Ranchers' ranks thinnest since the Depression

The number of cattle farms in Canada has fallen to an 80-year low as ranchers struggle to manage high grain costs and tightening export rules. Statistics Canada said Tuesday fewer than 100,000 farms reported beef or dairy cattle in their operations as of Jan. 1, with cattle herds in Alberta shrinking to seven-year lows. Across the country only 99,265 farms had cattle on-site, numbers not seen since the census of 1931, said Robert Plourde of Statistics Canada. "Canadian producers had no incentive to increase their herds," Plourde said. "Grain prices have skyrocketed, there were less American buyers in the fall auction and at the same time the Canadian dollar was stronger, so prices were lower."...read more