Harmony Beef back on track

News Roundup from the November 2015 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Harmony Beef is now looking at April 4, 2016 as its startup date for the former Rancher’s Beef plant in Balzac after the Rocky View Council approved a development permit to construct a water-recycling facility on the site. The Rocky View Council voted seven to one to issue the permit after 18 months of often […] Read more

TPP ratification is crucial for Canada’s beef industry

TPP ratification is crucial for Canada’s beef industry

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay, from the November 2015 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Beef exports are the lifeblood of the North American beef industry, especially for Canada. The majority of its exports goes south to U.S. customers but it also depends on key Asian markets. So too does the U.S. It exports only 10 per cent of its annual production of muscle cuts but this is vital in […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end mostly lower after rocky session

Chicago | Reuters — Most Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts landed in negative territory on Tuesday after an up-and-down day of trading stirred by short-covering and uncertainty about near-term cash prices, traders said. Spot December closed up 0.625 cent, to 122.25 cents/lb., February ended down 0.075 cent, to 127.075, and April 0.4 cent lower, […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle remain vulnerable

Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were once again quite volatile this past week as market continues to digest overwhelming fed cattle supplies and lacklustre beef demand. In Alberta, calves under 700 lbs. were steady to $5 lower on average while heavier calves and yearlings were $3 to as much as $10 lower. In the eastern […] Read more


Some second growth for October grazing on Kevin Stebeleski’s pasture.

Multi-species silage is like free insurance

As spring turned to summer without giving up much rain, Kevin Stebeleski really started to wonder about his decision to give multi-species silage a try for the first time. Those worries turned moot as July rains and warm weather transformed the 100-acre field into a smorgasbord of forages that landed 8.5 tons to the acre […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: COOL news weighs on CME live cattle, hogs

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell on Monday, partly led by the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) ruling against the U.S. in a meat-labeling dispute, said traders. Canada and Mexico may impose tariffs worth $1 billion onto U.S.-traded products, a WTO panel ruled on Monday, as the countries prepared to retaliate […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

WTO dials back Canada’s COOL retaliation

Canada will be able to take only about a third of the revenge it asked the World Trade Organization to authorize over the United States’ country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law. An arbitration panel of the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) ruled Monday that Canada and Mexico may now ask the DSB to authorize annual retaliatory tariffs, […] Read more

(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. livestock: Beef price retreat pares CME live cattle gains

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures on Friday finished in negative territory for a third day in a row after weak wholesale beef values erased initial short-covering gains, traders said. Spot December closed 1.425 cents lower at 124.275 cents/lb., and marked a new contract low of 123.875 cents (all figures US$). […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle fall again with cash prices

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures posted significant losses on Thursday for a second straight session, with nearby contracts posting new lows, in response to weaker cash prices, traders said. Spot December closed 3.4 cents lower, at 125.7 cents/lb., and made a new low of 124.6 cents. February closed 2.175 cents […] Read more