The high price of beef forced retail sales to slow significantly in September.

Christmas cheer without prime rib

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay

Adorning the Christmas dinner table with a succulent beef rib roast is a longstanding tradition for meat lovers in the U.S. and, I daresay, in Canada as well. But American consumers, at least this year, might have to forego this hugely popular holiday item for a lower-priced cut. This is because wholesale rib prices are […] Read more

Photo: daoleduc/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Canada economy seen weaker than expected as supply chain woes weigh

Ottawa | Reuters – The Canadian economy most likely underperformed expectations in the third quarter amid ongoing supply chain woes and a brutal drought, official data suggested on Friday, prompting analysts to forecast the Bank of Canada could move slower on rate hikes. The economy expanded by 0.4 percent in August, missing estimates, and looked […] Read more


File photo of the Port of Montreal. (Guy Banville/iStock/Getty Images)

Canada concerned about supply chain issues, watching ports ‘closely’

Reuters –– Canada is concerned about the challenges facing global supply chains and is watching the country’s ports very closely, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Thursday. Freeland, speaking to reporters in Washington after meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, said she was broadly optimistic about the strength of Canada’s economic recovery […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures down on big supplies, economic jitters

Surge in U.S. COVID-19 cases rattles Wall Street

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures eased on Wednesday and hog futures were mostly lower on ample livestock supplies and concerns about rising coronavirus infections and their negative impact on the economy. Wall Street’s three major indexes tumbled on Wednesday and crude oil plunged more than five per cent as a surge in U.S. […] Read more


Green Party leader Elizabeth May walks off the set past moderator Paul Wells (l), Conservative leader Andrew Scheer and New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh after the Maclean’s/Citytv leaders’ debate in Toronto on Sept. 12, 2019. (Pool photo: Frank Gunn via Reuters)

Election 2019: Ag groups want the parties to pay attention

MarketsFarm — Two major national farm organizations want the political parties to pay more attention to agriculture as the federal election continues. However, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) and the National Farmers Union (NFU) have somewhat different takes as to what they see as paramount. “It’s really important that we uphold the quality of […] Read more

This spring had cattle-on-feed placements sharply higher than year-ago levels in the mid-weight categories which will result in a sharp year-over-year increase in market-ready supplies this fall.

Soft beef demand outlook for September and October

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

Alberta fed cattle prices have been hovering in the range of $143 to $148 throughout the summer period. The market has been relatively stable without any major changes to supply and demand. Looking forward, beef production is expected to increase during September and October. At the same time, demand moves through a seasonal low. It’s […] Read more



American and Canadian flag flying side by side.

Two economies, two theories

Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer

In May 1983’s G7 Summit, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl asked President Reagan to “Tell us about the American miracle.” Kohl was referring to America’s booming economy while the rest of the world was floundering. Reagan explained that cutting tax rates incentivized citizens and businesses, stimulated economic growth and eventually increased total tax return to the […] Read more


It would be very difficult for the U.S. to maintain their healthy beef export market without an imported supply of cattle from Canada.

Here we go again

Tariff disputes with the U.S. are nothing new

For many years we have complacently assumed that American displeasure with Canada’s supply management regime for dairy and poultry production was an issue well isolated from other agricultural sectors. This perhaps was never the case, but it certainly is no longer. If the wayward and quixotic President Trump can slap punitive duties on steel and […] Read more