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As an Iowa pork producer, Trish Cook realizes she is fortunate to have many opportunities to talk with peers at events nearby. But for Cook, one reason she attends national events is to grow her circle even wider.

Olymel, one of Canada's biggest pork processors, announced Friday that it will close a hog plant in Vallee-Jonction, Quebec, late this year, laying off 994 people.

As you look at transitioning leadership and ownership of your farm to the next generation, be ready to tackle entitlement issues. 

A fire broke out at Cedar Ridge Farms, a seedstock swine operation owned and operated by the six sons of the late Fred and Betty Grohmann near Red Bud, Ill., early on April 14. 

Hormel Foods Corporation, the maker of America's best-selling retail pepperoni and a global leader in the foodservice pizza toppings market, shares the latest, hot-off-the-oven pizza topping trends.

USDA sent a letter to the 18 largest meat and poultry processors to request all actors in the food supply chain take steps to prevent or eliminate illegal child labor, which has risen 69% since 2018.

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.

A U.S. judge on Tuesday approved a $75 million settlement between Smithfield Foods, Inc. and a class of consumers who accused the pork producer of conspiring to restrict supply in order to keep prices artificially high.

“As I understand it, this rule says EPA is going to determine jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis,” says NCBA's Ethan Lane. “This is never the way you want a bureaucracy to interact with your private businesses."

A 2023 economic impact study, which updated a study from 2017, found that livestock auction markets continue to be important for the growth and vitality of rural communities.

A federal appeals court said Louisiana can enforce a state law forbidding companies from intentionally using misleading meat-like terms (i.e. sausage) when selling plant-based food, reversing a lower court ruling.

Even though hog farm wages increased more than 21% from 2021 to 2022, the pork industry struggles to find domestic labor. Here's why IPPA created a resource guide to help producers navigate hiring international workers.

Like many, the ag construction industry relies on migrant labor. After surveying construction companies, we discovered most are expecting a 50% to 100% increase in the cost for that labor due to H2A wage changes. 

Futures markets are a mystery, says Scott Irwin, author of the new book, Back to the Futures, is now available for pre-order and is scheduled to be released on April 19 on Amazon.

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

Nestled deep in the Heartland is a world-class research center where University of Missouri scientists are working on genetically modifying pigs to prevent diseases that threaten both swine and humans.

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.

AgriTalk's host Chip Flory discusses the pork industry's top priorities with NPPC President Scott Hays, a fifth-generation pig farmer from Monroe City, Mo. His biggest goal: to help maintain diversity in the industry. 

USDA researchers have engineered sustainable machine-washable antimicrobial wipes that can be used at least 30 times for cleaning hard and nonporous surfaces.

Over his 35-year career, Scott Dee, DVM, has made a significant impact in the world of veterinary swine medicine through research efforts focused on infectious diseases.

One thing is certain in the swine industry: we can always rely on volatility to change things in a very short period of time. Steve Malakowsky explains why he doesn't think this downturn is the next industry disaster.

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.

Jamie Burr, an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience in sustainability and environmental program leadership, is the National Pork Board's first Chief Sustainability Officer. Here's a look at what's ahead.

Here's what six years of crises has done to the Vietnam pork industry.

Free tuition? Yes, you read that right. Smithfield Foods will offer free tuition to full-time and part-time employees through a new program specifically designed for adults in the workplace, the company said.

The global animal disinfectants market is expected to reach $4.6 billion by 2027, according to a Markets and Markets report, up from $3.2 billion in 2022.

The pork industry is buzzing with new people, business partnerships and opportunities. Here’s a look at some of the recent updates across the industry.

“A commitment to additional financial resources for the farm bill will help to transition our farm and food supplies away from ad hoc support," the Committee members said in a letter.

Non-tariff barriers “are real and can be more significant hurdles than tariffs,” U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai says.

Show season is a busy time for many youth exhibitors and their families. In preparation, exhibitors need to know the importance of a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, more commonly known as a health certificate.

Pork will be at the center of the plate for many, including our family, this Easter Sunday. Here's a look at why pork's leading the way and some of our favorite Easter recipes.

Forty-two producers were surveyed in the summer of 2022 to better understand their perspectives on wean-to-market biosecurity. The results pointed to a noticeable gap, says Pipestone's Rachel Stika Jensen, DVM.

While Tai has faced strong criticism about a lack of new trade agreements being pursued, she claimed this week that the U.S. is “nearing a consensus on the need to do things differently.”

Life on the farm is busy and it’s easy to find a spot for an estate transition plan on the backburner.

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.

Minnesota-based company, Midwest Veterinary Supply (Midwest), has pled guilty to introducing misbranded, prescription drugs into interstate commerce, facing over $10 million in criminal fines and forfeiture.

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.

A recent survey asked landowners in Arkansas, Louisiana and east Texas about their concerns and estimated losses associated with the growing invasive species – feral swine.

David Newman shares his perspectives from the National Retail Benchmarking Audit that quantifies the quality and consistency of fresh pork loins in the retail meat case along with numerous other factors.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources rejected Cumberland LLC's proposal to build a 26,000-hog facility in Burnett County in northern Wisconsin due to incomplete application materials.

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.

The Top Producer Women in Agriculture Award will be given to a female producer who is a shining example for her peers.

There are many complex interactions between the animals, air, water, soil and energy in the swine industry. Because of this, our approach to sustainability is multidimensional, says NC State's Suzanne Leonard.

The wild display of weather this year has showcased flooding, tornadoes and more. This unpredictable weather highlights the importance of having a plan to be ready for whatever severe weather pattern could hit your farm.

Follow this strategy to reduce turnover and increase morale on your farm team.

The Canadian Pork Council is disappointed with the United Kingdom's misleading positioning on trade issues, the organization said in a release on Monday. 

The vast devastation caused by deadly tornadoes that swept through multiple states last weekend is putting everyone on edge as another round of severe weather, including possible tornadoes, threatens many this week.

The outlook is fairly bearish for the near term with more potential for optimism in the latter half of 2023, says Jason Franken, agricultural economist at Western Illinois University and contributor to the farmdoc team.

The Canadian federal budget’s establishment of a vaccine bank for foot-and-mouth disease is an excellent step forward for Canada’s pork industry, Canadian Pork Council chair Rene Roy says.

Country music superstar Luke Bryan is helping uncover the good all around us – at the table and beyond – as he teams up with Smithfield Foods in a new collaboration.