Worldwide hog production shrinks and Smithfield rocks Sunday, February 6, 2011 Only last June, a troubled Smithfield Foods Inc., based in Virginia, was denying published reports from Brazil that it was going to sell its pork production to JBS, the Brazilian meat packing giant that had already purchased Smithfield's beef operations. What a difference a few months make for the self-described world's largest pork processor and hog producer. While worldwide hog production shrank two per cent, Smithfield reported record high earnings in the quarter ending Oct. 31.Smithfield made money on both pig raising and processing. Live hog market prices rose 54 per cent to $56 per hundredweight from $36. Cutout prices rose more. "Smithfield is performing at record levels and we are focused on continuing to deliver strong earnings in the second half of fiscal 2011. All indications are that fiscal 2011 will be a record year for the company," said C. Larry Pope, president and chief executive officer, in a December press release.Published reports indicate that Smithfield managed to pay down half of a US$1 billion debt in bonds that were due in 2011. The other half may not be as easy, since recently the U.S. government renewed an ethanol subsidy that keeps grain prices high. BP 'Pocket pigs' pose problems Commercial feed is the salmonella culprit
AgTech Firm Spade Technologies Expands into Manitoba Tuesday, August 25, 2026 Spade Technologies, an AI-first software company developing intelligence infrastructure for the dairy sector, has announced that it will establish its Canadian headquarters in Manitoba with support from SVG Ventures | THRIVE, a global agrifood innovation and investment platform. The... Read this article online
Alveo partners with AgriNerds on bird flu surveillance Tuesday, August 25, 2026 Poultry producers may soon have access to a new tool designed to improve how they monitor and respond to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) threats. Alveo Technologies and AgriNerds have announced a partnership that will combine rapid on-farm molecular testing with real-time... Read this article online
Cleanfarms Collection Program Returns to Saskatchewan Monday, August 24, 2026 Southern Saskatchewan farmers will soon have an opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted pesticides and expired livestock or equine medications through a free environmental stewardship program organized byCleanfarms. The Unwanted Pesticides and Old Livestock/Equine Medications (UPLM)... Read this article online
”Reasonable indication” of wheat gluten dumping hurting Canada Monday, August 24, 2026 Dumping of wheat gluten from some countries is likely harming Canada’s domestic industry, an independent body said. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) determined on Aug. 18 there’s “a reasonable indication” of domestic injury because of wheat gluten dumping from Italy,... Read this article online
Rain Offers Relief to Drought-Stricken U.S. Regions as Strong El Niño Signals Wetter Fall Ahead Monday, August 24, 2026 Farmers across several drought-affected regions of the United States could soon receive much-needed moisture as changing weather patterns begin to emerge, according to the latest from Nutrien meteorologist Eric Snodgrass. The outlook points to rainfall reaching some of the driest... Read this article online