Continued uncertainty for hog producers in 2013

After a six-year period of poor profitability, Canadian producers are on a knife edge, especially those in the West. With the hog price at around $1.45 and production costs of at least $170 per hog, they have been bleeding cash over the winter. And now the latest census data suggests that the supply of hogs

USDA chief says meat inspector furloughs still months away

Furloughs of U.S. meat inspectors that could disrupt meat delivery throughout the country will probably be concentrated in July through September, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told lawmakers March 5. Vilsack said furloughs of meat inspectors required under sequestration, or automatic budget cuts that took effect this month, will disrupt the meat industry. He said USDA



Brazil’s Vale backs out of Argentine potash deal

sao paulo /reuters Brazilian miner Vale SA said March 11 it is suspending investments in its $6-billion Rio Colorado potash project in Argentina that has been plagued with cost overruns. The company said in a press statement that the project was not “in line with Vale’s commitment to discipline in capital allocation.” Vale had put


Don’t expect quick end to COOL law

Don’t hold your breath in hopes Washington will amend its country-of-origin labelling law (COOL) by the May 23 deadline ordered by the World Trade Organization, says the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “The U.S. government could still pull a rabbit out of its hat and actually change the COOL regulations, but I don’t think it will,” said

Heating up the COOL dispute

The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and the Canadian Pork Council want Ottawa to up the pressure on Washington to end its discriminatory country-of-origin labelling regulations. The World Trade Organization has given the U.S. until May 23 to amend its COOL legislation or face retaliation from Canada and Mexico. “Canada still expects the U.S. to meet the





EU farm subsidy reforms cut payments to the wealthiest farms

Europe’s wealthiest landowners, including Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and Spain’s Duchess of Alba, will see deep cuts to their future farm subsidies under proposals from members of the European Parliament Jan. 23. Annual payments to the top recipients of agricultural subsidies should be capped at 300,000 euros from 2014, the European Parliament’s influential agriculture committee said.

COOL damage pegged at $2 billion for pork alone

Canada could retaliate if the U.S. fails to comply with COOL ruling, 
but expert says picking a fight with your neighbour requires serious thought

It’s illegal under international trade rules and is estimated to have cost producers billions in lost sales, but Canada doesn’t have a lot of options for ending the pain caused by the American country-of-origin labelling (COOL) legislation. A recent report by the Canadian Pork Council estimates the sector has lost nearly $2 billion in revenue