Ontario’s Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC) has elected a new chair and vice chair and two new directors to its board at its recent annual general meeting. Brian Miller, a Huron County farmer and the poultry industry representative on the board, steps up as chair of the organization, while Don Gordon, a farmer from the… Read More
Soil health, in a rotational grazing and cattle operation sense, starts with ground cover and consistently adding organic matter that will eventually become sequestered carbon. Logistics-wise and from a management stand-point, how is improved soil health achieved in a cattle operation? In this Soil School episode, Bernard Tobin is in the field with Aaron Bowman,… Read More
The Canadian Western Agribition’s scholarship program is now open for applications. The program, intended to provide financial support and incentive to young people in order to pursue post-secondary and graduate education, is open to students in their second or subsequent year in programs at least two years in duration. Applicants must be passionate about agriculture… Read More
JBS USA confirmed on June 9 it paid the equivalent of US$11 million in ransom in response to the criminal hack against its operations. At the time of payment, the vast majority of the company’s facilities were operational. In consultation with internal IT professionals and third-party cybersecurity experts, the company made the decision to mitigate… Read More
Drought is hitting areas on the eastern side of the prairies hard, and unless weather patterns change, ranchers in many cases will be hitting a wall as feed supplies dry up as early as July. Tyler Fulton, rancher, president of Manitoba Beef Producers, and director with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, joined RealAg Radio guest host… Read More
Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development is advising that due to dry conditions in parts of the province over the past few years, livestock producers will temporarily be allowed to cut hay on Crown lands not normally designated for agricultural use. Non-agricultural Crown lands can be made available for agricultural use, under certain circumstances. The Agricultural… Read More
Several converging factors are putting the squeeze on the cattle value chain and industry dynamics, and the recent cyber attack on JBS has added another layer of disruption to an already stressed system. JBS announced the hacking, possibly Russian in origin, earlier this week. The cyber attack meant the company ceased slaughter in several plants,… Read More
Canada’s Competition Bureau has turned down a request to look into concerns that a lack of competition has allowed the price of deadstock pickup from farms to skyrocket in parts of the country. The Manitoba Pork Council filed a complaint earlier this year, noting a ten-fold increase in prices charged by Rothsay Rendering for fallen… Read More
JBS has told U.S. government officials it believes the cybersecurity attack that has affected the meat processing giant’s computer servers in North America and Australia was likely based in Russia. “JBS notified the administration that the ransom demand came from a criminal organization likely based in Russia,” said White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre… Read More
New Holland has announced it will launch its methane-powered tractors in Europe this year, and North America won’t be far behind. Mark Lowery, the company’s commercial marketing director, says U.S. and Canadian farmers can expect to see test and demonstration T6 model methane tractors later in 2021, with the first commercial sales targeted for late… Read More
The disconnect between the cutout value and the fed cattle cash market has continued to frustrate producers in Canada and the U.S. South of the border, the temperature is rising for politicians to grasp some political will, while in Canada the volume has been much quieter on the matter. With the choice cutout reaching US$330… Read More
It’s been another steady week for cash cattle trade in both the U.S. and Canada. Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock Exchange says that in the U.S., trade has been at $118-$119, and around $187-$191 dressed, while the storyline from previous weeks for cutout values continues. “Choice closed last night at $330 USD, which is… Read More
An important step forward was taken May 27 for the Canadian beef industry, as the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) recognized Canada as negligible risk for Bovine Spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). “The recommendation by the OIE’s Scientific Commission to grant Canada negligible risk status for BSE is a historic closing of the BSE era for… Read More
The United States has requested and established a dispute settlement panel to review measures regarding Canada’s administration of its dairy tariff rate quota (TRQs) policies, under the new trade agreement USMCA/CUSMA. The U.S. is challenging Canada’s allocation of dairy TRQs — specifically the set-aside of a percentage of each dairy TRQ exclusively for Canadian processors…. Read More
As beef demand has been strong, both domestically and in the export market, ranchers and feedyards are struggling to find strength in the fed cattle market. While the choice cutout reached $324.18 this week and packer profits have surged, the fed cattle price has not lifted in the same manner, leaving feedyards frustrated. While packers… Read More