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Editor’s Take: That’s really not COOL

Our American cousins are like a lot of extended family. We might love them, most days. But sometimes we watch their antics, scratch our heads, and wonder what the heck they’re thinking. And there aren’t a lot of issues being pursued through their political system that make less sense than the perennial push for mandatory

CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 40- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: June hogs touch four-week high

June, August live cattle futures up slightly

Chicago | Reuters — CME Group hog futures rose to their highest level in more than a month on Thursday, supported by strong exports and concerns about a slowing slaughter, traders said. Cattle futures ended the trading day close to unchanged. The U.S. Agriculture Department on Thursday morning said that export sales of pork totaled


CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures weaken on cash market pressure

CME hog futures close mixed

Chicago | Reuters — CME Group cattle futures dipped on Wednesday, pressured by weakness in the cash markets, traders said. Hog futures were mixed, with prices closing well off their session highs after contracts hit technical resistance. The nearby June hogs contract rose 0.025 cent to 109.05 cents/lb., while most-active July futures fell 1.1 cents,




CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: August live cattle, feeders ease on USDA report

Chicago lean hog futures firm

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were mixed on Friday, with the nearby contract firming while the most-active month eased, pressured by expectations of increased cattle placements in the U.S. Agriculture Department’s monthly assessment. U.S. feedlots held two per cent more cattle on May 1 versus the same time a year


Brazil’s JBS says China lockdowns won’t affect demand, logistics a concern

Brazilian meat giant JBS SA played down the effects of COVID-19-related lockdowns in China, saying they would not affect demand for JBS products despite causing logistics concerns, according to management remarks on May 12. During the first quarter, inventories rose in the United States because of logistics issues that also hampered U.S. ports, increasing costs



CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle fall with equities

Concerns remain over U.S. consumer demand

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle and feeder cattle futures dropped on Wednesday as traders reduced risk amid steep losses in the stock market, analysts said. Lean hog futures strengthened at the CME. Cattle futures are more sensitive than hogs to falling stock prices, said Dan Norcini, an independent livestock trader. Wall

U.K. pork producers are facing unprecedented losses as costs of production soar.

Struggling British pig industry calls for grocer Tesco to step up

Reuters – The trade body for Britain’s pig industry on May 5 told Tesco, the country’s biggest supermarket group, it needs to do more to support struggling producers or risk losing its U.K. pork supply base. In an open letter to Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy, the chairman of the National Pig Association (NPA), Rob