Reading Time: 2 minutes Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazil’s JBS, the world’s largest meatpacker, has said the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic could cause container shortages, port disruptions and other logistics issues, but said trade flows should stay strong thanks to Chinese demand. In a conference call to discuss earnings results on Thursday, JBS executives said its export operations had […] Read more
JBS sees steady trade flows but flags export woes
U.S. under pressure to keep slaughterhouses open
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking to reassure meat producers it will keep slaughterhouses staffed with federal inspectors as fears about potential shutdowns due to the COVID-19 coronavirus hammer livestock prices and fuel concerns about food supplies, meat industry groups said on Monday. Livestock markets have been hit hard as […] Read more
CFIA rethinking limits on travellers’ personal food imports
Consultation running until March
Reading Time: 2 minutes The federal government is considering changes to the amounts of food travellers can bring into Canada with them from other countries for their personal use. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Thursday announced public online consultations on the proposed new limits, which CFIA said would “better reflect the volume of foods typically moved by travellers […] Read more
Coronavirus disrupts China meat imports, food supplies
Swine fever has created pork shortage
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Coronavirus is disrupting meat shipments to China as the country faces a shortage due to an outbreak of a fatal pig disease, Tyson Foods Inc and U.S. agricultural groups said on Thursday. An outbreak of African swine fever, which infects only pigs, has decimated China’s herd, pushing Chinese pork prices to […] Read more
Canada, China both ‘furious’ over Huawei row, envoy says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Canada and China are both “furious” over the case of a Huawei executive detained in Canada in 2018 and its aftermath, but there are signs the two sides can hold constructive talks, the Canadian ambassador to Beijing said Wednesday. Canadian police picked up Huawei Technologies chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on […] Read more
Conflicting studies point to meat moderation as healthy diet
Reading Time: 2 minutes London | Reuters — A new study on meat consumption has found that people who eat red and processed meat have higher risks of heart disease and early death — contradicting recent research that suggested cutting out meat has few health benefits. The multiple findings can make it “difficult for people to make sense of […] Read more
Canada says bogus certificates being used to smuggle meat into China
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Unknown actors are using bogus certificates to smuggle Canadian meat into China, Trade Minister Jim Carr said on Wednesday, a day after Beijing halted beef and pork imports citing falsified paperwork. China, which has already blocked imports of Canadian canola seed and product from three pork plants, said on Tuesday it […] Read more
Increased Chinese inspections on Canadian meat for pork only
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ottawa | Reuters — Chinese plans to boost inspections of Canadian meat imports only affect pork rather than all meat products as the federal agriculture ministry initially stated, a Canadian government official said on Wednesday. A ministry notice seen by Reuters on Tuesday said the Canadian embassy in Beijing had been told Chinese customs agents […] Read more
Russian agricultural firms raided over suspected tax evasion
Reading Time: 2 minutes Moscow | Reuters — Meat producer Cherkizovo and farming conglomerate Rusagro were among agricultural firms across Russia targeted in a sweeping investigation into suspected tax evasion on Wednesday. The Tax Service said so far five potential breaches had been uncovered in inspections carried out with the Federal Security Service (FSB) at agricultural holdings across 13 […] Read more
Meat-less meat takes a big step closer to becoming mainstream
Terms like “cultured proteins” may not make anyone salivate the way a sizzling steak can, but that’s not stopping Canada’s grocery sector from getting ready for meat-case revolution
Reading Time: 4 minutes Another new President’s Choice product made headlines recently. But who would have guessed what it was this time? Are you ready? It’s cricket powder, now part of Loblaw’s popular private label brand. Last year’s breakthrough seems so much more pedestrian by comparison. It was a vegetarian burger that bleeds like a real meat patty on […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
