Latest News From HOGS

A small (but loud) group of animal rights extremists and vegan activists are working hard to eliminate choice. They are doing so by applying intense pressure to restaurant, retail and foodservice brands. Here's how.

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

February U.S. pork and beef exports totals and values mixed, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the USMEF, with momentum continuing for pork and beef slightly lower year-over-year.

Spring livestock shows are underway with summer junior nationals and fall fairs not far behind. Biosecurity should always be a priority for exhibitors before, during and after the show.

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.

U.S. pork and beef exports contributed an estimated total economic impact of 15% per bushel to the value of corn and 13% per bushel to soybeans in 2022, study results find, released by USMEF.

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.

Rumors of doubt have been shared regarding the new construction of the Wholestone Foods pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, S.D. The company confirms a pause has been issued, for now.

Tyson Foods gave its chicken suppliers two months' notice of its plan to shut a Virginia processing plant in May, raising concerns among farmers and legal experts about Tyson's compliance with antitrust regulations.

National livestock groups are uniting to support Congressional efforts to expand opportunities for industry to invest in meat packing capacity. 

On June 11, FDA’s Guidance for Industry #263 brings 91 over-the-counter antimicrobial products from OTC to prescription oversight. Three experts weigh in on why you need to prepare for this change now.

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.

The management of Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA said on Wednesday it "will be selective" in relation to launching share buyback programs and also regarding acquisitions given instability in international markets.

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. 

Sixty projects have been awarded $15.8 million by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to focus on the nation’s response and control to animal disease outbreaks.

U.S. Meat Export Federation leaders share the importance of supporting fellow producers and other key partners and release impact numbers of red meat exports on corn and soybean values in the U.S.

Momentum continues to shift in cattle markets with strong feeding margins and tightening supplies. Pork producers continue to struggle with negative margins.

The world’s first cloud-based carbon marketplace for the livestock industry, Athian, recently announced an investment from Tyson Ventures, the venture capital arm of Tyson Foods, Inc.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) announced the speaker lineup and registration details for its 2023 Spring Conference, which is set for May 24-26 in Minneapolis. 

U.S. pork exports finished 2022 strong and continued momentum into January, while U.S. beef exports slow in 2023, with shipments well below the large totals from a year ago, according to USDA data compiled by USMEF.

The rural economy seems to be set on cruise in neutral gear. That’s according to the Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) from Creighton University. 

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced a $25-million Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program grant award to Wholestone Farms for a major plant expansion in Fremont, Neb.

Profit margins for cattle feeders increased as cash prices moved higher last week. Pork producers continue operating with negative margins.

What is the state of the U.S. economy? How will these macro factors impact the agricultural economy? John Deere's Kanlaya Barr provides a guide to a few risks you should monitor in the next year.

Americans are buying more fresh meat than before the COVID-19 pandemic and are seeking value in terms of price, convenience and better-for attributes in meat purchases.

Household units and mini fridges are often unsuitable for maintaining veterinary products, according to a recent study by Emmanuel Rollin, DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia.

Little steps can ease frustration and improve communication on your farm.

North American Meat Institute says proposed rules for a 'Product of the USA' label are again likely to result in trade retaliation from Canada and Mexico costing American consumers billions of dollars.

USDA issued a proposed rulemaking on Monday that would effectively close the "Product of the U.S.A." loophole that has been in effect since the repeal of COOL in 2015.

A plant nurse at a Tyson Foods medical clinic, Bobbie Gail Blair, 49, has been charged with 10 counts of impersonation of a medical professional and two counts of identity theft after falsely claiming to be licensed.

Cash cattle and wholesale beef prices moved higher last week, increasing profit margins for both cattle feeders and beef packers. Pork producers saw modest per head losses.

After five years in litigation, U.S. District judge orders the U.S. government pay over $1 million in settlement to immigrant workers targeted during an unwarranted ICE raid in Tennessee in 2018.

Nineteen feral cattle have been shot from a helicopter by federal employees in a New Mexico wilderness area in a cull opposed by ranchers and criticized by the state’s governor.

A team of 15 U.S. industry leaders participated in a local food show, visited a processing facility and saw the broad range of food retail offered in Monterrey, says Gerardo Rodriquez of USMEF.

Market participants seem to be more focused on the day-to-day trading in the spot meat/livestock markets, and the short-term impact from weather events, Steiner Consulting says.

Beyond Meat forecast full-year revenue above market estimates and said it was looking to control costs at a time when high inflation is denting demand for its plant-based meat products. Shares surged 14% after hours.

Utah state legislators have passed a bill they say closes a loophole that allowed two people accused of burglary to be acquitted last year after taking two sick piglets from a Beaver County pig farm.

For the third straight year, agricultural exports from the U.S. to the Dominican Republic have reached an all-time record with pork leading the way in 2022. 

After seeing a controversial Facebook post with two photos of ground beef that differed in appearance for many reasons, Dr. Chad Carr speaks up about why it's great to have your own opinion, but not your own facts.

Rising wholesale beef prices and declining packing plant utilization are two indicators to watch as the 2023 cattle markets unfold.

After easing China’s COVID restrictions and a wave of COVID moved through its residents, Chinese consumers are quickly returning with an excess of cash in hand, the U.S. Meat Export Federation reports.

Imagine your favorite cured meat like beef jerky, pepperoni or bacon without any added sodium nitrite from any source currently necessary for color and shelf life. Wes Osburn, Ph.D., is doing exactly that.

Denmark should aim to reduce beef and dairy production by levying an emissions tax on farming of $108 per metric ton in order to reach its ambitious climate targets, the government's independent advisor says.

An Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, owned by The Kraft Heinz Company, recently fell victim to thieves in Las Vegas who stole the iconic, 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels’ catalytic converter—then PETA steps in.

“There are so many legislators in policy-making that are unaware of the issues in rural veterinary medicine and rural agriculture today,” says Dr. Jody Kull, owner of Valley Mobile Veterinary Service, Danville, Pa. 

Cattle and hog harvest rates were lower last week with higher cash prices paid to farmers and feeders. Margins for both beef and pork packers are trending lower.

Marking 2022 as the busiest fiscal year ever, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists intercepted a total of 1.2 million lbs. of prohibited products at America’s largest seaport complex.