Photo: File

U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hog futures hit two week lows on robust supplies

Chicago | Reuters – CME Group live cattle and hog futures fell to two-week lows on Monday, pressured by bearish government supply reports released late on Friday. “There’s no shortage of market supplies or beef production until the fourth quarter at the earliest,” brokerage StoneX wrote in a note to clients. The U.S. Agriculture Department said on […] Read more

A McDonald’s restaurant sign in San Diego on March 31, 2015. (File photo: Reuters/Mike Blake)

McDonald’s calls Icahn demands on sourcing pigs ‘unfeasible’

Investor cites company's 10-year-old pledge

Boston | Reuters — McDonald’s Corp on Thursday said Carl Icahn’s call for the fast food chain to stop buying pork from suppliers that house the animals in crates would be logistically unfeasible and prohibitively expensive. The billionaire investor, who owns roughly US$50,000 worth of McDonald’s stock, is pushing the company to change how it […] Read more


File photo of piglets at a hog operation in China. (KuLouKu/iStock/Getty Images)

China’s hog output recovers, drags on Brazil pork exports

China's total Q1 pork imports down 64 per cent

Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazilian pork exporters are grappling with a drop in volumes shipped to their main buyer, China, which has increased its pork meat production after an outbreak of African swine fever in 2018. ASF forced China to cull millions of hogs and increase imports. China continued to be Brazil’s top pork […] Read more

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Alberta looks into ‘isolated’ case of PED

Feed, other objects considered possible sources

The source of what’s believed to have been an “isolated” recent case of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) in southern Alberta was likely either feed or some object brought into the barn, veterinary officials say. The chief provincial veterinarian’s office said it was informed by a private veterinarian on Feb. 24 of a suspected case of […] Read more


The Back Spacer helps keep the animal forward

An idea for keeping hogs forward in a stall

A simple device that helps keep pigs in position when collecting blood samples

An idea from a southern Manitoba hog operation’s veterinarian was named winner of the 2022 F. X. Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production at the Banff Pork Congress earlier this year. Veterinarian Jewel White and her teammates Ronald Nayre and Jim Kehler of Maple Leaf Agri-Farms in Landmark, Man. were recognized with the award after […] Read more

A group of wild boars running in Europe, where the pigs have caused challenges with disease spread. (iStock/Getty Images)

Saskatchewan to license, limit wild boar farming

Moratorium placed on any new farms

Saskatchewan is tightening its rules on wild boar farming, including a moratorium on any new farms, in a renewed bid to keep the province’s feral pig population in check. The provincial ag ministry announced the moratorium Wednesday and said it’s “developing regulations for licensing existing commercial wild boar farms.” Regulations for wild boar and feral […] Read more



“The biggest thing you can do as a producer on your farm is to be ready with your own emergency response plan and include ASF in that plan,” Christa Arsenault, AHC co-ordinator.

Are farmers ready for swine fever?

Don’t underestimate how serious it could be if this disease reaches Canada

A joint government and industry organization challenged with protecting the health and welfare of animals is urging Canadian hog producers to be on guard to prevent and if necessary, manage an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF). A representative of Animal Health Canada (AHC) — a not-for-profit organization which is funded jointly by federal, provincial […] Read more


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Pork industry looks ahead from turbulent 2021

Pork prices expected to stay elevated in 2022

MarketsFarm — Labour shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, high feed costs and lower prices posed constant threats to Canada’s hog industry in 2021. Nevertheless, pork appears to be in a good spot entering 2022, according to two analysts. “2021 was not the best, but not the worst,” said Tyler Fulton, director of risk management […] Read more

Indian pork curry with naan bread. (Paul_Brighton/iStock/Getty Images)

India to allow imports of U.S. pork and products

Washington | Reuters — India has agreed to allow imports of U.S. pork and pork products into India, removing a longstanding barrier to U.S. agricultural trade, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Monday. “India’s agreement to allow U.S. pork imports for the first time is great news for U.S. […] Read more