Latest News From Hogs - General

Red meat buyers from Central and South America and the Caribbean recently met with U.S. suppliers in Cartagena, Colombia, during the 11th U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Latin American Product Showcase.

Packers have reduced harvest and employed other tactics in an effort to regain positive margins. Pork producer margins took another step higher as lean carcass prices advance.

Kansas State University beef cattle veterinarians share tips on disposing products, needles and syringes that are a risk to humans.

Charlie Besher, the chairman of NCBA’s Property Rights and Environmental Management Committee, told a U.S. House committee how predatory black vultures take a toll on cattle producers’ livestock and livelihoods.

Raising teens isn’t for the faint of hearts. Raising teens is not easy and while many of those years are spent watching our children thrive on and off the farm, other times we are just trying to survive.

Animal activists look for ways to disrupt the livestock industry. However, in Missouri, interfering with the shipping of livestock is now considered a felony offense, with a fine up to $10,000 and prison time.

The House Committee on Agriculture has established a bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group to address the pressing labor challenges faced by the agricultural industry.

House Ag Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson, along with other members, is seeking additional funding sources for the bill, but that will likely be the biggest farm bill hurdle that may trip up lawmakers.

Last week produced the lowest feed costs and lowest break evens for pigs placed in the finish barns since December 2021. Cattle feeders also saw declining feeding costs.

A mid-year report from Farmers National shows land values are increasing by single digits instead of the double digits common in 2021-22. But the company says it has a strong roster of listings headed into late summer.

A new tactic by animal rights groups: Infiltrate and co-opt advocacy groups, politicians, and even farmers. "Phony Farm" groups present an ag face but have shared causes, and funders, with animal rights extremists.

If a seasonal price decline develops as anticipated, this year’s starting point for cattle feeders is the best in a decade. Pork producers notch their second week of modest profits.

While the risk of malaria infection remains low, the CDC says Anopheles mosquito vectors, found throughout many regions of the country, are capable of transmitting malaria if they feed on a malaria-infected person.

Which cities have the best barbeque? The answer depends on who you ask, and two recent rankings provide different results.

While many tools for managing risk exist for livestock producers today, livestock risk protection (LRP) might be an option for producers to consider no matter how large or small the operation.

The Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor is a new survey of nearly 50 economists. Most ag economists agree the next 12 months could produce more financial pressure for agriculture, but their views vary depending on commodity.

Wholesale beef prices continue to support packer margins even as negotiated cash cattle trade well-above the five-year average. Pork producers enjoy a market rally that has lifted margins out of the red.

Iowa State University's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) is set to revolutionize molecular diagnostic testing with the introduction of a cutting-edge machine—the “SmartChip.”

Three California-based cultivated meat companies have received approval from USDA to begin producing and marketing lab-grown chicken.

Cattle feeders saw their margins shrink $70 per head last week as a modest increase in market-ready supplies led packers to sharply cut their negotiated purchases.

The Packers and Stockyards Act changes may be coming, as the Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill has been sent to the full House for consideration.

Cattle feeders sold more cattle last week than any week this year and at the highest price in history. Pork producers saw modest profits.

Interfering with the shipping of livestock may soon be a felony offense in the state of Missouri, with the inclusion of Rep. Brenda Shields’ bill as part of a larger public safety package.

Starting on June 11, over-the-counter livestock antibiotics will no longer be available through traditional retail channels.

Profit margins for cattle feeders and packers continue pacing in opposite directions as shrinking supplies of market-ready cattle drive negotiated cash prices higher.

Cattle feeders experience largest average profits in seven years as packer margins dip into the red.

Meat demand peaked last year, but economists say domestic demand is still stronger than pre-pandemic levels, and with more grilling this Memorial Day weekend, it could help boost domestic meat demand.

The Meat Institute partners with the Information Technology-Information Sharing and Analysis Center to enhance cybersecurity for the meat and poultry industry.

It’s one thing to tell students about livestock production; it’s another thing to show them. Here's why one Iowa school is turning heads and opening people's eyes to the opportunities in livestock production.

The Protein PACT Academic Advisory Council is formed to advise on research priorities and the latest evidence related to meat production and consumption.

The Protein PACT Academic Advisory Council is formed to advise on research priorities and the latest evidence related to meat production and consumption.

According to Iowa State University's David Verhoeven, vaccines using mRNA technology have been shown to reduce disease on farms, and it’s all but impossible for them to end up in your food.

Farming is getting far more complex, says Ted Matthews, director of Rural Minnesota Mental Health Support. Because of that, it’s more important than ever to take care of yourself.

Cattle feeders saw average profits of more than $300 per head last week while pork producers found average losses of about $13 per head.

U.S. House Agriculture's Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday provided an opportunity for animal agriculture stakeholders to detail their priorities they hope to achieve from lawmakers actions.

Grilling season set to kick off as both packers and cattle feeders operating with profitable margins. Pork producers continue the struggle to reach profitability.

Packers have navigated through the tightest supplies of the season while maintaining profitability. Now, supplies are anticipated to increase seasonally which could swing more leverage in their favor.

Cash cattle prices declined last week for the first time in a month, but wholesale prices moved higher for the fifth consecutive week. Prices for yearling feeder cattle placed on feed topped $200 per cwt.

As misinformation regarding the use of mRNA vaccines in livestock filter through social media, there are facts begging to be set straight.

Cattle feeders have experienced their best month in years with prices reaching record levels. Hog producers, however, are struggling to keep margins out of the red.

To restrict drone surveillance of livestock facilities without the permission of the property owner, the Iowa House recently passed legislation, House File 572.

How fair officials and the local sheriff, both unencumbered by intelligence, tarnished your image as a livestock producer and created a public relations disaster.

Average cattle feeding margins increased last week as negotiated cash prices set new record highs.

As cash cattle prices have been on an upward trajectory in 2023, packer margins have correspondingly moved lower. Sterling Marketing's weekly estimates are printing packer margins red for the first time in six years.

Liz Hayden, a freshman at Lincoln Land Community College and a former Section 12 Illinois FFA president, recently voiced her opinion on Senate Bill 2132 during a testimony in front of an Illinois Senate committee.

Cattle feeding margins remain favorable despite higher costs. Tighter supplies of market-ready cattle become a growing challenge for packers as their margins are squeezed.

Former “Baywatch” star Alexandra Paul and activist Alicia Santurio were found not guilty of misdemeanor theft after “rescuing” two chickens in 2021. Although they faced jail time, Paul says it was worth the risk.

For his work in farm management extension and research on livestock production, marketing and risk management, Lee Schulz recieves the 2023 Dean Lee R. Kolmer Award for Excellence in Applied Research from Iowa State.

In celebration of National Ag Day and National Ag Week, the 2023 Feeding the Economy report shows just how vital the industry is to U.S. families, communities and the world.

The sources of stress and uncertainty for the season ahead are plentiful. When uncertainty is plentiful, so is decision paralysis. To play offense and face the biggest risks to your farm, use this decision framework.