Photo: ARS/USDA

U.S. livestock: Hog futures gain as cash index climbs

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures climbed on Wednesday, after being lower for two days, supported by a strong cash market, as analysts watch for market-ready hog numbers to begin seasonally moving higher. “The cash hog strength is impressive,” said Matthew Wiegand, Risk Management Consultant at FuturesOne. CME’s nearby August lean […] Read more

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U.S. livestock: Cattle futures ease as ranchers push forward marketing amid drought

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures eased on Tuesday, pressured by softening cash cattle prices as ranchers trim herds amid prolonged drought in the Southern U.S. Plains. “Marketing is getting pushed forward. Cows are being sent to market because of herd liquidation,” said Doug Houghton, technical analyst at Brock Capital Management. […] Read more


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U.S. livestock: Gains in cattle futures limited by smaller cattle on feed placements

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed on Monday as drought conditions across the U.S. Southern Plains continue to degrade grazing land, though gains were limited by smaller-than-expected declines in feedlot placements, analysts said. Ranchers have been pushing cattle into feedlots at higher rates as parched grassland struggles to support herds, […] Read more

File photo of pigs on a farm in Germany. (FooTToo/iStock/Getty Images)

Swine fever outbreak in Germany’s top pork state poses lasting threat

Risk seen for spread to neighbours Netherlands, France

Hamburg | Reuters — The spread of African swine fever to Germany’s most important pig rearing region has dealt a serious blow to the sector with major markets such as China likely to maintain import bans for years to come, analysts said on Monday. The outbreak on a farm in Emsland, Lower Saxony is the […] Read more


An original proposal by Health Canada to label ground beef as high in saturated fat has been shelved.  Photo: Jeff Haynes/Reuters

Health Canada to slap warning labels on sugary, salty and fatty foods

Ottawa | Reuters – Foods high in sugars, sodium and saturated fat will come with clear warning labels in Canada starting in 2026, the federal government said on Thursday, in an effort to promote healthier eating choices and reduce chronic health risks. “We know that it’s not always easy to make healthy choices,” Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told […] Read more



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U.S. livestock: Live cattle mixed on seasonal slump, domestic demand worries

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange spot live cattle futures rose on Tuesday, as the northern cash market continued to trade at a record premium over the south amid drought-hit grazing grounds, traders said. But CME’s benchmark August live cattle futures LCQ2 and deferred contracts slipped on worries about the health of the U.S. economy, and […] Read more



U.S. livestock: Hog futures retreat from two-month high; cattle also fall

Chicago | Reuters – CME Group cattle futures fell on Wednesday, as surprise deliveries in Texas showed that cash market supplies were higher than expected, traders said. Hog futures were lower, snapping a streak of four straight higher closes as traders locked in profits from the market’s move to a two-month high. CME July lean […] Read more

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Hog sector to focus on margins in face of outside volatility

'Counter-cyclical' moves seen in markets

MarketsFarm — The hog sector has found itself caught up in the general uncertainty of many commodity and financial markets — making it more difficult than normal to predict where values could be headed. “We’re seeing a ton of volatility and it feels like we’re in a bit of transition on supply versus expectations,” said […] Read more