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
Check Grain Quality Fast with this Shaker Box Friday, October 31, 2025 The Bushel Plus Grain Shaker Box is a quick and reliable tool for checking the quality of grain and detecting cracked kernels within seconds. Whether you’re inside the combine cab or working near the grain dryer, this portable device makes it easy to test grain samples on the spot.... Read this article online
Ag in the House: Oct. 20 – 24 Friday, October 31, 2025 MPs brought up ag and related issues multiple times during last week’s question period. On Oct. 20, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre asked if the Liberals would remove four taxes to make food more affordable for Canadians. “They now have four inflationary taxes that apply to... Read this article online
Kinew says drop tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to get Chinese duties dropped Friday, October 31, 2025 Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew is asking the prime minister to scrap Canada’s 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles in return for China lifting its tariffs on Canadian canola and pork. Kinew says in a letter to Mark Carney on Saturday that while he believes protecting Canada’s... Read this article online
Canadian Organic Alliance Launches National Action Plan Thursday, October 30, 2025 New Strategy Aims to Boost Canada’s Organic Agriculture The Canadian Organic Alliance; a coalition of the Canada Organic Trade Association, Canadian Organic Growers, and the Organic Federation of Canada has unveiled an Organic Action Plan for Canada. The initiative urges federal and... Read this article online
Federal Bureaucracy Grows While Service Quality Declines Thursday, October 30, 2025 New CFIB Report Shows Small Businesses Face Slow, Inconsistent Service from Federal Departments A new report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) reveals that despite significant growth in the federal public service, small businesses continue to experience slow,... Read this article online