Reading Time: 2 minutes Geneva | Reuters — The European Union and Canada have ended a 21-year dispute over hormone-treated meat after agreeing a wider trade agreement, they said in a filing published by the World Trade Organization on Tuesday. The settlement of the dispute at the WTO, which began in 1996, was facilitated by a liberalization of trade […] Read more
EU, Canada settle cattle battle at the WTO
Mexico considers pork in response to NAFTA produce proposal
Reading Time: 3 minutes Mexico City | Reuters — Mexican negotiators are working on a response to informal U.S. proposals to include protections for fresh produce in the re-negotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), two people briefed on the proposals said. U.S., Canadian and Mexican delegations finished a second round of talks last week to renegotiate […] Read more
Prairie pork industry leader Bill Vaags, 82
Reading Time: 2 minutes UPDATED, Sept. 15 — A memorial service is planned for Sept. 19 in Winnipeg for a prominent Prairie figure in the business of promoting and securing export markets for Canadian pork. Bill Vaags, a pork producer at Dugald, Man. who led the Canadian Pork Council from 1985 to 1990 and chaired Canada Pork International from […] Read more
Out of the fire: Rescued piglets served to U.K. firefighters
Reading Time: < 1 minute London | Reuters — Young pigs that were saved from a fire in southwest England earlier this year have been served to their rescuers as sausages by the farmer who wanted to thank the firefighters for their efforts. The 18 piglets and two sows were rescued after an electrical fault set hay on fire at […] Read more
If NAFTA ain’t broke, don’t fix it, pork sector says
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — As talks begin toward reworking the North American Free Trade Agreement, John Ross of the Canadian Pork Council repeats what many in the pork and beef industries in Canada and the U.S. have been saying all along: First, do no harm. “The worst thing that could happen to us was if we […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Supply jitters extend CME live cattle futures losses
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell for a fourth straight session on Thursday, dragged down by growing worries about hefty near-term supplies, traders said. “We’ve got more numbers (cattle) out here and more numbers coming, and that’s just a Damocles sword over this market,” said Top Third Marketing analyst Mark Gold. Fund […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle hits 8-month low on cash prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures tumbled to the lowest level in eight months, led by fund liquidation and weaker-than-expected prices for cattle ready for processing, traders said. August ended 2.475 cents per pound lower at 110.000 cents, and October closed 2.550 cents lower at 108.050 cents. Packers in the U.S. Plains on […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Market uncertainty weighs on CME live cattle futures
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were weakened on Tuesday by uncertainty over how much packers will pay for cattle this week and whether the seasonal lull in wholesale beef demand has ended, traders said. Futures remained at a steep discount, or undervalued, compared with this week’s expected prices for market-ready or cash […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures turn higher on cash discounts
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs settled higher on Friday, with buyers attracted to futures that remained undervalued compared to prices paid by packers for market-ready, or cash, hogs, traders said. CME’s hog index, a barometer for cash prices, for Aug. 2 was 87.11 per cwt. Bargain buying after recent losses and purchases by […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Beef price bounce extends live cattle gains
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished in bullish territory for a third straight session on Thursday, helped by firmer wholesale beef values, said traders. Technical buying and futures’ discounts to cash prices so far this week provided additional market support, they said. August ended 0.700 cent per pound higher at 115.225 cents […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
