Biosecurity in Canada’s pork industry will be key to mitigating entry or spread of ASF.

African swine fever puts pork producers on high alert

Deadly virus found in the Dominican Republic

The arrival of African swine fever (ASF) in the Caribbean is fuelling concern that the virus could move onto the North American mainland.  The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed that the deadly hog virus was found in samples from pigs in the Dominican Republic on July 28 as a result of […] Read more

Representatives of les Eleveurs de porcs du Quebec speak Wednesday in Longueuil, calling on Premier Francois Legault to intervene in the strike at Olymel’s Vallee-Jonction hog slaughter plant. (Leseleveursdeporcsduquebec.com)

Striking Quebec pork plant staff reject deal with Olymel

Quebec hog farmers call for province to intervene

Quebec’s hog farmers now want Premier Francois Legault to step in on a months-long strike at a major pork packing plant after its workers rejected a tentative deal between their union and employer. Workers at Olymel’s plant at Vallee-Jonction, about 60 km southeast of Quebec City, met Tuesday evening to vote on an agreement in […] Read more

(Sollio Co-operative Group video screengrab via YouTube)

Olymel, Quebec workers reach deal in principle

Agreement may end months-long strike at hog plant

The union for workers at a major pork slaughter and packing plant in Quebec’s Beauce region says it has a deal that may end a strike which has backed up hogs on farms in the province since late April. The Syndicat des travailleurs d’Olymel Vallee-Jonction (STOVJ) — which represents over 1,000 employees at Olymel’s Vallee-Jonction […] Read more


(Sollio Co-operative Group video screengrab via YouTube)

Olymel strike talks delayed to mid-month, union says

Quebec hog plant's workers on strike since late April

A two-months-and-counting strike at a major Quebec hog slaughter and processing plant is expected to continue through to mid-July at the earliest due to scheduling issues, the workers’ union says. The Syndicat des travailleurs d’Olymel Vallee-Jonction-CSN — which represents over 1,000 striking workers at Olymel’s plant Vallee-Jonction, about 60 km southeast of Quebec City — […] Read more



Seasonal flu shots are recommended to help limit spread of flu viruses between people and livestock. (Inside Creative House/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Another swine flu variant case appears in Manitoba

Variant of H3N2 confirmed in southern Manitoba resident

A single and apparently isolated case of another influenza variant normally seen in hogs has turned up in a Manitoba resident, the province announced Monday. Manitoba Public Health on Monday said the H3N2 influenza variant (H3N2v) seen in this case is related to flu viruses that circulate in pigs, noting that while such viruses don’t […] Read more

Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA’s logo on a tower in Jundiai, northwest of Sao Paulo in southeastern Brazil, on June 1, 2017. (File photo: Reuters/Paulo Whitaker)

JBS says it paid US$11 million in bitcoin for ransom

Cyberattack disrupted plants in North America, Australia

Reuters — Meatpacker JBS USA paid a ransom equivalent to US$11 million (C$13.3 million) following a cyberattack that disrupted its North American and Australian operations, the company’s CEO said in a statement Wednesday. The subsidiary of Brazilian firm JBS halted cattle slaughtering at all of its U.S. plants and its Alberta beef plant for a […] Read more


CME July 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with August 2021 live cattle (dark red open/high/low/close). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: July hogs retreat after matching contract high

August live cattle up slightly, feeders down

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures ended mixed on Tuesday after matching a contract high because of tight U.S. supplies and firm cash markets, analysts said. The hog market has surged this year due to strong domestic demand and solid export sales to China, the world’s biggest pork consumer. Profit-taking […] Read more

Screengrab from a 2018 video showing cold storage at the JBS beef slaughter and packing plant at Brooks, Alta. (JBS video via YouTube)

JBS plants reopen as White House blames Russia over hack

Washington/Chicago | Reuters — JBS SA employees started returning to U.S. meat plants on Wednesday, a day after the company’s beef operations stopped following a ransomware attack, disrupting meat production in North America and Australia. A notorious Russia-linked hacking group is behind the cyberattack against JBS, a source familiar with the matter said. Brazil’s JBS […] Read more