Ag committee concludes all levels of government must work together to protect the B.C. region from future devastation
Governments must join forces to develop a flood control plan for British Columbia’s Fraser Valley and protect farmers and communities there, said a federal Senate committee. “At the rate that Canada is warming, we know major floods will reoccur and the damage they cause would be much worse,” said Ontario senator Robert Black, chair of […] Read moreBeef cattle
Canfax report
This cattle market information is selected from the weekly report from Canfax, a division of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. More market information, analysis and statistics are available by becoming a Canfax subscriber by calling 403-275-5110 or at www.canfax.ca. High price, low basis The western Canadian fed market has been the tale of two stories. On […] Read more
Sask. clarifies new crown lease wording
The Saskatchewan government has clarified a recent notice that went out to cattle producers who lease Crown land. Producers were confused about changes outlined in the letter, which changed billing dates and addressed the use of personal information. The notice said the annual rent would be due Oct. 1 from now on and that interest […] Read more
Unprecedented drought grips SW Sask.
Soil moisture conditions in western Saskatchewan are far worse than they were in the Dirty Thirties, says a farm leader. “It’s not just a little bit drier than the 1930s, it’s way drier,” said Garner Deobald, president of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association. For instance, annual precipitation in Swift Current so far in 2022 is […] Read more
Rising input costs may overwhelm cattle prices
Drought-induced herd reductions and increasing production costs threaten to spoil brighter beef market for producers
Beef prices are up. So is the availability of feed combined with tighter margins for packers and the dwindling inventory of North American cattle. That should have the market trajectory heading in the right direction. But scratch the surface of the market and things aren’t necessarily as rosy as they might appear. “It’s pretty good,” […] Read more
Drought still top of mind for cattle producers in Sask.
Cow herd likely to shrink further following several years of dry conditions, particularly in province’s southwestern region
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — Drought will take its toll on the Saskatchewan cow herd again this fall, said Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association vice-chair Keith Day. Speaking after the fall district meeting in his region and before some much-needed moisture a few days later, Day said the situation is worse than the 1980s after several years of […] Read more
Unusual weather produces challenges for B.C. farmers
Producers were keeping an eye on unusual weather conditions this fall that have affected much of British Columbia less than a year after some of the worst flooding in provincial history. Warmer weather has delayed the return of cattle to some ranches, said Kevin Boon, general manager of the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association. “Out here, we […] Read more
Grass-fed vs. grain-fed: what’s best?
Trade-offs dominate as researchers in California compare outcomes in various types of grass-fed beef production
Grass-fed beef production has seen a groundswell of support as public concerns over climate change have increased. This consumer ideology helped drive retail sales of fresh grass-fed beef in the United States from $17 million in 2012 to $272 million in 2016 and experts predict niche market and grass-fed beef sales will increase globally by […] Read moreCanfax report
This cattle market information is selected from the weekly report from Canfax, a division of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. More market information, analysis and statistics are available by becoming a Canfax subscriber by calling 403-275-5110 or at www.canfax.ca. Americans are buying Stagnant Canadian fed markets got a boost last week as American buyers procured cash […] Read more
Externalities: farmers caught in the middle
Farmers have the honour of being a textbook example of a group of people who inhabit a crucial but seldom discussed (by the public) economic concept: Externalities. It’s something that could bring or cost farmers lots in the future. It’s the concept of costs or benefits of something being unrecognized in the price or cost […] Read more
