipitation ranging from snow in the north to freezing rain in the south may disrupt cattle markets heading into next week, accounting for some of Friday’s activity as participants squared positions. 
• Positioning ahead of the monthly cattle on feed report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture was another feature. The report was released after the markets closed, with placements of 1.55 million head in December down five per cent from the same month a year ago. 
• There were a total of 11.5 million head of cattle and calves on feed in the U.S. as of Jan. 1, 2026. That was down three per cent from the previous year. 
• The USDA reported wholesale boxed beef prices were mixed, with choice boxes up $1.25 at $368.70 per hundredweight and select boxes down $0.43 at $361.30/cwt in the morning report. 
• Lean hog prices were weaker Friday, backing away from nearby highs with the nearby February futures down 0.125 cents per pound at 88.350 cents per pound and the April futures down 0.175 cents at 96.175 cents per pound.  

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• The February live cattle contract lost 0.725 cents per pound at 232.375 cents. Feeder cattle were down 0.100 cents in the March contract at 359.275 cents per pound.
• The United States Department of Agriculture’s monthly cattle on feed report will be released after the markets close on Friday. Analysts are expecting declines in both new placements and the total amount of cattle in feedlots.
• Tight cattle supplies in the U.S. and expectations for rising beef demand remained supportive, according to analysts.
• Extreme cold in the forecast for much of the U.S. Plains may stress livestock in the region. Ice and snow is also expected to disrupt transportation.
• The USDA reported wholesale boxed beef prices were mixed, with choice boxes up $1.34 at $367.45 per hundredweight and select boxes down $0.72 at $361.73/cwt.
• Lean hog prices were stronger on Thursday, hitting new contract highs in some of the deferred months. The nearby February futures were up 0.625 cents per pound at 88.475 cents per pound, while the April futures were up 0.750 cents at 96.350 cents per pound.

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• The February live cattle contract lost 3.900 cents per pound at 232.150 cents. Feeder cattle were down 8.100 cents in the March contract at 356.450 cents per pound.
• Tight cattle supplies in the U.S. and expectations for rising beef demand should remain supportive for cattle prices going forward, said analysts.
• Mexico confirmed eight new cases of New World screwworm near the Texas border.
• The USDA reported wholesale boxed beef prices were higher, with choice boxes up $1.61 at $362.38 per hundredweight and select boxes up $0.48 at $360.19/cwt.
• Lean hog prices were up 0.475 cents per pound in the February contract at 88.275 cents per pound. Rising carcass cutout prices were tied to the strength.

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The agreement centres on easing long-standing trade barriers on Canadian canola, with Canada offering tariff concessions on Chinese electric vehicles as part of the package. While that shift is being welcomed by much of the ag sector, pork is not explicitly addressed.

“There are ongoing tariffs on pork into China — 25 per cent,” said Cam Dahl, general manager of Manitoba Pork. “It’s not a minor inconvenience. It’s a market that is important to us.”

At the same time, Dahl said the proposed reduction in canola tariffs is a clear positive.

“The reduction in canola tariffs from 85 to 15 per cent is good for Manitoba, good for Western Canada, and good for agriculture,” he said. “So we’re pleased to see some progress, while recognizing there is still ongoing work to do, especially when it comes to pork.”

A federal statement explaining the deal said Canada expects China to provide tariff relief for products such as peas and seafood in 2026 but made no mention of pork.

“I’m sure the pork tariffs were a topic of discussion,” Dahl said. “But we have more work to do.”

Dahl said the broader reset in relations with China is still welcome.

“This is a positive step forward. It will be good for Canadian agriculture,” he said.

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The February live cattle contract lost 0.475 cents per pound at 226.675 cents. Feeder cattle were down 2.875 cents in the March contract at 330.425 cents per pound.

An estimated 600,000 head of cattle were federally inspected for slaughter last week, reported the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That was down slightly on the week.

The USDA reported wholesale boxed beef prices were mixed, with choice boxes down $0.30 at $360.90 per hundredweight and select boxes up $1.21 at $348.60/cwt.

Lean hog prices were up 0.125 cents per pound in the February contract at 82.400 cents per pound. The USDA reported federally inspected hog slaughter last week at 2.702 million head, which was up by 98,210 head from the same week a year ago.

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The markets advanced for the fourth consecutive session as prices recovered from a steep slide that began in October after U.S. President Donald Trump said beef prices were too high.

“With the cash prices moving up, that’s giving a little bit better tailwind,” a broker said.

CME February live cattle futures ended 3.150 cents higher at 227.150 cents per pound after reaching the highest since Nov. 12 at 227.375 cents. CME January feeder cattle closed up 2.475 cents at 339.050 cents per pound after trading up to 340.075 cents, the highest since Oct. 27.

In the cash market, cattle traded for about $220 per hundredweight this week in northern areas such as Nebraska, up about $10 from last week, brokers said. The increase reflected demand from meatpackers, they said.

Packers slaughtered an estimated 115,000 cattle on Friday, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. That was up from 109,000 cattle a week ago, the day after the Thanksgiving holiday, data showed.

Traders were monitoring cold weather across the central U.S. that could slow weight gain in livestock. In the Midwest, extensive snow cover was expected through next week, weather firm Vaisala said.

Meatpackers slaughtered an estimated 476,000 hogs, up from 402,000 a week ago, according to the USDA.

In other news, Catalonia’s regional government said it would investigate a research center outside Barcelona after Spain’s Agriculture Ministry said a recent swine fever outbreak could have been caused by a laboratory leak.

— Reporting by Tom Polansek

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WHY IT MATTERS: African swine fever has been devastating for pork sectors in countries where infections have been found. Wild pigs — which were found to be infected in Spain — are also a potential disease vector of concern for the Canadian hog industry.

Spain, the European Union’s top pork producer, is trying to reassure trading partners after 13 wild boars tested positive for the virus in hills outside the city. The disease is harmless to humans but can be deadly for pigs and wild boars.

Genome sequencing by a Madrid lab showed the strain was “very similar” to one first detected in Georgia in 2007 and now widely used in research and vaccine development, the ministry said. Other cases in Europe belong to a different genetic group.

“The discovery of a virus similar to the one that circulated in Georgia therefore does not rule out the possibility that its origin may lie in a biological containment facility,” the Agriculture Ministry said.

Until now, Catalan officials suspected the virus had spread after a wild boar ate contaminated food, possibly a sandwich brought from abroad by a truck driver.

“The report suggests that it is possible that the origin of the virus is not in animals or animal products from any of the countries where the infection is currently present,” the ministry said.

It did not name any laboratories in its statement. But Catalonia’s top agriculture official, Oscar Ordeig, said the regional government would open an investigation of the state-funded Centre for Research in Animal Health (Cresa).

The centre is located next to the Autonomous University of Barcelona and within the six-km confinement area imposed by authorities after the outbreak. Ordeig said other laboratories could also be investigated.

The World Organization of Animal Health in 2017 designated Cresa as a research centre into swine fevers.

The laboratory did not immediately respond to a request for comment but it told the news verification website Maldita.es it had found no evidence of being the source of the outbreak.

The “Georgia 2007” strain of swine fever spread to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia and Belarus and reached eastern EU states in 2014, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

It reached China in 2018, causing huge losses. Chinese pig meat production dropped by 27 per cent in 2019.

— Reporting by Charlie Devereux, Joan Faus and Jesus Calero

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The February live cattle contract gained 4.875 cents per pound at 220.005 cents. Feeder cattle were up 8.800 cents in the January contract at 329.875 cents per pound.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported wholesale boxed beef prices were weaker, with choice boxes down $4.17 at $364.72 per hundredweight and select boxes down $7.10 at $350.78/cwt.

Lean hog prices were down 0.125 cents per pound in the February contract at 80.175 cents per pound. Market participants were said to be showing some caution as they digest news of the African swine fever outbreak in Spain. The European country is a major global pork exporter and if the outbreak is not contained it would lead to increased demand for U.S. pork.

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The February live cattle contract lost 1.925 cents per pound at 215.925 cents. Feeder cattle were down 2.900 cents in the January contract at 321.075 cents per pound.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported wholesale boxed beef prices were stronger, with choice boxes up $2.07 at $368.89 per hundredweight and select boxes up $6.83 at $357.88/cwt.

Lean hog prices were down 0.700 cents per pound in the February contract at 80.300 cents per pound.

Spain has deployed its military to help contain an African swine fever outbreak in parts of the country. However, pork exports to China from non-infected regions resumed Monday after being halted on Friday.

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