Latest News From Industry

The Most Important Pork Industry Questions Heading into 2024
The Most Important Pork Industry Questions Heading into 2024

A new year brings new opportunities. But no one can deny 2024 will bring its share of challenges for pork producers. Economists encourage pork producers to consider these four important questions.

Iowa Pork Wins Best NIL Deal of 2023 Award for Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon Promotion
Iowa Pork Wins Best NIL Deal of 2023 Award for Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon Promotion

The Iowa Pork Producers Association’s viral “Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon” marketing initiative with Iowa State football players was named the Best NIL Deal of 2023 by Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal.

Prevent Quitting: Keep Employees Top of Mind in 2024
Prevent Quitting: Keep Employees Top of Mind in 2024

These 10 steps can help keep your employees from walking away.

Navigating Structural Changes: Rabobank's Insights on Challenges and Opportunities in Global Animal Protein Markets
Navigating Structural Changes: Rabobank's Insights on Challenges and Opportunities in Global Animal Protein Markets

Both dynamic and resilient, the animal protein sector is likely heading into another challenging year. However, it’s important to identify potential opportunities that could help your operation survive or even thrive.

2024 Pork Industry Outlook: Finding Opportunity Through Challenges
2024 Pork Industry Outlook: Finding Opportunity Through Challenges

Pig farmers needed thick skin in 2023. There is no sugar coating it – 2023 was not fun. Losses were severe and red ink forecasts remain till this coming summer. As the saying goes, with challenges comes opportunity.

Chinese Hog Breeder New Hope Liuhe to Raise $600 Million from Stake Sales
Chinese Hog Breeder New Hope Liuhe to Raise $600 Million from Stake Sales

Chinese animal feed and hog producer New Hope Liuhe plans to raise $589.13 million by selling majority stakes in two of its units, as it seeks to replenish capital after months of losses from pig farming.

NPPC Hosts Pork Action Group Meeting for Top Producers
NPPC Hosts Pork Action Group Meeting for Top Producers

The country’s top pork producers convened at the National Pork Producers Council's annual Pork Action Group (PAG) meeting in Marco Island, Fla., on Dec. 13-15.

Seaboard Foods and Oklahoma Pork Council Take #GiveAHam Challenge to Tulsa
Seaboard Foods and Oklahoma Pork Council Take #GiveAHam Challenge to Tulsa

Seaboard Foods donated 17,500 servings of Prairie Fresh pork to northeast Oklahoma charities including Iron Gate, John 3:16 and Sand Springs Home in response to Oklahoma Pork Council’s Give-A-Ham challenge. 

Company News: New Hires, Internship Opportunities
Company News: New Hires, Internship Opportunities

Here's a round-up of news from pork industry companies and organizations.

Semi Hauling Pigs Crashes in Michigan
Semi Hauling Pigs Crashes in Michigan

A double-decker semi hauling approximately 160 pigs flipped over Thursday morning in the western part of Branch County, Mich. The semi was on its way to Clemens Food Group. 

Pork Industry Headlines to Note
Pork Industry Headlines to Note

State pork organizations are hard at work this holiday season. Whether it's donating pork to help fight food insecurity or supporting the next generation of industry leaders, here's association news you can't miss.

Industry Faces Financial Challenges: Glimpse of Hope in Inventory Strategies
Industry Faces Financial Challenges: Glimpse of Hope in Inventory Strategies

When talking to pork producers over this past year, Steve Malakowsky says the theme has been consistent.

(Pig) Tails from Down Under
(Pig) Tails from Down Under

The thing that struck Abby Kornegay most in her conversations with farmers, processors, communications professionals and other industry leaders in Australia, was that we all share the same goals and obstacles.

Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in North American Pork Production: A 2024 Outlook
Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in North American Pork Production: A 2024 Outlook

The North American pork market is undergoing a period of rebalancing, as producers grapple with challenging margin outlooks and the need for strategic adjustments in response to economic factors.

3 Ways to Make the Most of Your 4-H Experience
3 Ways to Make the Most of Your 4-H Experience

I’ll never forget my first 4-H speaking experience. It wasn’t very pleasant, and if I’m honest, tears were shed. But I survived. I learned. I gained confidence. I moved on. I got better, and that’s what I love about 4-H.

New National Television Ad 'Exposes the Realities' of Lab-Grown Meat 
New National Television Ad 'Exposes the Realities' of Lab-Grown Meat 

A new television commercial is out to educate the public about the technology behind lab-grown meat, which was recently approved for sale in the U.S. is the latest in a six-figure effort to address consumer concerns.

From Brisket to Coulotte: U.S. Pork and Beef Gains Traction in Colombian Markets
From Brisket to Coulotte: U.S. Pork and Beef Gains Traction in Colombian Markets

With support from the USDA, the National Pork Board and the Beef Checkoff Program, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has embarked on a mission to enhance the merchandising of U.S. red meat in Colombia.

Hammers Joins IDEAL Animal Nutrition with Focus on Research
Hammers Joins IDEAL Animal Nutrition with Focus on Research

Helping pig farmers solve everyday challenges with practical research-backed solutions is a priority for IDEAL Animal Nutrition. Kelsey Hammers joins the company as swine nutritionist and research coordinator.

Another Record Month for Pork Exports to Mexico; Beef Exports Show Modest Rebound
Another Record Month for Pork Exports to Mexico; Beef Exports Show Modest Rebound

U.S. pork exports posted another strong performance in October. Beef exports remained well below last year’s large totals but improved from September.

Winners Announced in Third FFA Swine Facility Management Contest
Winners Announced in Third FFA Swine Facility Management Contest

The FFA Swine Facility Management Contest tests the knowledge of youth on issues pertaining to swine production—feed, water, air, facility management and recordkeeping.

North Carolina Appeals Court Upholds Waste-to-Energy Plans on Hog Farms
North Carolina Appeals Court Upholds Waste-to-Energy Plans on Hog Farms

The unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel rejected challenges from environmental groups, emphasizing that the permit applications were appropriately scrutinized before approval.

Activist Sentenced to Jail for Conspiracy and Trespassing
Activist Sentenced to Jail for Conspiracy and Trespassing

A California jury deliberated for six days before returning guilty verdicts of conspiracy and trespassing for DxE co-founder Wayne Hsiung. The jury deadlocked on a second conspiracy charge.

The Truth About mRNA Vaccines in the Animal Health Industry
The Truth About mRNA Vaccines in the Animal Health Industry

The animal health industry continues to face challenges of new and emerging diseases as well as improvements in current commercial vaccines. Here are 5 things Mike Roof wants you to know about mRNA vaccines.

Smithfield Foods Will End Grower Contracts in Utah
Smithfield Foods Will End Grower Contracts in Utah

Smithfield Foods will end contracts with 26 hog farms in Utah to optimize its supply chain for more efficient operations in the face of an industry oversupply of pork, weaker consumer demand and high feed prices.   

Who's Got the Best Beard in the Pork Industry in 2023?
Who's Got the Best Beard in the Pork Industry in 2023?

Do you have what it takes to be named one of the best beards in the pork industry? Or, do you have a decent beard and want to be a good sport? Get your nominations in for our Best Beards in the Pork Industry Contest.

How Has ASF Affected China and the Global Pork Market?
How Has ASF Affected China and the Global Pork Market?

Not only has ASF rocked China’s pork supply, but pork prices more than doubled to reach record levels. A new report investigates the degree to which China’s reduced pork supply affected pork-exporting countries.

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Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Pork Producers

A Rock Rapids, Iowa, man has pleaded guilty in federal court to manipulating weights of hogs in order to defraud pork producers.

50,000 Pounds of Pork Donated to Regional Foodbanks in Illinois
50,000 Pounds of Pork Donated to Regional Foodbanks in Illinois

Illinois pork producers step up to donate roughly 50,000 pounds of ground pork to regional food banks in the state.

How Accurate is the Farmers' Almanac in Forecasting Winter Weather?
How Accurate is the Farmers' Almanac in Forecasting Winter Weather?

While the Farmers' Almanac and Old Farmer's Almanac are both backward looking – derived from past data that come close to current conditions. Weather agencies are tending more toward predictive computer models.

It’s Been a Quiet Week in Grocery Store Meat Departments Across the U.S.
It’s Been a Quiet Week in Grocery Store Meat Departments Across the U.S.

It was a seasonally quiet week in grocery store meat departments and up the distribution chain for turkeys and hams, reports Steiner Consulting Group in the Daily Livestock Report. Here’s a look at pork, turkey and beef.

National Pork Board Enters Strategic Partnership to Support Show Pig Industry
National Pork Board Enters Strategic Partnership to Support Show Pig Industry

The National Pork Board and Showpig announced a strategic partnership to enhance and support the show pig industry on Wednesday at the Legends and Dreamers Showpig Summit held in Nashville, Tenn.

4 Tips to Grow as a Leader
4 Tips to Grow as a Leader

Sarah Beth Aubrey shares tips for effective communication and building influence before stepping into a leadership role.

Tyson CEO Confesses Company Culture Was Lazy After Pandemic
Tyson CEO Confesses Company Culture Was Lazy After Pandemic

"We got fat and lazy," Tyson Foods Inc.’s leader candidly shared about his company’s underperformance in an interview following the opening of Tyson's new $300 million plant in Virginia, Bloomberg reported.

Meat, Dairy Experts Advance Climate, Food Security Solutions at COP28
Meat, Dairy Experts Advance Climate, Food Security Solutions at COP28

The Meat Institute and the Protein PACT will highlight animal agriculture’s commitments and progress toward global goals at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai Nov. 30 through Dec. 12. 

Attorneys Challenge Court Decision Dismissing Tyson Workers' COVID-19 Lawsuits
Attorneys Challenge Court Decision Dismissing Tyson Workers' COVID-19 Lawsuits

Lawyers representing the estates of Tyson workers who succumbed to COVID-19 complications during the 2020 pandemic are urging a reevaluation of a court decision that dismissed their legal actions.

US Allows Pork Plants to Keep Operating at Accelerated Speeds
US Allows Pork Plants to Keep Operating at Accelerated Speeds

The USDA said on Tuesday it will extend for up to 90 days a trial program that allows six U.S. pork plants to operate faster processing-line speeds while collecting data on how the speeds affect meatpacking workers.

Hormel Foods Forecasts Full Year 2024 Profit Below Estimates as Consumers Cut Back
Hormel Foods Forecasts Full Year 2024 Profit Below Estimates as Consumers Cut Back

Hormel Foods forecast fiscal year 2024 profit below estimates on Wednesday as consumers reduce spending on its pricier meat products and ready-to-eat meals as well as pressure on its retail business.

American Royal Hosts Barn Raising at New Site
American Royal Hosts Barn Raising at New Site

The future home of the American Royal moves forward on facility to “create a food and agriculture innovation district that will be unlike any other in the world,” said Kansas Governor Laura Kelly.

How to Build a Show-Stopping Charcuterie Board with Pork
How to Build a Show-Stopping Charcuterie Board with Pork

Whether you are serving a crowd or feeding your family during movie night, charcuterie is a trend that isn't going away anytime soon. This is good news for pork as everyone knows pork adds the flavor!

Tell Us: What's Your Top Priority to Improve Next Year?
Tell Us: What's Your Top Priority to Improve Next Year?

Harvest is wrapping up, and the New Year is on the near horizon.

Boost for U.S. Pork and Beef Exports as China Approves New Plants
Boost for U.S. Pork and Beef Exports as China Approves New Plants

In a positive development for the U.S. meat industry, China recently granted approval for 18 U.S. beef establishments and 12 U.S. pork establishments to export to China, the U.S. Meat Export Federation reports.

Researchers Look to Transform Manure into Protein
Researchers Look to Transform Manure into Protein

Can you turn manure into a cow, chicken or fish? Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists are looking to do just that, in a roundabout, circular economy, kind of way.

China's Hog Futures Plunge as Farmers Step Up Slaughter
China's Hog Futures Plunge as Farmers Step Up Slaughter

China's most active hog futures closed down 5.69% on Monday at a record low, after farmers ramped up selling of pigs following months of weak prices, hitting market confidence.

Iowa Pork Honors Top Offensive Linemen in High School Championship Games
Iowa Pork Honors Top Offensive Linemen in High School Championship Games

The Iowa Pork Producers Association paid tribute to seven players in the state high school football championships for their valuable, but often unheralded, contributions.

'Thank You to Cedar Rapids' Emphasizes Community
'Thank You to Cedar Rapids' Emphasizes Community

On Monday, Nov. 13—also World Kindness Day—the Cedar Rapids community was the focus of a “Thank You” celebration from Iowa’s pig farmers, for the support shown to those who work in bringing food from farm to table.

Better Yields and Improved Crop Prices Propel Ag Economists' Outlooks for 2024
Better Yields and Improved Crop Prices Propel Ag Economists' Outlooks for 2024

After two months of a waning outlook on the ag economy, economists views took a turn in the November Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor, a survey of nearly 70 ag economists from across the country.

Flashback: Texas Girl on Fire Returns to the Show Ring
Flashback: Texas Girl on Fire Returns to the Show Ring

A pig showman, golfer and FFA officer, Paizlee Hardin was a happy high school sophomore. But on March 15, her life as she knew it changed when she began experiencing “crazy symptoms” and lost her ability to walk.

Flashback: Killing Hogzilla the Monster Wild Pig
Flashback: Killing Hogzilla the Monster Wild Pig

The history of wild pig hunts is filled with unusual stories, but the chase for a 750-lb. beast hiding in plain sight on a Mississippi farm ranks as a standalone account. Farming reality outshines fiction.

USDA Says Trade Efforts Are Working to Build Markets Abroad
USDA Says Trade Efforts Are Working to Build Markets Abroad

The agency says exports picked up steam this year in countries such as Canada, India and Japan and that the new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program will keep the wheels of progress turning in 2024.

Emerging Global Swine Disease Threats: Industry Actionables and Support
Emerging Global Swine Disease Threats: Industry Actionables and Support

Emerging infectious diseases are a constant threat to the swine industry. Here's how SHIC is helping protect and mitigate emerging disease risks to the North American swine population.