WINNIPEG (Reuters) – Canada’s livestock exports to the United States continue to fall, even after last year’s freefall caused by the U.S. country-of-origin meat labelling law.
Cattle exports to the U.S. fell 23.1 percent in the first 30 days of 2010 to 71,277 head, compared with January 2009, according the Canadian agriculture department.
Hog exports fell nine percent to 491,028 head.
The United States is Canada’s largest livestock export market.
Last year was the first to reflect the law that required U.S. packers to label their products with the country of origin, which has added to their costs and hurt prices for Canadian farmers.
Total Canadian livestock exports to the United States fell 32 percent in 2009 to 7.2 million head of cattle and hogs.
A World Trade Organization panel is expected to report by autumn on a complaint by Canada and Mexico against the labelling law.
Exports of slaughter-ready hogs fell 22 percent in January, while farmers shipped five percent fewer feeder hogs to be finished in the United States.
