I hear and understand some of the issues that consumers have with the supply management structure. I do at times struggle with other farmers criticizing the supply management structure and saying that "it has to go." Why would a member of the farmer brethren, a fellow peer, a guy that farms right beside a dairy... Read More
Category: Livestock
Just when you think you know someone. Open the paper yesterday and it appears that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has offered up the supply management industry in negotiations to allow Canada to be apart of the TPP. I made several calls to members involved with the dairy lobby and trade and the feelings are strongly... Read More
Understanding the cattle market right now can be a real head-scratcher if you don't know what to pay attention to. Trying to determine the factors influencing the wild market swings is like chasing the wind. There are a number of outside factors all exerting some kind of influence from unstable overseas markets to inside bids... Read More
It looks as though Japan may consider easing restrictions on Canadian beef imports, as the first of many high level meetings have taken place in Tokyo. The meeting which took place last week inside the Japanese ministry of health and was focused on changing the age limit for domestic testing and import of cattle from... Read More
Now that it looks like the Canadian Wheat Board's single desk is about to be extinguished, it seems that the main stream media has turned its focus to the Canadian Dairy industry. Is the CWB situation the same as the supply mananged dairy industry? Should the Canadian dairy industry be in Gerry Ritz's cross hairs... Read More
The USDA October Cattle on Feed Report came out late last week with one number in particular well above U.S. analysts estimates. The October 1st on-feed inventory was roughly a percent above estimates, re-establishing the impact the drought in key cattle producing parts of the U.S. is having on the regular flow of cattle. The... Read More
The Alberta & Saskatchewan Cattle on Feed report came out last week and a number of over arching themes emerged. The small herd numbers are evident when we take a look at feed yard placement numbers and heifer retention. The strong calf prices seem to be driving that heifer retention as ranchers consider replentishing the... Read More
Expect the unexpected is one of those phrases we've been trained to associate with something negative. In the reality of this global economic situation, that is understandable. Sometimes however, we get an unexpected silver lining type situation. The story surrounding our Canadian dollar and our cattle exports is one of those. A weaker dollar,(even if... Read More
The whole North American cattle industry is focused squarely on the drought situation in the United States. The realities of aggressively pulling animals forward is sure to play on the market and prices through the New Year. With last Friday's release of the September 1, 2011 Cattle on Feed Report from the USDA, we wait... Read More
With the announcement of the TWIST package in the United States this week, the currency and commodity markets have been put into a volatile mess. I say mess, cattle feeders say relief. With the Canadian Dollar dropping below par for the first time since February, Canadian cattle feeders can now breath a sigh of relief... Read More