Reading Time: 2 minutes A proposal from Quebec’s labour minister to end a four-month strike at a major hog slaughter plant, which has created a backlog of market-weight hogs on farms in Eastern Canada, has been rejected by the workers’ union. Provincial Labour Minister Jean Boulet, at a meeting Thursday morning, put out a proposal to meat packer Olymel […] Read more
Union rejects province’s call for arbitration in Olymel strike
Labour minister had proposed third-party settlement
U.S. seeks to protect pork exports if swine fever hits territories
Policy would distinguish Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands from mainland
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The United States said on Thursday it is seeking to avoid disruptions to pork exports if the territories of Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands detect the fatal pig disease African swine fever. The risk for infections in the territories is higher after the Dominican Republic last month confirmed the […] Read more
Olymel’s striking Quebec workers get layoff ultimatum
Hog slaughter plant idle since late April
Reading Time: 3 minutes Updated — The threat of job losses for about half the unionized workers at a major pork packing plant in Quebec is its owners’ latest bid to end a four-month strike. Olymel announced Tuesday it will “abolish” the evening shift at its hog slaughter and processing plant at Vallee-Jonction, about 60 km southeast of Quebec […] Read more
Time for arbitration in Olymel strike, PQ says
Province's new mediator not enough, party says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Quebec’s third opposition party is calling on the province’s CAQ government to propose arbitration for an end to a strike at a major pork slaughter plant. The Parti Quebecois’ ag critic, Matane-Matapedia MNA Pascal Berube, and its labour critic, Jonquiere MNA Sylvain Gaudreault, made the pitch Friday, after workers from Olymel’s plant at Vallee-Jonction voted […] Read more
Striking Quebec pork plant staff reject deal with Olymel
Quebec hog farmers call for province to intervene
Reading Time: 2 minutes Quebec’s hog farmers now want Premier Francois Legault to step in on a months-long strike at a major pork packing plant after its workers rejected a tentative deal between their union and employer. Workers at Olymel’s plant at Vallee-Jonction, about 60 km southeast of Quebec City, met Tuesday evening to vote on an agreement in […] Read more
Olymel, Quebec workers reach deal in principle
Agreement may end months-long strike at hog plant
Reading Time: 2 minutes The union for workers at a major pork slaughter and packing plant in Quebec’s Beauce region says it has a deal that may end a strike which has backed up hogs on farms in the province since late April. The Syndicat des travailleurs d’Olymel Vallee-Jonction (STOVJ) — which represents over 1,000 employees at Olymel’s Vallee-Jonction […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle end mostly lower; hog futures narrowly mixed
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed mostly lower on Friday on technical selling and lackluster cash cattle trade this week, traders said. CME benchmark October live cattle settled down 0.375 cent at 128.125 cents per pound, and September feeder cattle futures ended down 0.475 cent at 163.075 cents […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures rise after U.S. cuts beef production forecasts
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures rose on Thursday as the U.S. Department of Agriculture reduced its forecasts for domestic beef production. The agency, in a monthly report, trimmed its estimate for 2021 U.S. beef production by 0.1 percent from July to 26.965 billion pounds due to lighter expected carcass weights. The production forecast […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs end mostly higher on bargain buying, cattle drift lower
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed mostly higher on Wednesday as bargain-buying and firmer wholesale pork prices helped the benchmark October contract rebound from a one-month low set a day earlier. CME October lean hogs settled up 1.975 cents at 85.850 cents per pound and December hogs rose […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures rise as beef prices climb; hogs end lower
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed higher on Tuesday, lifted by surging beef prices and rising packer margins that fueled expectations of firmer cash cattle prices this week, traders said. CME October live cattle settled up 0.650 cent at 128.125 cents per pound, while September feeder cattle futures […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
