(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle hit two-month low

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell on Monday for a third straight session, pressured by fund-driven long liquidation and expectations of rising supplies ahead based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s most recent monthly cattle report, traders said. Declines on Wall Street added to bearish sentiment. The S+P and Nasdaq […] Read more

(ManitobaPork.com)

Canadian pork cleared for Argentina

Argentina is now ready to import Canadian pork for the first time in about 15 years, federal officials report. Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne announced Wednesday that access to the Argentinian market has been restored for Canadian pork effective “immediately.” Canadian pork processors had started shipping to Argentina in 1998, […] Read more





(Dave Bedard photo)

Maple Leaf Q3 profit beats on overall sales growth

Reuters — Maple Leaf Foods, one of Canada’s biggest pork processors, posted a quarterly profit that beat analysts’ estimates, helped by growth across all its businesses. The company, whose brands include Schneiders, Maple Leaf and, since March, Lightlife, said adjusted operating earnings rose to $65.15 million in the third quarter from $61.52 million a year […] Read more

Chef Jonathan Collins cuts up a pork leg, foot included, to prepare ginger and black vinegar hog trotters in a video for Canada Pork International. (Video screengrab from CanadaPork.com)

Mexico considers pork in response to NAFTA produce proposal

Mexico City | Reuters — Mexican negotiators are working on a response to informal U.S. proposals to include protections for fresh produce in the re-negotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), two people briefed on the proposals said. U.S., Canadian and Mexican delegations finished a second round of talks last week to renegotiate […] Read more



(Cia.gov)

Ag groups tout potential of trade pact with China

Canadian ag commodity groups expect to make a case for freer trade with China during consultations now underway alongside Ottawa’s talks on a possible free trade deal with Beijing. Federal Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Friday announced public consultations, running until June 2, following last September’s announcement of “exploratory discussions” on a free trade agreement […] Read more



One of Pinnacle Farms’ sow barns at Standard, Alta., about 80 km east of Calgary. (VerusAlliance.com)

Olymel buys Alberta hog farming operation

Pork and poultry processor Olymel has tightened the links in the hog supply chain for its Alberta pork plant by buying supplier Pinnacle Farms. Olymel, the meat packing arm of Quebec’s La Coop federee, announced Friday it has bought Standard, Alta.-based Pinnacle, including all its hog inventory, for an undisclosed sum. The company’s 30 employees […] Read more