Latest News From Industry

Iowa's "Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin" this year is in Des Moines
Iowa's "Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin" this year is in Des Moines

The winner in this year's contest is Nick's in Des Moines, Iowa.

Pass the REAL bacon, please
Pass the REAL bacon, please

Dr. Janeal Yancey presents the pros and cons of bacon over a bacon imposter. The bottom line: It has more protein, it's more delicious, and it's the real deal.

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Ag Losses Mount in Hurricane Matthew Aftermath

Gov. Pat McCrory, R-NC, says thousands of animals drowned from the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. 

New Pork Be Inspired Facebook bot serves up delicious recipes
New Pork Be Inspired Facebook bot serves up delicious recipes

Thanksgiving and Christmas command the holiday spotlight every year, but this year, the National Pork Board (NPB) is setting out to help Americans make every moment one worth celebrating - big or small. Using soci

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Beef, Pork Exports Hit Two-Year Highs

Beef and pork exports have hit a two-year record.

4th annual Bacon Expo teaches about Iowa's pork industry
4th annual Bacon Expo teaches about Iowa's pork industry

Many participants woke up Saturday and smelled the bacon during the fourth annual Bacon Expo, which was hosted by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Hog Outlook: August imports up
Hog Outlook: August imports up

U.S. pork imports totaled 90 million pounds during August. That is down 2.0% from a year ago and down 0.8% from the month before. More pork came in from Europe than during August 2015, but pork shipments from Canada wer

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Analyst: Big Washout For Cattle, Hog Prices in 2017 in Stone

Beef and pork prices have weakened the past year, and it looks like they could keep dipping.

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USDA: South Dakota's Hog and Pig Numbers Up 5 Percent

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the number of hogs and pigs in the state is up 5 percent from the same time last year.

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Will Hog Prices Return to Those of 1998?

With hog prices seeing 7-year lows, could things return to the way they were in 1998?

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Tyson Foods Unit to Add 350 Jobs in Council Bluffs

Tyson Foods plans to invest $27 million in one of its plants in western Iowa and hire another 350 works.

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Wheat at Lowest in a Decade Can't Find Room in Feed Bunkers

USDA quarterly survey likely to show stockpiles at 6-year high.

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Pork Board Ready to Lead VFD Conversation

On Jan. 1, 2017, the Veterinary Feed Directive rule will go into place. The National Pork Board says it will be ready to lead the conversation on antibiotic resistance.

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Panera Seeks Advantage Over Fast-Food Rivals with 'Clean Bacon'

Panera Bread Co., ratcheting up the restaurant industry’s race to purify ingredients, will be the first national chain to serve so-called clean bacon.

Every last drop counts
Every last drop counts

It۪s no secret the world۪s struggle for a sustainable supply of water to feed a growing population is also playing out in the U.S. The Midwest۪s Ogallala Aquifer spans eight states, supplies 30% of the water used in

Chipotle Taps Executive for Europe Push as Its U.S. Sales Suffer
Chipotle Taps Executive for Europe Push as Its U.S. Sales Suffer

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., facing slow sales and a tarnished image in its home country, is looking to make a bigger push in Europe.

Drilling to Begin to Test Soil Beneath Hog Farm Manure Ponds
Drilling to Begin to Test Soil Beneath Hog Farm Manure Ponds

Drilling is set to begin this week at a hog farm near Mount Judea to test the soil beneath manure ponds, according to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.

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Biologists Battle 'Ecological Train Wreck' of Feral Pigs

Wildlife biologists are fighting what they call the "ecological train wreck" of wild pigs running amok in Ohio fields and forests.

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Deputies Taking Care of More Than 100 Pigs After Raid

Polk County deputies are taking care of nearly 200 farm animals, including more than 100 pigs, they say had been living in deplorable conditions at a rescue ranch in central Florida.

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Meat Processing Plant Fined After Worker Loses Fingertip

A meat processing plant in Bakerhill has been fined more than $70,000 following an investigation after a worker lost his fingertip.

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Czechs Work to Move Pig Farm from Former Nazi Camp

The Czech government is working to remove a communist-era pig farm from the site of a former Nazi concentration camp for Roma, Cabinet ministers said on Tuesday.

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Packing Plant Evacuated, 7 Treated After Chemicals Interact

Authorities in North Carolina say seven workers were treated at a hospital for minor injuries and several nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution after cleaning chemicals interacted at a meat packing plant in the community of Tar Heel south of Fayetteville.

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Russian Pork Farms Raise Safeguards Amid Swine Fever Outbreak

Disease’s spread seen hindering Russian effort to boost export.

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Lawsuit Filed Over Arkansas Hog Farm near Buffalo River

Opponents of a hog farm near the Buffalo National River have filed a federal lawsuit against the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and the farm, asking a judge to allow a scientist consulting detractors to be present during a study of the site.

The answer to any question: Bacon (especially if it's with brown sugar and bourbon)
The answer to any question: Bacon (especially if it's with brown sugar and bourbon)

If there are two things that have been mainstays in America, it's the love for both bourbon and bacon. Well, now your taste buds can rejoice.

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U.S. Pork, Beef Exports Solid in June; First-half Volumes Ahead of Last Year

U.S. red meat exports ended the first half of 2016 on a positive note, as June export values for both pork and beef were the highest of the year. June also marked the second consecutive month of solid year-over-year volume growth, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

Producers signed this board featuring a countdown to Jan. 1, 2017, at the Pork Checkoff booth in the Varied Industries Building. That’s the date the veterinary feed directive goes into effect.
Antibiotics are top-of-mind

The veterinary feed directive (VFD) goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2017, and the National Pork Board (NPB) is actively educating producers so they're prepared.

Brazil opens market to U.S. beef; NPPC working to get U.S. pork in
Brazil opens market to U.S. beef; NPPC working to get U.S. pork in

The USDA recently announcement it reached a deal with Brazil to reopen that market to U.S. beef, a move that may help pave the way for U.S. pork access to the South American country.

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North Dakota Issues Permit for 9,000-Hog Farm

The state Department of Health has issued an approval to operate permit for a 9,000-hog farm near the southeastern North Dakota town of Buffalo.

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China Starts to Loses Its Taste for McDonald's and KFC

Yum! Brands and McDonald’s look for buyers as Chinese tastes shift.

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Hog Facilities Raise Hackles in Farm Country

Public opposition to animal agriculture today could translate into tougher scrutiny of other farming practices in the future. 

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China Pig Price Seen Near Record as Floods Stir Disease Concern

China’s pig prices may climb to near a record after floods drowned animals and prompted concerns about possible disease outbreaks in the world’s biggest pork producer and consumer, according to analysts.

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Some Indiana Fairs Continue Hog Wrestling After Controversy

The muddy tradition of hog wrestling has continued at some county fairs in Indiana this summer though proceeds were down in at least one county.

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Beef Bacon: Schmacon is Taking Off as Bacon Alternative

Bacon may have finally met an equal competitor in Schmacon.

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Farm Couple Agree to Pay Fine to Settle Hog Manure Lawsuit

Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says his office has reached an agreement with a northwest Iowa couple that requires them to pay a $15,000 fine for allowing hog manure to end up in a creek killing thousands of fish.

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Growing Meat Mountain Means Cheaper Beef, Pork as Futures Slump

Cattle futures drop to five-year low; hogs extend record slide.

Construction of new U.S. pork processing plants under way
Construction of new U.S. pork processing plants under way

Three new and two revamped U.S. pork processing plants are slated to begin operations by 2018, driven by a prolonged period of industry profitability and heightened Chinese pork demand, industry analysts said.

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New $240 Million Hog Processing Plant to Be Built in Wright County

Prestage Farms will build new $240 million hog processing plant in Wright County after an earlier plan to build in Mason City failed.

Bacon: It's what's for breakfast
Bacon: It's what's for breakfast

Thank Edward Bernays for reigniting Americans' love for bacon, especially at breakfast.

Senate Ag Committee offers compromise on GMO labeling bill
Senate Ag Committee offers compromise on GMO labeling bill

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., late last week announced they reached a compromise on legislation for a mandatory national labeling scheme for prod

Longtime leader of NC pork industry stepping down
Longtime leader of NC pork industry stepping down

Deborah Johnson, CEO of the North Carolina Pork Council for the past ten years, has announced that she plans to step down from her position by the end of the year. Johnson has served as a strong advocate for North Carol

NPPC not in favor of 'TTIP-lite'
NPPC not in favor of 'TTIP-lite'

Last week, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) joined 36 other food and agriculture groups on a letter urging U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to resolve outs

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Do You Know How Your Checkoff Dollars Are Being Spent?

Pam Fretwell sits down with Ceci Snyder, vice president of consumer marketing with the National Pork Board, to find out how they are promoting pork with your checkoff dollars.

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The Cattle Project Donates Meat to Kokomo Urban Outreach

An Indiana Mennonite church provides thousands of meals through meat donation.

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County Fair in Wisconsin Cancels Pig Wrestling Under Pressure from Activists

The Stoughton County Fair in Wisconsin has canceled a pig wrestling event amid pressure from city officials and animal rights activists.

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China Reaches for More U.S. Pork

 We talked to pork industry leaders about domestic and international demand for the meat and the hurdles the industry is working through to make sure the world eats more pork. 

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The Hottest Commodity in China Is Feeding Half the World's PIgs

Nobody told China’s soybean meal traders that the commodity frenzy is over.

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April Red Meat Exports Below Last Year; Year-to-Date Volumes Steady

April exports of U.S. pork and beef were below the volumes recorded a year ago, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

A girl shows her pig at World Pork Expo's Junior National Show.
Young Farmers Show Off Prize Pigs in the Ring

One of the highlights of the World Pork Expo each year is the Junior National Show, which draws kids and parents from across the country to compete in the show ring for top honors.    

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NY Legislators Vote to Extend Restriction on Slaughterhouses

New York lawmakers have voted to continue for four more years the prohibition against state licensing of slaughterhouses within 1,500 feet of a residence.