Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with steel workers at Stelco in Hamilton on March 13, 2018. (File photo: Reuters/Mark Blinch)

U.S. boosts trade pact’s outlook lifting tariffs on Canadian, Mexican metals

Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington/Ottawa | Reuters — The United States struck deals on Friday to lift tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and Mexico, the three governments said, removing a major obstacle to legislative approval of a new North American trade pact. The separate agreements, which will not impose U.S. quotas on Canadian and Mexican metals […] Read more



The proposal to increase checkoff funding for Beef Farmers of Ontario passed with a significant majority this year. (John Greig photo)

Ontario beef checkoff to rise by $1.50

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ontario beef farmers have approved an increase of $1.50 in checkoff per animal to fund an ambitious industry-wide marketing effort for Ontario beef. Producers at the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) annual meeting in Mississauga on Wednesday voted 87 per cent in favour of the plan. A similar plan was rejected at last year’s annual […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

Cargill’s net earnings down as trade fight bites

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Grains trader Cargill on Thursday reported a 20 per cent drop in its fiscal second-quarter 2019 net earnings, as global trade tensions hit the bottom line along with challenges in the Chinese hog sector and a struggling U.S. dairy business. Three of the company’s four business units reported results that were […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Favourable margins support feeder market

Reading Time: 2 minutes There were no sales last week with auction barns closed for the holiday season; therefore, we start the year looking forward at factors that will influence the feeder market over the next month. While the feeder market was quiet, feedlot operators were surprised with the U.S. fed cattle market jumping US$3-$4 from seven days earlier. […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

McDonald’s to curb antibiotic use in its beef supply

Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — McDonald’s Corp. said Tuesday it plans to reduce the use of antibiotics in its global beef supply, fueling projections that other restaurants will follow suit. The move by the world’s biggest fast-food chain addresses concerns that the overuse of antibiotics vital to fighting human infections in farm animals may diminish the drugs’ effectiveness […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Cattle climb on technical buying, demand optimism

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures gained about one per cent on Tuesday, lifted by technical buying and optimism for the continued robust demand for cattle and beef, traders and analysts said. Cattle futures shrugged off three straight sessions of declines to rise to the highest levels in about a week. […] Read more