CME August 2020 live cattle with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle end mostly lower as beef prices ease

June hogs up, August lower

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed mostly lower on Thursday as wholesale beef prices began to retreat from historic highs as the U.S. slaughter pace improved, generating more meat supplies, analysts said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) August live cattle futures settled down 1.425 cents at 97 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Front-month June […] Read more

(File photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Saskatchewan to adjust WLPIP premiums for producers

Province also opts in to fund AgriRecovery set-aside plan

The Saskatchewan government plans to temporarily subsidize livestock producers entering the Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP) against its recent jump in program premium costs. The province on Thursday announced it will provide $5 million to “partially offset” WLPIP premiums, which it noted have risen “significantly” since the end of February this year on COVID-19-induced […] Read more


Certified beef cattle are pictured on May 13, 2020 at Rancho Estrada in the town of San Agustin, on the outskirts of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. (Photo: Reuters/Jose Luis Gonzalez)

More Mexican beef headed to U.S. dinner tables as supply crunch bites

"I think we're going to leap past Canada this year"

Mexico City/Chicago | Reuters — More Mexican steaks and other beef cuts are headed north of the border after the coronavirus outbreak has hobbled U.S. meat processing plants, potentially offsetting fears of shortages affecting businesses from fast-food chains to grocery stores but angering U.S. ranchers. The Mexican industry chalks up the export growth to new […] Read more

CME June 2020 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures dip after belly prices dive

Cattle down on ideas of beef prices peaking

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures fell on Wednesday on technical selling and signs that wholesale pork prices may have peaked after a massive run-up due to closings at meat-packing plants as COVID-19 sickened workers, traders said. The U.S. pork cutout value fell on Tuesday afternoon by nearly $9/cwt, to $112.82, with pork […] Read more


The CCA just wrapped its annual general meeting, held virtually this year.

CCA Reports: Pulling through the COVID crisis

From the May 2020 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

It’s a privilege to address you for the first time through this column as president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). As I take over CCA’s leadership from David Haywood-Farmer, I’d like to express my sincere thanks for his commitment to Canadian beef producers and the significant progress accomplished on key files during his term. […] Read more

CME June 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: June live cattle limit up on soaring beef prices

Large supplies of hogs, cattle still loom over futures

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed higher on Tuesday, with nearby contracts rising the daily maximum, as surging wholesale beef prices and expectations U.S. beef and pork production would drop spurred speculative buying, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) June live cattle futures settled up 4.5 cents, the expanded daily limit, at […] Read more



Federal deputy agriculture minister Chris Forbes was one of the witnesses to appear via video conferencing at the Commons agriculture committee’s online meeting May 5. (Parl.gc.ca)

Opposition MPs critique government’s COVID-19 response for ag sector

Pandemic puts ag committee meeting online

Ottawa — Opposition MPs used the first meeting of the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to critique the federal Liberals’ $252 million aid package for farmers and food processors. During the May 5 online meeting, Quebec MP Richard Lehoux, the Conservatives’ associate agriculture critic, charged the […] Read more


CME August 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures lower on profit-taking

August, October cattle limit down; June hogs also down

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed lower on Monday, with some contract months falling their daily three-cent limit on profit-taking amid signs the U.S. meat-packing sector was stepping up beef production, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) June live cattle futures settled down 1.975 cents at 92.675 cents/lb., after surging to a […] Read more

Canadian cattle inventories decline yet again

Canadian cattle inventories decline yet again

Prepared by the staff of Canfax and Canfax Research Services, divisions of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association

It is rare to see two black swan events occur so close together. But that is what the market is currently facing. African swine fever (ASF) has created a giant protein gap in China and other Asian countries. It is unclear at this point how international demand for protein will be impacted by COVID-19 in […] Read more