CME February 2023 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (pink line) and CME December 2022 live cattle (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end mostly lower

December, February hog futures up

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures closed mostly lower on Monday on technical selling and worries about consumer demand for high-priced cuts of beef, traders said. Most-active CME February live cattle futures settled down 0.7 cent at 152.55 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Deferred contracts also ended lower, but the spot

CME February 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME futures fall on grain rally

Beef cutout price drops

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) livestock futures slid on Friday as grain futures rallied, underpinned by strong commodities and equities markets, brokers said. The downward trend started when live cattle markets took a hit earlier in the day, when the feeder cattle traders began selling off their positions as corn futures firmed


CME December 2022 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle firm as grain markets pressured

Hogs under seasonal price pressure

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures firmed at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) on Thursday, as grain markets came under pressure from investor profit-taking even as the U.S. dollar tumbled on news U.S consumer prices rose less than expected in October, brokers said. December live cattle settled 1.5 cents higher at 153.075 cents/lb. February

CME December 2022 lean hogs with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs end lower, consolidate after rally

December live cattle futures flat

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures pulled back on Tuesday as the market consolidated after climbing nearly five per cent during the previous session, brokers said. CME December hogs closed 1.475 cents, or 1.7 per cent, lower at 85.575 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Wholesale pork prices were also lower. The U.S.



‘When farmers view themselves as commodity producers, there can be a tendency to think that the responsibility for their products ends upon delivery to the processing facility or the elevator. That is not the case.’ – Cam Dahl.

Comment: We are food producers

Inside agriculture they might be commodities, but at the grocery store, what you produce is food

Farmers are often referred to as “producers” – wheat producers, canola producers, cattle producers, hog producers, etc. While these references are logically rooted in the commodities grown on individual farms, they don’t provide a bridge to consumers filling their grocery carts. If we change the way we look at what farmers do, away from these


(Sollio Co-operative Group video screengrab via YouTube)

Pork packer Olymel laying off dozens of managers

Market unpredictability, 'growth challenges' cited

Major Canadian pork and poultry packer Olymel has laid off 57 people from its management ranks and eliminated another 120 administrative positions, citing the company’s current “market context and growth challenges.” Olymel, the meat packing arm of Quebec-based Sollio Cooperative Group, said Tuesday its affected employees were notified Monday and have received their layoff notices.

CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 40-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures hit over seven-year high

CME lean hogs also close higher

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts rose on Tuesday and the front-month contract hit its highest in more than seven years on strength in the cash market, traders said. Hog futures were also firm, with chart-based buying after contracts broke through key technical resistance points on Monday. CME December lean hog


CME December 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 30- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures rise on good demand

Cattle futures mostly lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures climbed to a near three-week high on Friday as strong demand and improved pork packer margins sparked buying ahead of the weekend, traders said. Another solid week of pork export sales added support, soothing concerns about rising supplies of market-ready hogs, they said. “Demand is

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

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs mostly down on weak margins, inflation worries

Beef packer margins in negative territory

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle and hog futures ended mostly lower on Thursday on eroding meat packer margins and as soaring inflation raises demand concerns, traders said. Technical selling and profit-taking further fueled declines in livestock futures after live cattle and lean hog contracts touched 2-1/2-week highs this week. A U.S. Labor