AGCanada

The number of cattle placed in U.S. feedlots last month was up 15 per cent from a year earlier, a government report showed Friday, and analysts said reduced feed costs encouraged fattening cattle for slaughter. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported April placements at 1.75 million head, up 15 per cent from 1.521 million in April 2012. Analysts, on average, estimated a 13.1 per cent increase. "The price for corn was much lower in April than in March so it made it more attractive to place…
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A potentially fatal hog virus, porcine epidemic diarrhea, has been found in the United States for the first time, government and private industry officials said on Friday, posing a new threat for the country's struggling pork producers. PEDV, an incurable condition that causes diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration in hogs, has been identified in Iowa, the largest producing state, and possibly beyond. The severity of the outbreak is not yet known. The virus exists in much of the world but has not…
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Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed lower on Friday as traders adjusted positions ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture monthly cattle-on-feed report that was released after the futures closed, analysts and traders said. Analysts called the report neutral for futures on Monday as its supply numbers were nearly in line with trade estimates. "We pressed the market all week so we have to see how much of the report is dialed in," said U.S. Commodities analyst Don…
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Despite a slow start to seeding in Manitoba this spring, farmers should still be able to plant a record-large soybean crop. Statistics Canada reported in its latest planting intentions report that farmers in Manitoba intended to plant 1.085 million acres of soybeans as of March 31. Shawn Rempel, products manager with Quarry Seed at Stonewall, Man., said as long as there's good weather over the next couple of weeks, farmers should reach the StatsCan estimate. "I think if the rain holds off for…
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With warming weather come weeds and pests. So far insect pest numbers on the agricultural Prairies have been light -- although that can change quickly. "Given the late spring, no hot issues have popped up yet." said Brent Flaten, integrated pest management specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture in Moose Jaw. During a recent Twitter chat, Alberta Agriculture insect management specialist Scott Meers said he has found modest numbers of army cutworms in southern Alberta. The damage has mostly…
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The federal government has joined with the Saskatchewan government and University of Saskatchewan to form a new Canadian Wheat Alliance, dedicated to improving yields and profitability of wheat. "The Canadian Wheat Alliance will improve the quality of Canadian wheat, and enhance Canada's competitive position in the growing world market," said federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in a release Thursday. "The benefits of this alliance will flow throughout the entire value chain, strengthening…
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Glyphosate resistance continues to be a hot topic as more Ontario growers head into the field to finish off their corn planting and begin work on their soybean acres. Yet according to Dr. Peter Sikkema, a recent find of glyphosate-resistant Canada fleabane and giant ragweed in Huron County comes as something of a surprise. Sikkema, a weed scientist with the University of Guelph's Ridgetown Campus, was at the bi-weekly meeting of certified crop advisors (CCAs) and extension personnel with…
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Canada will put forward a list of U.S. products it wants to target in retaliation for U.S. country-of-origin meat labels if last-minute changes to U.S. label regulations don't prove satisfactory, Canadian officials said on Friday. The dispute stems from a 2009 U.S. requirement that retail outlets put the country of origin on labels on meat and other products, a move the government said was in an effort to give U.S. consumers more information about their food. Canada and Mexico complained that…
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U.S. corn futures rose 1.8 per cent on Friday, reversing three days of declines on strong cash markets as farmers focused on planting their 2013 crop rather than selling in the cash market, traders and analysts said. Soybeans rose for a second session, with the benchmark July contract reaching a two-month high on tight U.S. supplies and a firm cash market. Wheat fell for a third day in a row on technical selling and crop-friendly rains in key wheat growing areas of the U.S., Australia and the…
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Starting July 2, federally inspected meat plants in Canada will be required to label beef steaks or roasts that have been mechanically tenderized, the federal government announced Friday. The move is part of new mandatory federal requirements designed to strengthen control over E. coli. Contaminated needles used to mechanically tenderize meat was identified as one of the factors contributing to the recent E. coli outbreak at Alberta processor XL Foods. While these actions are specific to…
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