(TysonFoods.com)

Tyson Foods plant closure raises antitrust concerns among US farmers, experts

Reuters – Tyson Foods Inc TSN.N gave its chicken suppliers two months’ notice of its plan to shut a Virginia processing plant in May, raising concerns among farmers and legal experts about the company’s compliance with antitrust regulations requiring it to give 90 days’ notice before ending a contract. The planned closure of the plant has left […] Read more




Strong demand has made beef the protein of choice for most American consumers.

Rising tide raises all boats

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay

The old saying that a rising tide raises all boats is especially apt in the U.S. beef industry right now. Stronger than expected domestic beef demand has raised cash live cattle prices above their levels of the week of Tyson Foods’ Holcomb, Kansas, fire on August 9. Live prices, based on USDA’s five-area region, averaged […] Read more


Manitoba's auction markets are now closed to non-essential personnel.

Tyson Foods fire creates ripple effect in cattle markets

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay

The North American cattle and beef industry has endured “weather” and BSE-related markets but never a “fire” market such as resulted from the fire at Tyson Foods’ Holcomb, Kansas plant on August 9. The fire took out more than 30,000 head per week of capacity for several months. The loss is most directly having an […] Read more



A variety of factors produced record profits for all processors of fed cattle last year.

Beef packers enjoy purple profit patch

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay

North American beef processors are enjoying an extended period of profits that is unprecedented in the industry’s history. Packers on both sides of the border are seeing margins that would have been unthinkable five years ago. U.S. packers racked up record profits in 2017, surpassed them in 2018 and are on track for more records […] Read more

Marfrig increased its presence in the United States by acquiring a majority stake in Iowa Premium Beef last March.

Brazilians increase U.S. beef industry presence

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay

Brazilian beef behemoth JBS SA sent shockwaves through the U.S. beef industry nearly 12 years ago when it announced it was acquiring Swift and Company, the third-largest beef processor in the U.S. and the largest in Australia, for US$1.4 billion. Little did the industry know that Brazil’s second-largest beef company would eventually buy into the […] Read more


A+W’s Beyond Meat Burger. (A+W/CNW Group)

Tyson sells stake in Beyond Meat

Reuters — Tyson Foods said on Wednesday it had sold its 6.5 per cent stake in vegan burger maker Beyond Meat, as the No. 1 U.S. meat processor looks to develop its own line of alternative protein products. The exit comes against the backdrop of rising tensions between the two companies after Tyson CEO Noel […] Read more

Packers have another record year

Packers have another record year

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay

Converting cattle into beef has never been an easy way to make money. Beef processing involves the need for large amounts of cash, the vagaries of the weather, the possibility of a product recall and the headache of running a plant with enough workers. These and other factors apply to packers both in Canada and […] Read more