Pork

U.S. Pork Export Momentum Stays Strong in April

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:13:09 GMT

Exports of U.S. pork maintained strong momentum in April, led by broad-based growth in Asian and Western Hemisphere markets, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Beef exports trended lower in April due to the impasse with China, along with year-over-year declines in other major markets.

“Pork continues to have the same momentum that we’ve seen for the last six, eight months,” says USMEF president and CEO Dan Halstrom. “We have considerable growth in the Latin American region. If you look at both April and the whole year-to-date timeframe, Mexico, you’re looking at record growth. Central America at 10% growth for April is also on a record pace, Caribbean as well, with the Dominican Republic also on a pace that’s close to record.”

Halstrom cautions that the April data does not capture the impact of restrictions on some pork variety meat items imposed in early May by Mexico and Colombia, following findings of pseudorabies virus (PRV) antibodies in five boars in quarantine at a small operation in Iowa. He notes pork muscle cut exports have not been impacted.

“USDA continues to work with its counterpart agencies in these countries to put these PRV-related restrictions behind us as soon as possible,” Halstrom says. “There was a significant negative impact on May exports and the situation has continued into June, but it should hopefully be short-lived.”

A Surge in April Pork Exports

Pork exports totaled 257,212 metric tons (mt) in April, 8% (and nearly 20,000 mt) above last year.
Pork export value increased 6% to $718.1 million.
Export value per head slaughtered equated to $66.83 in April, up 7% from a year ago.
April’s strong performance reflected growth in Mexico, Japan, the Dominican Republic, Central America and the Philippines.
Exports were significantly higher for China and Canada compared to low volumes posted a year ago.

“The Asian markets continue to have growth as well, and Japan, in particular, is up 9% in April on pork, year-to-date up 17%,” he says. “The numbers are good, but especially when you consider the global beef situation, I think that’s an opportunity for pork for incremental per capita consumption, just as a potential alternative for beef in some of these markets, and I think that’s maybe what you’re seeing in Japan right now.”

Pork Above 2025 Pace Through April

For January through April, pork exports were 4% above the 2025 pace in both volume (1.04 million mt) and value ($2.89 billion). Export value was slightly above the total posted in the first four months of 2024, when exports went on to set an annual value record.

“Mexico and other key Latin American markets continue to perform remarkably well for U.S. pork, as new product development and consumer education efforts are paying major dividends,” Halstrom adds.

Consumers Value Facts About Pork Nutrition

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 20:06:24 GMT

Anyone who’s ever tried to sell something to a U.S. pork producer knows you need data to support your recommendation. Producers need reliable information to support their investments.

The same goes for convincing consumers to choose pork, says Kristen Hicks Roof, National Pork Board (NPB) senior director of human nutrition. Hicks Roof oversees NPB’s investment in human nutrition research, as well as how that information is communicated to stakeholder groups including packers, processors, retailers, health professionals and consumers.

Combatting Misinformation With Evidence-Based Research

“In my day-to-day conversations with consumers, a lot of the job is combating misinformation,” says Hicks Roof. “The only way we can do that is having the data to support why the information we’re sharing is valid.”

NPB invests in research to demonstrate the nutritional benefits of pork. The results are compiled to be relevant for multiple audiences and shared with state pork boards who have the closest connection to consumers in their communities. At the consumer level, the data might be shared through a simple statement about pork being a heart-healthy choice or how pork is safe when cooked to 145 degrees.

“People might think pork is not great for their health and lifestyle, so we have research on pork nutrition in relation to diabetes, hypertension and cognition,” Hicks Roof says. “We look at nutrition for human growth and development from childhood all the way to aging.”

Pork as a Flavor Driver for Balanced Meals

In addition to nutritional value, consumers need to remember how great pork tastes and the many ways it can be prepared so they continue to buy it. Those concepts are the foundation of NPB’s Taste What Pork Can Do campaign, which was launched in 2025.

To make pork relevant to the variety of consumer preferences, the national and state boards often talk about pork as part of a recipe or meal as opposed to talking about it on its own.

“We’re talking a lot about pork and plants, especially when we’re talking to health professionals who then trickle the information down to consumers,” Hicks Roof says. “It’s not about pushing pork. It’s about how you make pork a flavor driver to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables. That’s what the data says, and that’s a lot of how we communicate it out. It resonates really well with our audiences.”

Empowering Health Professionals to Influence Consumers

The data-driven message for consumers might be as simple as describing pork as a heart-healthy choice or as nutritious for people in any life stage.

“We continue to show consumers how their diet can be nutritious by simply shopping at their local retailers and which cuts they could use to make a balanced meal for their families,” says Katelyn Fessler, Pennsylvania Pork Producers Council communications specialist.

Other audiences such as health professionals and dieticians require more details. One of Fessler’s favorite recent examples of how information flows from NPB to state pork boards and on to consumers was an event the Pennsylvania council hosted for dieticians who work for retail chains. The workshop gave dieticians the opportunity to handle pork, prepare it, learn about its nutritional value and how flavor and nutrition work together to benefit consumers through the pork products retailers already are selling, Fessler says.

Equipping health and wellness professionals such as dieticians with accurate information about pork gives them confidence in the recommendations they make to patients and clients and ensures pork gets included in those recommendations.

“They touch so many people across the five retail chains that they work for,” she says.

Bridging the Gap Between the Farm and the Plate

After the workshop, participants said they realized they had blind spots and gaps in their knowledge of pork nutrition and how it fits in among all the nutritional options at the grocery store, says Fessler.

“Afterwards, one of the dieticians told us that she feels more confident not only to cook pork herself, but also to then go out and tell her consumers about it,” Fessler says. “I feel like that was a huge win for the research that NPB invested in that was then passed on through our state board to local dieticians and then to our consumers.”

Amber Portner is a Minnesota pork producer and a member of the NPB Human Nutrition Advisory Committee. The committee gives input on the research NPB selects and how the information is shared to drive pork sales. In addition to being a lifelong pork producer, Portner is an advocate for the role of food and nutrition in a person’s health and wellness.

Sharing that insight with consumers, retailers and health professionals is how she supports the strength and success of the pork industry, she said.

“As producers, we want to sell as much pork as possible,” Portner says. “As a society, we have a strong need for high-valuable nutrition. There’s a better bridge right now than I’ve ever seen between pork production and what consumers want. And so I think from a producer standpoint, I really take it as a great opportunity to advocate as a producer with a wellness lens.”

Tyson Foods Taps Former P&G Executive to Succeed Veteran King as CEO

Thu, 28 May 2026 17:18:14 GMT

Tyson Foods on Thursday named former Procter & Gamble executive Jeff Schomburger as its new CEO, set to replace Donnie King in the role from October.

The shuffle at the top job comes as Tyson’s beef business loses money amid soaring costs for cattle and a persistent drought in the western U.S. that has burned up grazing lands, driving supplies to a 75-year low in 2026.

Schomburger, a member of the meatpacker’s board since 2016, had retired as the Global Sales Officer at P&G PG.N in 2019.

Donnie King, who has been with the company for over four decades, took over the helm in 2021 and helped Tyson Foods navigate several disruptions, including the COVID-19 outbreak.

He will remain on the company’s board and will work closely with Schomburger to ensure a smooth leadership transition over the next several months, the company said in a statement.

Shares of Tyson Foods were down 1.7% in premarket trading. They have risen 12.6% so far this year, but are down 17.6% since King took the helm.

Tyson Foods reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings and raised its full-year income forecast earlier this month, helped by strong chicken sales.

(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Ananda)

Trade Resilience: CAFTA-DR Remains the ‘Engine’ for U.S. Beef and Pork Growth

Wed, 27 May 2026 13:34:23 GMT

Central America continues to solidify its position as a premier growth market for U.S. red meat, driven by the enduring stability of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR).

That was the primary takeaway from Ricardo Zúñiga, founding partner of Dinámica Americas, during his keynote at the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Spring Conference. Zúñiga notes that while the trade environment has been difficult, CAFTA-DR has proven its resilience.

Advocacy Saved the ‘Floor’ for Trade

The agreement recently weathered a significant storm. A Section 301 tariff investigation involving Nicaragua — initially sparked by the textile industry — threatened to dismantle the benefits of the agreement. However, Zúñiga credited collective industry advocacy for keeping the trade floor intact.

“CAFTA-DR is the engine for trade with the region that’s leveled the playing field for U.S. meat exporters,” Zúñiga says. “It was almost dismantled over a 301 investigation, but it was industry voices that prevented that from happening and kept supply chains together. CAFTA is now the floor. It’s no longer likely to go away.”

A High-Stakes Market

The economic impact of the region is substantial for both beef and pork producers. Despite this bullish outlook, Zúñiga cautions that several external factors could depress demand in the coming year:

The Remittance Economy: Central American purchasing power is heavily dependent on funds sent home by relatives working in the U.S. Increased border enforcement or deportations could lead to a reduction in these remittances, tightening consumer budgets for imported proteins.
Iran War: Regional stability and shipping could be impacted by ongoing Middle East conflicts involving Iran.
U.S. Economic Linkage: The region’s economic health remains a mirror of the U.S. economy. “If things go well in the United States, Central America tends to do well,” Zúñiga adds.

The Path Forward

Zúñiga emphasizes the survival of these agreements depends on producers and industry leaders remaining vocal. By staying involved in the policy process, the meat industry ensures that Central America remains a reliable and growing destination for U.S. red meat.

For more information and updates from the Spring Conference, visit USMEF.org .

New 800 Million Pound Market Opportunity Opens for American Protein Producers

Wed, 27 May 2026 12:15:46 GMT

Animal protein has never been more valuable, but for many American producers, the under-utilized portions of the animal—drumsticks, medium eggs and hams—often face volatile export markets or price suppression.

Jeff Simmons , CEO of Elanco and chairman of HATCH, wants to change that. On the eve of World Hunger Day, Simmons announced the Coalition to Close the Protein Gap, a $40 million public-private initiative led by a coalition of farmers, protein producers, hunger advocates and more, to bridge the 800-million-pound annual protein deficit in the U.S. charitable food system.

For producers, this isn’t just a feel-good story; it’s the creation of a massive, sustainable domestic market.

Scaling Up: The Goal for 3 Billion Meals

Currently, only 14% of the food in the U.S. food bank system is animal protein. The Coalition aims to push that to over 20% within three years, delivering 3 billion protein-rich meals annually.

“Your product has never mattered more,” Simmons says to U.S. animal protein producers. “We have moved from ‘this is hunger’ to ‘this is healthcare and well-being.’ The most demanded product in food today is the food from American protein producers. We are creating a new market that is going to change lives and create 3 billion more meals and create a new market for animal protein.”

The strategy is simple: redirect high-value, lower-demand items—like ground pork, hams and poultry leg quarters—away from inconsistent export channels and into a stable, domestic supply chain. By investing $40 million into specialized processing lines, cold storage and distribution support, the coalition is building the infrastructure that allows a packing plant to bag frozen drumsticks or package medium eggs specifically for food pantries.

A Self-Sustaining Market, Not a Handout

The most critical takeaway for livestock producers is that this is not a traditional charity model. It utilizes the proven HATCH model, which has operated on a “cost-plus” basis for a decade.

“This is a sustainable, value-driven system,” Simmons explains. “HATCH sources protein directly from U.S. farmers without reliance on ongoing donations. It’s a self-sustaining model where farmers can make a profit on their lower-demanded protein, and food banks get a consistent supply way under their typical budget. Everybody wins.”

By providing a “cost-plus” market, the program offers producers a floor for products that might otherwise be sold at a loss or dumped during supply gluts.

“We’re going to change dietary habits through this initiative,” Simmons says. “We know what protein does to communities, to education, to healthcare – it is going to make it more accessible for them. Farmers will have a market for their less-demanded protein, and for USDA, that does $400 million a day of programs, this program becomes sustainable.”

High-Level Backing

The initiative has garnered unprecedented support from both the public and private sectors, including:

Government:
$15 million in combined support from the USDA and HHS.
Industry Giants:
Support from Elanco, Tyson Foods, Cargill, Perdue Farms, Hilmar Cheese, Rose Acre Farms and major checkoff organizations like the National Pork Producers Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and American Egg Board.
Advocacy:
Support from hunger advocates, like Tony Robbins and Simmons among others.

“Millions of American families are going without the protein they need, and our farmers are already raising it. The protein gap shouldn’t exist,” says Tony Robbins, hunger advocate and leader of the 100 Billion Meals initiative.

The CDC Foundation, in partnership with HATCH, is launching The Missing Piece, a nationwide crowdfunding campaign with a simple ask: Be the Missing Piece in closing the protein gap. Donations will help build the infrastructure needed to move more high-quality protein through HATCH’s nationwide distribution network.

“A decade of operations taught us one thing: supply alone doesn’t close the gap, and infrastructure alone doesn’t close the gap,” says Daniel Leckie, CEO of HATCH. “They must move together. The supply exists, and HATCH consistently and reliably gets it where it needs to go. The Coalition will align supply and infrastructure at a scale that finally makes closing the gap possible.”

Improving access to wholesome, nutritious protein to ensure Americans can Eat Real Food has meaningful implications for public health, healthcare costs and economic stability.

“What fires me up is kids won’t be eating Pop-Tarts in the morning, they’ll be able to have sausage, eggs and milk,” Simmons says. “Then, their day changes because they get a consistent supply of animal protein that they don’t get today.”

The Long-Term Vision

In five years, the coalition intends for the “meat case” in food pantries to be a permanent fixture, supported by a robust infrastructure of freezers and transportation. For the producer, this means a more reliable domestic market.

“The protein industry has the supply, the scale, and the will,” Simmons says. “What it has needed is the right infrastructure to connect that supply to the families who need it.”

To learn more about the infrastructure build-out or how to participate in the HATCH distribution network, visit closetheproteingap.org .

“This is a monumental moment to create lasting change that will impact Americans for generations,” Simmons says. “It’s the most meaningful alignment between government, agriculture and the hunger community I have seen in my career.”

Promoting Your Best Worker Isn’t Always the Best Move

Tue, 26 May 2026 17:43:20 GMT

One of the biggest mistakes farm owners can make is assuming their best employee will automatically become their best manager.

The person who can solve problems quickly or outwork everyone else is incredibly valuable. But leading people requires a completely different set of skills than operating machinery or handling day-to-day production tasks.

As farms continue to grow and teams become larger, strong people management becomes even more important. Owners and upper management can’t be everywhere at once, which means middle managers often shape the day-to-day experience employees have on the farm more than anyone else.

That’s where operations can run into trouble.

Many managers are promoted because they are dependable. But once they move into a leadership role, they’re suddenly expected to train employees, communicate clearly, and deal with people problems without much guidance or training.

Today’s farm managers need more than job-specific skills. They also need to know how to communicate with employees, supervise teams, handle workplace issues and solve problems effectively.

What to Look for Before Promoting Someone

The best manager on a farm is not always the most outspoken or experienced employee. In many cases, strong managers are the people who communicate clearly, stay calm under pressure and naturally earn respect from others on the team.

Before promoting someone into management, it helps to step back and look beyond productivity alone:

Do coworkers already go to that person for help?
Can they explain tasks clearly without becoming frustrated?
How do they respond when someone makes a mistake?
Are they willing to listen to feedback themselves?

Those questions often tell you more about leadership ability than how many hours someone works in a week.

A good manager also understands that training employees takes patience. Some highly skilled workers struggle in leadership roles because they become frustrated when others cannot learn as quickly as they did. Teaching requires a different mindset than simply getting the job done yourself.

Managers also need emotional consistency. Farms are stressful environments, especially during planting, harvest, weather delays or labor shortages. Employees pay attention to how leadership responds during those moments.

A manager who creates panic or frustration tends to spread that attitude throughout the crew. A manager who stays steady under pressure usually helps employees stay focused and productive.

Communication is a Learned Skill

A common belief is that people are either naturally good communicators or they are not, and that it’s not really something that can be taught or developed. However, it is a skill that can be taught and improved over time, like any other part of the job.

Managing employees requires a different skill set than managing production, a point emphasized in Cornell Cooperative Extension. Their training for supervisors centers on communication, setting clear expectations, accountability, and handling workplace challenges.

That type of training is often overlooked on farms because communication tends to feel less tangible than production goals or financial benchmarks. But poor communication can create inefficiencies just as easily as poor maintenance or weak protocols.

Managers need to be able to give constructive feedback in a way that doesn’t put employees on the spot, address problems early before frustration builds, and explain the “why” behind decisions instead of simply giving instructions. When employees understand the reasoning behind a process, they are more likely to buy in.

Listening is just as important. Employees often see what’s not working or where improvements can be made, but they tend to stop speaking up if they feel ignored or dismissed. Strong communication has to go both ways.

Training Shouldn’t Stop After Promotion

Training managers shouldn’t stop after promotion. Too often, leadership training ends the moment someone steps into a new role, which can leave them learning through trial and error in real time. That approach often creates frustration for both managers and employees, since leadership skills develop more effectively over time rather than in a single conversation or orientation.

The strongest operations build ongoing support into how they develop managers. Instead of treating training as a one-time event, they continue investing in communication skills, decision-making and people management as part of the role itself.

That may include leadership workshops, regular check-ins with other managers, mentoring from experienced leaders or simply setting aside time to talk through challenges and share what’s working.

The Wrong Manager Can Wear Down a Good Team

Managing employees requires a very different skill set than doing the job itself, and without guidance, even your best employee can struggle when stepping into a leadership role.

Sometimes newly promoted managers run into challenges because leading people requires a different mindset than simply being a strong employee. They may become frustrated when employees work differently than they would or avoid difficult conversations because they are not comfortable addressing problems directly. Over time, those habits can create tension within a crew.

Employees, on the other hand, want consistency. They want to know what is expected of them, how they are performing and whether their work is valued. When communication breaks down, morale usually follows.

That’s why selecting managers should go beyond technical ability and day-to-day performance. Leadership potential deserves just as much attention.

Before anyone is moved into a management role, it helps to think about whether they are ready to guide people, not just complete tasks. That includes how they communicate under pressure, how they respond when issues come up and whether they can build trust with a team over time.

Once someone is in the role, support has to continue. Managers don’t step into leadership fully formed, and most will need time, feedback, and reinforcement as they adjust to the expectations that come with leading others.

Sizzle Into Summer: Expert Tips for Mastering Pork on the Grill

Thu, 21 May 2026 21:19:32 GMT

Warm summer nights. The laughter of friends and family. The sound of pork chops sizzling on the grill. There’s no better time to enjoy one of the most versatile, nutritious, affordable and delicious foods around – pork.

Why Pork?

With thousands and thousands of options for consumers to choose when it comes to putting meat on the grill, why pork?

Fresh and processed pork is versatile for your holiday celebration or weeknight dinner, says Neal Hull, director of domestic market development with the National Pork Board.

“Its blank palate can be amplified with Hispanic, Greek, Asian, barbecue or other seasonings for your snacks, appetizers or main courses,” Hull adds.

Memorial Day BBQ Tips

Before you fire up the grill this weekend, plan ahead. Determine if your pork needs to thaw or sit in a marinade or seasoning to absorb flavors, or if you have additional ingredients with varying cooking times, Hull recommends.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is not using a binder or enough seasoning, he explains. Also, smaller cuts can cook fast, so ensure you have the ingredients and proper cookware nearby to avoid extra trips indoors.

“Use a digital meat thermometer to test for doneness, ensuring both a safe and delicious eating experience,” Hull says. “Measure the thickest part of the meat and away from the bone, or through the side if the cut is thinner is less than 3/4”. Avoid opening the grill or smoker too often for larger cuts.”

Don’t overcook pork, reminds Chad Carr, a meat scientist at the University of Florida.

“Loin cuts should be juicy and delicious if pulled from the grill at 145 degrees Fahrenheit tops,” Carr says. “Cook pork burgers to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.”

What Are You Hungry For?

When it comes time to choose which pork products to throw on the grill, Hull says the options are endless.

“Pork burgers are easy, affordable and versatile,” he points out. “Similarly, tenderized loin cutlets make a simple summer sandwich. More creative options and side dishes could include stuffed pork burgers, pork belly pinwheels, or bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers.”

Carr enjoys throwing blade end loin chops on the grill or something similar like the loin country style ribs you can purchase at Walmart, he says. Pork’s flavor and tenderness make it an appealing option, plus it’s affordable.

Be creative and try something new, Hulls advises.

“Whatever you’re craving, pork can do that,” he says.

Try these Taste What Pork Can Do® recipes.

Safety First

When it comes to grilling, don’t forget to prioritize food safety. First, don’t cross-contaminate. Make sure you don’t cross-contaminate fresh and cooked products. For example, people often throw their favorite grilling item on a tray to season their meat before taking out to the grill. Don’t use that same tray when you put cooked meat back on it, Carr advises.

Just rinsing it off is not enough to remove any harmful pathogens that could be put on the tray. Take it in and wash it.

NPPC Weighs in on FDA Food Chemicals Assessments

Tue, 19 May 2026 14:57:19 GMT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to implement its “bold food agenda.” Not only did FDA take steps to ensure the safety of chemicals used in food production, but it’s finalizing a new post-market assessment program and commencing reassessments of two additives commonly used in a variety of food products.

“Americans want the FDA to take a fresh look at some of the chemical additives that have become widespread in our food supply,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in a release . “By establishing a comprehensive, science-based framework for reviewing chemicals like BHT and ADA, we’re delivering the rigorous oversight Americans deserve. We will act swiftly based on our findings.”

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) achieved a critical change in one of the two guidance documents for the post-market assessment program.

Based on input from NPPC and other organizations, the FDA made modifications to its previously proposed method for ranking chemicals for assessment, including dropping a broad “other decisional criteria,” which would have allowed food chemical risk scores to be influenced by non-scientific factors. The “Post-Market Assessment Prioritization Tool” document helps identify priority food chemicals – based on certain criteria – for full scientific assessment by focusing on their potential risk to public health, NPPC says.

The second document, “Enhanced Systematic Process for Post-Market Assessment of Chemicals in Food,” describes how the FDA will monitor and triage signals that provide information on hazards, use, or exposure related to food chemicals and how it will prioritize for assessment, evaluate and manage those chemicals in the food supply.

“The FDA’s assessment program provides consumers with confidence that the agency is ensuring chemicals in the U.S. food supply remain safe as new scientific information becomes available,” NPPC says. “The systematic, transparent approach helps protect public health and reinforces the rigorous safety standards that protect American consumers, according to the FDA.”

NPPC points out that its input in the post market assessment ensured that it was based on science and will continue to protect food ingredients already approved and safe in pork products.

Red Meat Exports Add Over $3 Billion in Value to U.S. Corn and Soybeans in 2025

Fri, 15 May 2026 20:05:40 GMT

U.S. red meat exports emerged as a multi-billion dollar engine for domestic grain producers in 2025, adding more than $3 billion in combined market value to corn and soybean crops. According to a new study by the Juday Group and the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), the global demand for American beef and pork accounted for over 600 million bushels of grain usage, effectively boosting the price of corn by $0.58 per bushel and soybeans by $1.05 per bushel.

“Red meat exports bring significant value to corn and soybean producers by driving demand for feed,” says USMEF Chair-Elect Dave Bruntz, who raises corn, soybeans and cattle in south-central Nebraska. “This study shows that red meat exports accounted for more than 500 million bushels of corn usage and nearly 100 million bushels of soybeans in 2025.”

From a national perspective, U.S. beef and pork exports accounted for $2.18 billion in market value to corn producers in 2025, $1 billion to soybean producers and $375 million to distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), according to the study. U.S. beef and pork exports contributed an estimated total economic impact of 13.5% per bushel to the value of corn and 10.3% per bushel to soybeans in 2025.

“We initiate this study every year because it quantifies the value that beef and pork exports bring to the red meat supply chain. This added value is why a diverse range of ag industry sectors work together through USMEF to build global demand for U.S. red meat,” says USMEF Senior Vice President John Hinners.

Key findings from the study, which utilized 2025 statistics provided by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service and data compiled by the Juday Group, include:

Exporting corn through U.S. beef and pork

Beef and pork exports accounted for 508.4 million bushels of U.S. corn usage, which equated to a market value of $2.18 billion (at an average 2025 corn price of $4.29 per bushel).
Beef and pork exports accounted for 2.68 million tons of DDGS usage, equating to $374.7 million (at an average price of $139.82 per ton in 2025).
Beef and pork exports contributed an estimated total economic impact of 13.5%, or $0.58, of bushel value at an average price of $4.29 per bushel in 2025.

Exporting soybeans through U.S. pork

Pork exports accounted for 98.8 million bushels of U.S. soybean usage, which equated to a market value of $1 billion (at an average price of $10.17 per bushel in 2025).
Pork exports contributed an estimated total economic impact of 10.3% of bushel value, or $1.05, at an average price of $10.17 per bushel in 2025.

Why U.S. Pork Exports to Mexico Remain Resilient Despite Pseudorabies Hurdle

Thu, 14 May 2026 21:58:39 GMT

Mexico is the U.S. pork industry’s $2-billion customer, but a recent isolated pseudorabies confirmation has put a portion of that trade on temporary hold, specifically high-value variety meats.

While the border remains open for U.S. pork muscle cuts , which make up most of the export volume to Mexico, pork byproducts (skins) and offal/viscera have been unable to clear due to Mexico’s precautionary restrictions.

“As a producer, I understand the science behind why we don’t need to be concerned about this incident,” says Katie Brown, an Illinois pig farmer and president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association. Brown recently returned from the U.S. Red Meat Symposium in Mexico along with Andy Tauer, National Pork Board vice president of international market development.

The relationship between the U.S. pork industry and the Mexican consumer is strong, Tauer points out.

“They have confidence in U.S. Pork,” he says. “That’s demonstrated every time we go down to Mexico. They value its versatility, consistency and flavor. Yes, we are having a small challenge right now in getting our variety meats across the Mexican border, but that’s where we lean on relationships with the National Pork Producers Council to help us navigate through this.”

(John Herath )

He believes the industry will work through this in “relatively short order” thanks to rigorous traceback and surveillance, in addition to interagency cooperation.

“Pseudorabies is not a human health risk,” Tauer emphasizes. “The U.S. pork supply is safe. With NPPC and USMEF having those important conversations, I think we will see the value of their strong relationship with the pork industry and red meat trade.”

Why Variety Meats Matter: The Whole Hog Value

The current restriction on variety meats is significant because these products that are often undervalued in the U.S., are high-demand delicacies in Mexico that drive the overall value of every pig raised in the U.S. by an additional $2.53 per pig.

“Mexico is a market where the whole hog has value,” Tauer says. “Our partnership with U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) allows us to really dig deep into the marketplace to connect various retailers and consumers with the individual parts and pieces of the pork carcass that they’re really interested in.”

(John Herath )

During a visit to Mexican wet markets, Brown saw firsthand the demand for all parts of the pig. As a producer, she admits that this gives her an even greater sense of fulfillment knowing that the entire pig is being utilized to feed people. It also adds more value to the work she does day in and day out as a producer.

“I remember walking by a box of uteruses and thinking, “Wow. I don’t think those would sell well at our grocery stores,’” she says. “But, that’s one of the things they’ve requested – to send more uteruses and brains as often as we can.”

Of course, Brown’s inquisitive mind didn’t let it stop at that. She began asking them how they use those products and learned more than she expected.

“Understanding how they cook and use these products in their daily life was definitely eye-opening,” Brown says. “I may not start feeding my family uteruses and brains, but if I can send those products off to a market like Mexico, where it adds value to their life, why not? It’s a win- win situation for both of us.”

A Market with Upside Opportunity

Mexico serves as the leading export market for U.S. pork, with hams leading the pack. Despite how strong the market is now in Mexico, the long-term outlook is even stronger. Per capita pork consumption continues expanding in Mexico, growing an estimated 40% between 2010 and 2024.

“I’m a very numbers-based person,” Brown says. “One of the most impactful moments for me was when they started sharing statistics around pork consumption in Mexico. They love pork, but only about 12% is consumed in the household. That is mind-blowing to me.”

She is excited about how the U.S. pork industry is focused on shifting consumer habits from this 88% out-of-home consumption to more at-home meals.

(John Herath )

“There’s so much opportunity to help expand that,” Brown says. “The majority of the time, they consume pork at a celebration, at restaurants or at food vendors over a lunch break. So, what can we do to help them bring more pork home to cook? Is it about making smaller packaging for a couple of people? Do we need to make it more convenient and an easier eating experience?”

Tauer highlighted how USMEF is using QR codes on packaging to provide recipes. The click-throughs on those recipes have been tremendous and are teaching other ways to prepare dishes using pork as an ingredient, which is very popular in Mexico.

“It was exciting to see the volume of Weber grills and Big Green Eggs as we went through a couple of different retail stores,” Tauer says. “American-style barbecue is really starting to catch on there as well. As income continues to increase for the middle class in Mexico, they will continue to have more opportunity to eat pork more on a daily basis. Education around ways to do that is critical.”

In an export market that is already “so good,” the opportunity for growth is huge, Brown adds.

From Barn to Border

Mexico has been “a shining star” in terms of overall demand for the pork product U.S. pig farmers raise on a daily basis, Tauer says.

“Although we talk a lot about selling more pork, trips like these are really about building long-term demand in Mexico,” he says. “It’s about protecting that market share and bringing that value back home to our U.S. producers. This ultimately drives rural communities across this country and helps the next generation stay on the farm. It’s all connected.”

(John Herath )

For Brown, traveling to Mexico provided a bridge between her daily work in Illinois and the global reach of her product. Seeing familiar brands in a foreign context reinforced the scale of the industry.

“To understand the impact we have as farmers, not just in our neighborhood and in our nation, but in other countries, was powerful,” she says. “We need to think on a more global perspective, rather than only about what’s happening on our farms.”

U.S. Justice Department Settles Agri Stats Meat Pricing Case

Fri, 08 May 2026 15:16:14 GMT

The U.S. Department of Justice and six states settled their antitrust lawsuit against data company Agri Stats on Thursday in a move DOJ officials said would lower meat prices for consumers.

The Trump administration is looking to make consumer foods more affordable as Americans grapple with the rising cost of living, including surging gas prices

The DOJ in September 2023 alleged Indiana-based Agri Stats’ weekly reports on meat pricing and sales enabled anti-competitive practices in the chicken, pork, and turkey industries. The case was scheduled to go to trial this month.

Thursday’s settlement limits what data Agri Stats can collect, and requires it to offer its data not only to meat processors, but also to meat buyers like grocery stores and restaurants.

“This Department of Justice is laser-focused on making everyday life affordable for all Americans,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.

The Agri Stats settlement included California, Minnesota, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.

Agri Stats President Eric Scholer said in a statement that the company was pleased to resolve the matter. He said its reports have helped chicken producers expand production and reduce costs.

“It has not been easy for a small company to litigate against a massive government agency with unlimited resources, and we could not have achieved this outcome had our customers not stood behind us,” he said.

The DOJ settlement goes farther in some ways than Agri Stats’ recent settlements with meat purchasers and workers that required the company to stop providing meatpackers with competitor or plant-level pricing and wage data.

If approved by the judge overseeing the case, Thursday’s agreement would run for 10 years, as opposed to five in the private settlements. Agri Stats would also be subject to a seven-year monitorship.

(Reporting by Jody Godoy, David Shepardson, Jody Godoy and Ismail Shakil; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Daphne Psaledakis and Nia Williams)

Record Pace: Mexico Market Drives Strong Q1 for U.S. Pork

Fri, 08 May 2026 12:45:50 GMT

March pork exports were among the largest on record, capping a powerhouse first quarter.

According to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), pork exports totaled 285,567 metric tons (mt) in March, up 6% from a year ago, the largest in five years and the third largest on record. Export value increased 4% to $803.2 million, the second highest on record, trailing only April 2021.

March exports increased year-over-year to leading market Mexico, as well as to Japan, Central America, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines and Taiwan. Shipments were steady to South Korea and Canada. USMEF says March was an outstanding month for export value per head slaughtered, which was the third highest on record at $72.93.

Through the first quarter, pork exports were 3% above last year’s pace in both volume (778,939 mt) and value ($2.17 billion). Exports are on a record pace to Mexico and Central America.

“The sustained momentum for U.S. pork exports is impressive in the Western Hemisphere, but it is also encouraging to see demand climbing in key Asian markets, led by a welcome rebound in Japan,” USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom says in a release.

What This Means for Pork Producers

March pork export value equated to $72.93 per head slaughtered, down slightly from a year ago but the third highest on record, USMEF reports. The first-quarter average was $67.41 per head, up 2% year-over-year. Exports accounted for 33.1% of total March pork production and 28.8% for muscle cuts, roughly steady with the robust ratios posted in March 2025. First-quarter ratios were 30.7% and 26.8%, respectively – each up slightly from a year ago.

Monster First Quarter for Pork

March pork exports to leading market Mexico reached 103,808 mt, up 7% from a year ago, while export value also climbed 7% to $228.6 million, USMEF reports. This pushed first-quarter exports to 309,137 mt, up 5% from last year’s record pace, valued at $688.1 million (up 8%).

“Mexico is a critical market for U.S. pork, especially bone-in hams and variety meat, and preserving market access is essential,” USMEF says. “This makes the review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement a top industry priority, as well as Mexico’s antidumping investigation on U.S. hams and pork shoulders .”

Steady exports to Honduras and growing demand in Costa Rica and El Salvador caused March pork exports to Central America to reach 17,495 mt, up 6% year-over-year, valued at $58.1 million (up 12%). First-quarter exports to the region increased 7% from a year ago to 48,920 mt, while value climbed 12% to $158.7 million.

“After a slight volume decline in 2025, pork shipments to the Dominican Republic have raced to a rapid start this year,” USMEF says. “March exports soared 50% above last year, setting a value record of $35.8 million, while volume was the second largest on record at 12,478 mt. January-March exports totaled 29,984 mt, up 31% from a year ago, valued at $87.4 million (up 29%).”

Although pork exports to Japan declined last year, they have rebounded in 2026. March exports totaled 35,448 mt, up 18% from a year ago and the highest since 2021, while value increased 13% to $134.3 million, USMEF reports. First-quarter exports climbed 20% to 90,776 mt, valued at $345.8 million (up 13%).

Other first-quarter export results for U.S. pork include:

KOREA
March pork exports to Korea were essentially steady with last year, declining 1% in volume (23,563 mt) but increasing slightly in value ($77.8 million). First-quarter exports to Korea increased 2% to 59,108 mt, valued at $196.3 million (up 5%).
ASEAN
Fueled by strong growth in the Philippines (where exports were the largest in eight months at 7,215 mt) and record-large shipments to Indonesia (440 mt), March pork exports to the ASEAN region reached 8,239 mt, up 41% from a year ago, valued at $18.8 million (up 32%). Through March, exports to the region increased 19% to 18,042 mt, while value was up 16% to $42.4 million. In addition to the Philippines and Indonesia, shipments also increased to Malaysia.
TAIWAN
U.S. pork has faced numerous obstacles in Taiwan in recent years, but is regaining some traction in 2026. First-quarter exports more than doubled from a year ago in volume (3,585 mt, up 115% and the largest since 2019, while value increased 87% to $8.5 million.
CHINA
In China, where U.S. pork is subject to retaliatory duties and domestic supplies have surged, first-quarter exports declined 9% from a year ago to 104,779 mt, while value fell 20% to $222.9 million. China remains the largest destination for pork variety meat exports, which account for more than 70% of total shipments to China.

Mexico Keeps Border Open to U.S. Pork Muscle Cuts Amid PRV Detections

Thu, 07 May 2026 20:19:41 GMT

Despite conflicting reports in the media, Mexico has not closed its border to U.S. pork exports following the confirmation of pseudorabies (PRV) in Iowa and Texas . While trade continues for major categories, certain precautionary restrictions have emerged for specific products.

The Source of the Detection

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed the presence of PRV antibodies in a small commercial swine facility in Iowa on April 30. Because PRV is a reportable disease, the USDA followed standard protocol by notifying international trading partners immediately.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig emphasized the speed of the response during a May 1 press conference. “There is always a potential for trade disruption, which is why we moved so swiftly,” Naig said. “We anticipate minimal, if any, short-term trade disruptions.”

Current Trade Status: Muscle Cuts vs. Byproducts

Engagement between animal health authorities in Mexico and the U.S. remains ongoing. Joe Schuele, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) senior vice president of communications, clarified that while the border remains open for U.S. pork muscle cuts, which make up most of the export volume to Mexico, exporters are facing hurdles for some other pork products.

“USMEF cannot speculate about the market access situation going forward,” Schuele says. “But we know that since Monday morning (May 4), U.S. exporters have had loads of certain products unable to clear into Mexico. Importantly, the restrictions do not impact pork muscle cuts. However, pork byproducts (skins) and offal/viscera have been unable to clear due to Mexico’s precautionary restrictions.”

Looking Ahead

USMEF remains optimistic that further guidance from the USDA is imminent and expects Mexico to act in alignment with World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) guidelines.

“We continue to monitor the situation for further updates,” USMEF stated.

Safety Assurance

Industry experts remind the public that PRV is not a food safety concern and poses no risk to human health. The U.S. pork supply remains safe, secure, and subject to rigorous inspection standards.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

DOJ Plans to Settle Agri Stats Case, White House Official Says

Mon, 04 May 2026 20:01:34 GMT

The U.S. Department of Justice plans to settle its case against data company Agri Stats with an agreement officials hope will help drive down food costs, White House adviser Peter Navarro said on Monday.

The DOJ alleges Agri Stats’ weekly reports on meat pricing and sales enabled anti-competitive practices in the chicken, pork and turkey industries. The case is scheduled to go to trial this month.

Agri Stats has called the claims baseless and said its services result in lower prices. A company representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Trump administration has been increasingly focused on affordability as Americans sour on how President Donald Trump has handled the rising cost of living.

MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY PROBE

Speaking at the same press conference, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the DOJ will use every law enforcement tool available to address rising food prices.

Prosecutors have reviewed more than 3 million documents and conducted interviews in their ongoing probe of the meat-packing industry, Blanche said. He urged whistleblowers to come forward and potentially claim financial awards for information.

“Multiple plant closures across the country, the current market structure, and high concentration in the industry indicate anti-competitive activity,” Blanche said without naming the companies involved.

Tyson Foods, Cargill, JBS USA and National Beef Packing Company slaughter about 85% of U.S. grain-fattened cattle that become steaks, beef roasts and other cuts of meat in supermarkets.

The companies have been accused in private lawsuits of conspiring to inflate U.S. beef prices by restricting supply. They have denied wrongdoing. Tyson, Cargill and JBS have agreed to pay tens of millions of dollars to settle some claims.

Spokespeople for the companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.

(Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Nick Zieminski, Joe Bavier and Nia Williams)

Smithfield Foods Beats Quarterly Estimates on Steady Packaged Meats Demand

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 19:46:29 GMT

Smithfield Foods beat Wall Street estimates for first-quarter sales and profit on Tuesday and stuck to its annual forecasts, helped by steady demand for packaged meat products such as bacon, ham, sausages and hot dogs.

U.S. meat demand has held up in recent months as consumers look to cut food bills and cook more meals at home.

The company has relied on its broad portfolio, including premium brands and private-label packaged meats, to retain budget-conscious shoppers trading down, while growth in higher-margin, value‑added packaged meats has helped support profits.

Private-label products accounted for roughly 40% of Smithfield’s retail sales in the last fiscal year, its executives said in March.

Beef costs have remained elevated due to tight cattle supplies, prompting companies such as Smithfield Foods to raise prices to protect margins.

Sales in Smithfield’s packaged meats segment rose 6.2% during the quarter from last year, offsetting a 1.1% slip in the fresh pork business.

The largest U.S. pork processor, which makes packaged meats and fresh pork products for retail and foodservice customers, maintained its annual forecasts as consumer-facing companies remain wary of renewed inflation concerns linked to higher energy prices.

“We are actively managing inflationary input costs and consumer spending trends,” CEO Shane Smith said.

It expects fiscal 2026 sales to grow in the low-single-digits range from fiscal year 2025 and adjusted operating profit between $1.33 billion and $1.48 billion.

The company has been able to lower feed costs and scale down hog production, which have also helped cushion the impact of cautious consumer spending.

For the three months ended March 29, Smithfield logged sales of $3.80 billion, beating analysts’ average estimates of $3.70 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

It earned 64 cents per share on an adjusted basis, above estimates of 59 cents.

(Reporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)

When Good Employees Create Hard Decisions

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:41:09 GMT

You notice a good employee starting to show up late a few mornings in a row, or someone who is usually steady seems distracted and not quite themselves. Nothing is clearly wrong, but enough has changed that you know something is going on, and you’re not sure what to do next.

Do you have a conversation with them?
Do you start handing out consequences?
Or is this something more serious that could eventually lead to letting them go?

This is the kind of situation management coach Don Taylor calls an ethical dilemma.

“An ethical dilemma is when you’re trying to make a call between two or more options, and none of them feel clearly right or clearly wrong from an ethics standpoint,” Taylor said during a Professional Dairy Producers podcast.

This is not a black-and-white situation. Taylor notes that when someone clearly crosses the line, the decision is usually straightforward.

“There are some situations where someone clearly crosses the line, and we know right away it’s an immediate termination,” Taylor says. “Those cases are straightforward. That’s not what we’re talking about here.”

More often, these situations involve good employees when something in their life changes and it is not clear what is going on or how to respond. In those moments, farm leaders are balancing two things: supporting the person while protecting the operation.

Recognize When Something is Off

The first step is recognizing you are dealing with an ethical dilemma in the first place. In many cases, it starts with a gut check.

“Sometimes it’s just a gut feeling that something is off. It doesn’t feel right, and it’s not what you expect from that person,” Taylor says. “In those moments, it really tests your judgment and how you handle people.”

When something does not fit normal patterns or expectations, it usually means you need to pause and get more information before making a decision.

Focus on Facts, Not Assumptions

Once a concern is identified, it’s time to gather information. This starts with making sure decisions are not driven by bias or incomplete observations.

“We want to make sure personal blind spots or biases are not getting in the way. The goal is to gather as much accurate information as we can,” Taylor says.

This often means separating what is known from what is assumed and keeping conversations focused on what can be seen or verified, not opinions.

“We’re going to focus on the facts. If someone starts adding opinions, we’ll steer the conversation back to what we actually know,” Taylor says.

Listen Before Deciding

After information is gathered, the next step is to continue the conversation with the employee.

“Tell your employee, ‘I’m just curious, can you share anything else with me about what’s going on? Whatever is going on in your life is affecting your work, and I have an obligation to understand what that is,” Taylor says.

He emphasizes that in many of these situations, there is often more going on than what you see at first. Taking the time to listen helps you understand the full picture. That way, you are making a decision based on what is really happening, not just what it looks like on the surface.

“When we’re actively listening, we are taking ourselves completely out of the equation,” Taylor says. “All that we’re doing is processing information.”

Use Policy as a Guide

After understanding the situation, leaders should review company policies and past practices. Consistency is important, but rigid rules do not always account for real life circumstances.

Taylor cautions against overly strict approaches in areas where situations can vary significantly.

“I’m not a big fan of zero tolerance policies for this exact reason. If it’s zero tolerance, it’s zero tolerance,” Taylor says.

Instead, he recommends building in room for judgment.

“Unique situations should be handled on a case-by-case basis by the owner,” Taylor says.

That flexibility allows leaders to respond fairly while still staying aligned with the operation’s expectations.

Think Through the Options

With the facts and policies in mind, the next step is to step back and look at your options. Taylor refers to this as using “moral imagination.”

“We have to be creative, thinking up alternative options that are based on our core values, that are based on what we feel is simply the best thing to do in this situation,” Taylor says.

In practice, this means not jumping to the first or easiest answer. It might not be as simple as discipline or doing nothing. There may be a middle ground, like adjusting schedules, setting clear expectations, or putting a short-term plan in place while you learn more.

It also means thinking through how each option affects the rest of the team. Will others see the decision as fair? Will it create more work or tension? At the same time, consider what the employee needs and whether the decision gives them a realistic chance to improve.

At the end of the day, you need to pick an option you can stand behind. One that fits how you run your operation and how you expect people to be treated every day.

If You Miss it, Adjust

Not every situation is going to be handled perfectly, and that is part of working through these kinds of decisions. Taylor says what matters is being willing to look back, learn from it and make adjustments going forward.

“We own it. It’s our responsibility. We made the decision we admit that we could have done better,” Taylor says.

In the end, these situations come down to how you lead people day to day. Taking the time to understand what is going on, working through your options and being willing to adjust when needed helps build trust with your team and keeps the operation moving forward.

Smithfield Launches New Pre-Cut Pork Line for 20-Minute Gourmet Meals

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:10:15 GMT

Pork is popping with new flavor in the meat aisle. Smithfield has launched Smithfield Meal Ready Cuts, a first-of-its-kind lineup of pre-cut, pre-marinated fresh pork designed to deliver bold, globally inspired meals in under 20 minutes. With no preparation time needed, the company does the marinating and chopping for you.

“Smithfield Meal Ready Cuts meets the demands of busy weeknights, making pork an easy, exciting solution for fast meals, without sacrificing flavor,” the company says.

This new lineup features pre-marinated, ready-to-cook cuts so home cooks can create flavorful and impressive dishes in minutes.

“In other words, Smithfield is taking care of the hard part, so home cooks can get straight to the ‘wow, this is good’ part,” the company explains.

The new product line features three crave-worthy varieties:

Korean BBQ Pork Loin Strips
Carne Asada Pork Loin Strips
Sweet & Smoky BBQ Pork Belly Bites

Each “meal” is crafted to deliver globally inspired flavor with minimal effort. Designed for quick stovetop cooking, air frying or tossing into tacos, rice bowls, salads and wraps, the new line of pork products make it easy to turn everyday meals into something worth savoring, Smithfield says.

“Consumers want big flavor without all the work,” Marianne Radley, managing director of marketing for Smithfield Foods, said in a release. “With Smithfield Marinated Strips, we’ve taken care of the hard part so all that’s left for you to do is cook, serve and enjoy. It’s premium taste without the premium prep.”

Made with premium, fresh pork, each variety offers up to 19 grams of protein per serving, for a convenient, high-protein option for everyday meals. You can find the new pork dishes nationwide at major retailers, including Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons and Meijer.

Can Bigger Pork Carcasses Keep Their Cool?

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:52:12 GMT

As pork producers continue to improve growth efficiency and push market weights heavier one question keeps coming up on the processing side: are carcasses getting too big for our current chilling systems?

It’s a fair concern. When things get bigger and denser, they cool more slowly. Most of us have seen this play out at home or at an event. Imagine the end of an FFA banquet…there’s a large pan of pulled pork left over, and it gets placed in the refrigerator to chill. The outside cools down quickly, but the center stays warm for a long time. That’s a problem because of what we call the “danger zone”: a temperature range where bacteria grow rapidly.

While food safety is always top of mind, the concern in pork carcasses is a little different. In intact muscles like the ham or shoulder, we worry less about bacterial growth in the interior. Instead, the bigger issue is how temperature interacts with muscle biology early postmortem. As pH declines after harvest, if muscle temperature remains high for too long, proteins can become denatured. When that happens, they lose their ability to hold water.

The result? Paler meat and reduced water-holding capacity, traits that can impact both fresh pork quality and further processing performance. This becomes especially important for the ham, where much of the product is destined for curing and further processing into items like deli ham. If proteins are compromised early, it can lead to weaker cured color and a drier final product after cooking. For processors, that’s a real economic concern.

So, what did we do to evaluate this?

At the University of Illinois Meat Science Lab, we tracked chilling in some very large pigs, around 400 pounds live weight. While the chilling in our facility is effective, it doesn’t have the advanced blast chilling systems found in many commercial plants. This meant that we were already in less than perfect chilling conditions and further stressing the system with some heavy carcasses. We monitored how quickly different muscles cooled and evaluated traits relevant to further processing.

As expected, larger carcasses chilled more slowly than smaller ones. We also saw differences across primals. Hams and shoulders cooled more slowly than loins. These effects stacked on top of each other, meaning that the hams from the heaviest pigs were the slowest to chill.

But here’s the good news.

Even under these less-than-ideal chilling conditions, we did not observe meaningful negative effects on ham color or processing characteristics. In other words, while heavier carcasses cooled more slowly, that slower chilling did not translate into reduced product quality in our study.

So, what’s the takeaway? For now, it appears that pigs have not outgrown our ability to chill them effectively. That said, this isn’t a “set it and forget it” situation. As I often remind my graduate students, much of the work in fresh meat science is about monitoring—identifying potential issues before they become real problems.

Carcass weights will likely continue to increase, and processing systems will need to keep pace. Staying ahead of these changes ensures that improvements in production efficiency continue to deliver high-quality pork products all the way through the supply chain.

For now, bigger pigs are still keeping their cool—but we’ll be watching closely.

Want to know more? Check out our publications about these pigs:

Effects of Pork Carcass Weight Category and Carcass Primal on Postmortem Temperature and Meat Quality by Kaitlin Guthrie and others

Pork Ham and Belly Processing Traits With Increasing Carcass Weight by Joe Metz and others

We appreciate support from the National Pork Board, whose investment in meat quality research like this helps ensure that production gains translate into high-quality pork products.

Paulina Chávez Joins National Pork Board for “Explora Todo El Gusto” Campaign

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:10:37 GMT

With 64 million people and a spending power of $4.1 trillion, the U.S. Hispanic population represents the world’s fifth-largest economy. This demographic is no longer a niche market; it is a primary driver of U.S. consumption. To capture this growth, the National Pork Board (NPB) just launched “Explora Todo el Gusto del Pork,” a nationwide campaign designed to drive long-term demand by engaging Hispanic Gen Z and Millennial consumers.

Building on the momentum of the general market campaign, “Taste What Pork Can Do,” this new initiative puts cultural values at the center of the plate.

Moving from “Special Occasion” to “Every Day”

The opportunity to grow pork consumption within the Hispanic market is significant. Currently, Hispanics already over-index in the category, with 75% preparing fresh pork at home compared to 65% of non-Hispanics. However, a gap exists in how often it is served.

“The challenge is not introducing the product, but increasing the frequency of use,” says José de Jesús, vice president of market growth for the National Pork Board. “While they eat a lot of pork, much of that consumption happens on special occasions. Our goal is to move from ‘occasional’ to ‘every day’ by building around flavor and the balance of daily meals.”

While Boomers currently drive much of the volume, the NPB is focused on the “consumption load” of the future. Younger Hispanic consumers are increasingly blending heritage with modern, fast-paced lifestyles. For the 66% of Hispanics who prefer dishes inspired by family recipes, according to the Latino Donor Collaborative , NPB is positioning pork as a versatile, easy-to-prep protein that fits a Tuesday night just as well as a holiday celebration.

With 72% of Hispanics saying cooking at home connects them to their cultural identity, “Explora Todo el Gusto del Pork” is designed to reinforce pork’s relevance in both traditional and modern contexts.

The Power of “Gusto”

The campaign tagline hinges on a powerful word: Gusto. In Spanish, gusto goes beyond mere taste; it encompasses passion, pleasure and emotional connection.

“For many, food is both an anchor and a canvas,” de Jesús explains. “Explora Todo el Gusto del Pork recognizes the taste, versatility and cultural relevance of pork in cherished recipes while showing how easy it is to create meals that connect generations and keep traditions alive.”

Research shows Hispanic consumers make choices that reinforce feelings of belonging and a taste of home.

A New Face for Pork: Paulina Chávez

To bridge the gap between tradition and modern influence, Mexican-American actor Paulina Chávez (known for her roles in Landman and Fate: The Winx Saga) will serve as the face of the initiative. Chávez will spotlight pork’s nutritional balance and adaptability for younger Hispanics who may be a step removed from their ancestral cooking traditions but still crave a connection to their roots.

“Food is one of the strongest ways we stay connected to our roots. Passing down traditions and recipes to new generations is beyond important,” Chávez says. “With this partnership, I’m excited to be able to share my culture, my favorite pork dishes, with others. I’m also glad to be paying homage to my grandma and the women in my family who have nurtured us with their cooking for decades.”
The partnership is a strategic move to “turn pork into influence.” By leveraging creators, NPB aims to reach consumers as they seek inspiration for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacking.

The timing is perfect, as 88% of Hispanic adults are interested in improving their cooking skills, compared with 79% of non-Hispanic adults, and 46% of them find cooking inspiration from friends and family, according to Mintel’s Cooking America’s Consumer Report .

Fish Where the Fish Are

While the campaign is national, the NPB is utilizing geographic precision to maximize impact. Efforts are concentrated in five key markets that over-index for Mexican-American consumers: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

“Our strategy has shifted to focus more specifically on the Mexican-American consumer, who makes up about 65% of the demographic,” says de Jesús. “This is about fishing where the fish are. It allows us to be culturally relevant and execute scalable activations in the marketplace.”

Ultimately, the mission remains clear: driving demand on behalf of America’s pork producers.

“We are investing in the future by fostering relationships with one of pork’s most loyal and high-potential audiences,” de Jesús says. “We want to make sure pork stays at the center of their plates.”

U.S. Pork Exports Rise in 2026 as Beef Trends Lower in February

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:29:44 GMT

Pork exports are off to a good start in 2026. The February export data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), shows U.S. pork is slightly higher year-over-year. Meanwhile, beef exports trended lower, due in large part to continued lack of access to China.

“While leading market Mexico posted another excellent performance in February, shipments to Japan increased significantly from last year’s low total and exports also trended higher year-over-year to South Korea, Central America, the Dominican Republic and Taiwan,” USMEF reports.

Pork is above pace

In February, the contribution value per head of pork exports was $67 a head, the highest level in quite a while, USMEF adds. The total pork export value came in at $678.8 million.

For January through February, U.S. pork exports were 2% above last year’s pace in both volume at 493,372 metric tons and value at $1.37 billion. Export value is slightly ahead of the record pace established in 2024, USMEF notes.

Pork exports build momentum in Latin America and Japan

“Volume was up slightly from a year ago at 242,511 metric tons, up 1% and the value is also up 1%,” says USMEF president and CEO Dan Halstrom.

Two things stood out to Halstrom in the pork report.

Latin America continues to perform.
Mexico had a $221-million month with continued growth off of last year’s record, up 4% for the month on volume and up 9% on value. Central America was up, too, he points out.
Japan experiences renewed momentum.
The U.S. exported 28,000 metric tons of pork to Japan in February, which was up 20% from last year. Although Halstrom says this was a bit low, it is still an increase from 2025. U.S. pork export value was up 14%.

It’s time to demonstrate U.S. pork’s advantages in Japan

“It is gratifying to see demand for U.S. pork continue to expand in our Western Hemisphere markets,” Halstrom points out. “But the rebound in Japan really stands out to me, given the strong economic headwinds and intense competition in this important market. To build on this recent momentum in Japan, it is critical that we continue to differentiate U.S. pork and demonstrate its advantages to Japanese importers and consumers.”

U.S. beef variety meats shine bright

February beef exports totaled 85,066 metric tons, down 13% from last year, while value fell 10% to $722.7 million. USMEF says much of this gap was due to China’s lockout of U.S. beef, though February shipments were also below last year to Korea, Japan and Canada. Exports increased year-over-year to Mexico, Taiwan, the Caribbean and South America, while demand was steady in the Middle East and Central America. Excluding China, February exports were 4% higher in value and just 1% below last year’s volume.

The February totals included 24,081 metric tons of beef variety meat, up 12% from a year ago, while the value of these shipments soared 40% to $106 million.

Through the first two months of 2026, beef and beef variety meat exports were 12% below last year’s pace in volume at 177,624 metric tons and 6% lower in value at $1.5 billion. Excluding China from these results, exports increased 2% to 175,915 metric tons, while value was 10% higher at $1.49 billion.

January-February exports of beef variety meat increased 9% from a year ago to 51,592 metric tons, while export value climbed 43% to $232 million.

Smithfield Launches New Premium Pork Brats Including PBR Variety

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:59:10 GMT

Smithfield is launching a new premium pork bratwurst lineup featuring three bold, flavor-packed varieties, including a limited-time Smithfield Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Brat, a Jalapeño and Cheddar Brat and a Chipotle and Cheddar Brat.

Designed for effortless summer entertaining, Smithfield says each brat is crafted to deliver big, satisfying flavor.

“The Smithfield Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Brat brings a nostalgic, all-American twist to the grill, pairing premium pork infused with the smooth taste of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer for a juicy bite with a satisfying snap, perfect alongside potato salad, corn on the cob and an ice-cold can,” Smithfield says. “The Jalapeño and Cheddar Brat strikes a craveable balance of heat and creaminess and the Chipotle and Cheddar Brat layers smoky warmth with rich, cheesy flavor.”

Smithfield’s new bratwursts are available nationwide at Publix and select Walmart and Kroger stores.

“As the weather gets warmer, we know consumers are planning to gather over great food, and bold flavors are a must,” Marianne Radley, managing director of marketing for Smithfield Foods, said in a release. “This new bratwurst lineup, including the innovative Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Brat, delivers premium, crave-worthy options that are easy to prepare and made for sharing, bringing bold, grill-ready flavor and good times to every backyard get-together.”

All three varieties are ideal for grilling, pan-searing or simmering in beer for extra flavor, the company says.

“Beer and brats have always belonged together; we just teamed up with Smithfield to do it right with a seriously good brat,” Katherine Mata, director of culture marketing for Pabst Brewing Company, said in a release. “It’s an easy win for anyone who believes grilling should come with a cold beer.”

Smithfield encourages all backyard grillmasters to enter the Ultimate Backyard Bratluck Sweepstakes for a chance to win a complete backyard party kit, including a RTIC 72-quart cooler, a Weber Genesis Grill, a Solo Stove Yukon fire pit, custom cornhole set and more. From May 7 through July 6, fans can enter by visiting Smithfield.com .

Costco Fans Scramble for Rare "Hot Dog" Bourbon Release

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:39:06 GMT

A Costco store near Washington, D.C., sold out of its new single-barrel bourbon “I Got That Dog in Me” in under a day. Based on Costco’s famous $1.50 hot dog combo, this bottle of Rare Character bourbon was priced at $85.99 and limited to one per membership.

Costco’s food court hot dog and soda combo drew attention from both bourbon enthusiasts and Costco fans, reports Fox News . The bourbon was listed at 126.1 proof and aged 11 years and four months.

In 2021, Pablo Moix and Pete Nevenglosky joined forces to create Rare Character Whiskey Co . Rare Character is known for developing high-proof, limited-release bourbons and ryes that have gained a strong following among collectors.

Running to Stores
Costco customers are eager to get their hands on a bottle. According to a Reddit user tracking the release, bottles were restocked overnight and completely sold out by 9:45 am the next morning.

“Let’s be honest, we were all buying it for the label,” they wrote. Another added, “I’d buy it in a heartbeat.”

Other Reddit users said they would be “running” to buy the bourbon for their husband, while others said, “I don’t even drink alcohol and I want it!”

The bottle’s scarcity has added to the craze, with some people offering to buy the hot dog bourbon for prices way above retail, ranging from $500 to $1,000, Fox News reports.

“Got that dog in me” is slang often used to describe someone with grit and heart. Fox News says the product’s meme-driven branding helped fuel the frenzy, tapping into online culture and the company’s loyal fan base.

An iconic deal
Although Costco may be out of the hot dog bourbon for now, they aren’t out of hot dogs.

Costco’s CEO Ron Vachris recently reiterated that the hot dog combo will stay $1.50 as long as he’s around. The company’s food court staple (a hot dog and soda) has become a symbol for the brand. It has not changed in price since 1985.

The Shrinking Slice: Farmers Receive Less Than 6 Cents of Every Food Dollar

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:30:41 GMT

For the past two years, USDA has estimated farmers and ranchers received less than 6 cents of every food dollar. In 2023, that was 5.9 cents, and using the latest data from 2024, it’s 5.8 cents.

“Our oldest data point right now is 2007 [USDA updated the data series] and that’s 14.7 cents per dollar, and now we’re down all the way to 11.8 cents per dollar,” says Faith Parum, economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation. “So we’ve really seen that decline year after year. It reflects how much of the value of things in the grocery store or when you go out to eat is going to other parts of the supply chain and not necessarily to farmers and ranchers.”

Livestock vs. Crops: A Widening Gap

The aggregate decline masks a widening gap between sectors. While the overall farmer share is down, livestock and crop producers are seeing divergent trends:

Crop Farmers: Share dropped from 2.9 cents to 2.5 cents (a 2.5% year-over-year decrease).
Livestock Producers: Share increased from 3 cents to 3.3 cents.

“Overall, the farmer share is down. But we have those two markets really at odds,” Parum says. “We’ve seen that tale of two farm economies where our livestock producers maybe have seen a little bit of better days than they had had in the past, while our row crop farmers and our specialty crop farmers are really facing strong headwinds in the market.”

Effect at the Farm Gate

As highlighted by USDA, farm finances are quickly strained when farmers/ranchers are capturing a small percentage of the food dollar and even modest swings in commodity prices and/or input prices take place.

Parum adds, “when we talk about the health of our farms and the health of future generations on the farm, and being economically viable and sustainable and being able to keep their operations open, the trends we’re seeing right now are really hard for those farmers. Our ranchers are seeing a little bit of better days right now with high beef prices, but that’s not going to last forever, and with production expenses continuing to increase, we’re really going to see that that question come up of, what is sustainable if, if these dollars we’re spending in the grocery store aren’t making it back to our farmers.”

Where Does the Money Get Distributed?

The key takeaway: farmers produce the raw commodities that make food production, however, the price is clearly more determined by what happens after the products first leave the farm.

The USDA Food Dollar Series tracks how each dollar is spent by consumers and then divides it across the industries contributing to the value in the supply chain, such as farming, food processing, transportation, packaging, wholesaling, retail and food service. As noted by the USDA, with each step in the process, the additional services, labor, transportation and infrastructure add value and increase costs to the final food product.

USDA’s Economic Research Service Food Dollar Series shows in 2024, farmers received 11.8 cents of every dollar spent on domestically produced food, the remaining 88.2 cents of the food dollar went toward the ‘marketing bill’, which includes costs associated with food processing, transportation, packaging, wholesaling, retailing and food service. Over time, this shift illustrates how an increasing share of food spending is driven by services and supply chain activities rather than farm production itself.

Groceries Leave the Most on The Table For Farmers

Farmers’ share of consumer food spending varies widely depending on the type of food purchased. For example, the farm share of the food-at-home dollar was 18.5 cents in 2024, up slightly from 18.4 cents in 2023. But even in this category it means only than one-fifth of what consumers spend on groceries goes back to farmers.

As you may expect, products with minimal processing, require less of the value to be retained in that part of the food system, and therefore return a larger share of the food dollar to producers.

“The highest commodity that gets the most of that food dollar is fresh eggs,” Parum notes. “That’s just because there’s limited labor to process that food.”

Examples include:

Fresh Eggs: 69.1 cents (+6% from 2023)
Beef: 52.2 cents (+4.8%)
Fresh Milk: 50.8 cents (+5.6%)
Pork: 23.7 cents (+7.2%)
Poultry (+3.1%)
Fish (+2.8%)
Tree nuts and peanuts (-1.7%)
Fresh fruits and vegetables (unchanged)
Bakery Products: 4.8 cents (-9.4%)
Soft Drinks/Bottled Water: 1.3 cents (-7.1%)

A $10.4 Trillion Engine: Agriculture Drives One-Fifth of the U.S. Economy

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 19:43:30 GMT

Did you know that close to one in every three jobs nationwide is tied to food and agriculture? The latest Feeding the Economy Report says food and agriculture support about 49 million jobs, which is about 30% of total U.S. employment. Although less than 2% are on the farm, when you add food manufacturing, wholesale and retail, that adds another 24 million jobs, or about 15% of the workforce.

Each year, the Feeding the Economy Report measures the downstream, off-the-farm economic impact of U.S. agriculture. Danny Munch, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, says the report tracks three layers of impact.

“When you combine those layers, ag supports about $10.4 trillion in economic output, or about one-fifth of the entire U.S. economy,” Munch said on the Newsline podcast .

2025: $900-Billion Growth in U.S. Agricultural Industry

The U.S. agricultural industry grew by nearly $900 billion over the past year, according to this study led each year by the Corn Refiners Association and sponsored by three dozen agriculture and food organizations, including the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).

The first layer is direct activity, which includes the base level of food and ag production that is traditionally measured. It also measures supply industries like transportation, finance, equipment manufacturing and inputs in the second layer. The third includes the ripple effects of those two stages on how wages are earned and spent throughout the rest of the system.

“So, all the benefits we were talking about – jobs, wages, tax revenue – they’re tied to where that production happens,” Munch says. “If production shifts overseas due to cost pressures, regulatory burdens or competitive challenges, that economic activity moves with it. So, it’s not just about the food supply, it’s about all these other jobs, tax revenue and economic commerce that supports industries across every corner of every state.”

The report includes a state-by-state breakdown of agriculture’s economic impact, showing total jobs, wages, output, taxes and exports. Key findings include:

Food and agriculture generated more than $3 trillion in wages for U.S. workers, with wages rising 4% year-over-year and 13% over the past decade.
Food manufacturing remains the largest manufacturing sector in the U.S., employing almost 2.3 million workers.
U.S. food and agriculture exports were more than $177 billion, though exports declined by $5.4 billion year-over-year, underscoring the need for maintaining strong trade agreements and expanding market access for American products.
The food and agriculture sector produced $1.35 trillion in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments, a 7% increase year-over-year.

“The report confirms the incredible, positive impacts of agriculture on our country,” says NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys. “America’s 60,000-plus pork producers are proud to help drive this force that provides our food and other agriculture products—and the opportunity to be part of something bigger than themselves by carrying on a tradition of taking care of their families, neighbors, animals and land, and at heart, a way of living that often has been passed down for generations.”

U.S. pork producers annually generate more than $37 billion in personal income, contribute more than $62 billion in GDP, and support more than 573,000 jobs in the U.S. economy, NPPC adds.

The Next Guatemala? USMEF Sees Massive Upside for U.S. Beef and Pork in Ecuador

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 19:22:32 GMT

Ecuador recently became the ninth country to sign an agreement on reciprocal trade with the U.S. And while it will take some time to implement, once in place, the deal will greatly expand opportunities for U.S. beef and pork in Ecuador, according to U.S. Meat Export Federation Vice President for Economic Analysis Erin Borror.

Tariffs of 20% on beef and 45% on pork are mostly phased out, although there are exceptions on pork.
A 30% tariff on processed pork products which will remain in place.
The agreement recognizes all USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspected facilities as eligible for export to Ecuador, removing the need for individual facility approvals.

“The tariff on beef is basically 20% and that’s phased to zero in the agreement over three years,” Borror explains. “For pork, tariffs of 45% are mostly phased out. There are some exceptions on further processed products and sausages that will see tariffs remain at 30%.”

Borror says one of the key wins in these reciprocal trade agreements is getting countries to recognize FSIS, the U.S. food safety authority, as the competent authority.

“They will recognize all FSIS-inspected facilities as eligible to export, rather than going through onerous questionnaires, plant-by-plant audits and maintaining plant lists which have gotten to be unmanageable,” she says.

Borror expects export growth to be similar to what was seen in Guatemala after passage of the Central America Free Trade Agreement.

“Both of those countries have a population of close to 18 million people,” she says. “Their GDP per capita is somewhere close to $7,000, so very similar. And if we take Guatemala, U.S. beef export growth from 2006 to 2025, saw growth from $3 million to $105 million. For pork, the market went from $10 million to $148 million.”

In 2025, the U.S. exported virtually no pork to Ecuador and only $3 million in beef. She says there is great potential in Ecuador.

In a World of 51-49, One Sector Isn't Close

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 20:18:49 GMT

We are swimming in polling data. Daily trackers and instant reaction panels. Most results cluster in narrow margins. Fifty-one to forty-nine passes for consensus; fifty-five percent is a landslide.

That is what makes one set of numbers stand out.

Across 25 years of Gallup polling on public confidence in major U.S. economic sectors, one sector stands apart. Farming and agriculture is a clear and distinct leader in public trust.

That finding comes from a Carver Center examination of the full Gallup record – a continuous measure of how Americans view major industries from 2001 through 2025.

Only a small group of sectors have remained consistently net positive: the computer industry, retail, travel, restaurants and farming and agriculture. Most industries rise and fall. Some collapse during crises and struggle to fully recover.

Agriculture does not behave that way.

Its median net-positive score over the full period is +41. The lowest year was still +29, in a dataset where many sectors fall to zero or below.

The data also show intensity, not just direction.

About 11.5% of Americans hold a “very positive” view across all sectors over the past 25 years. Farming and agriculture averages 21.5% over that same period. In the past decade, that figure rises to 25%, the highest of any sector.

That is not marginal support. It is high-intensity approval.

Now set that against how the sector is commonly described.

Much of today’s food and agriculture debate assumes a deficit of public trust. The language is familiar: a broken system, eroding confidence, widespread concern.

Americans have been asked this question for 25 years. They do not answer it that way.

Americans distinguish sharply across industries. They are skeptical where experience gives them reason to be skeptical. They are volatile where outcomes are volatile. They have remained consistently negative toward sectors like the federal government and pharmaceuticals over long stretches.

And they are consistently positive toward sectors that deliver visible, everyday value. Food and agriculture sit in that category.

The more important point is underneath it. Public trust is not a general condition that moves evenly across the economy. It is a scarce asset. It concentrates.

Over a quarter century, Gallup’s data show a clear separation. A small number of sectors earn lasting confidence. Most do not.

That has implications well beyond agriculture.

When policymakers treat trust as evenly distributed, they misread risk. They assume that interventions carry similar consequences across sectors. They do not.

Food and farm policy is where this shows up in practice. In school meals, for example, nutrition is delivered only if students participate. Trust in the food being served is not incidental to that system – it is part of how it works. Change the rules in ways that conflict with how families and students actually experience food, and participation falls. When participation falls, so does the nutrition delivered through the program.

Policymakers who misread this baseline end up designing policy that works against public trust rather than with it. The effects are not theoretical. They appear in participation rates, costs and what ends up on the tray.

Polling captures moments. What Gallup’s 25-year record captures is something harder to move: accumulated public judgment.

On food and agriculture, that judgment is not confused. It is not evenly split. It is not fragile. It is clear, durable and unusually strong. Policy should start there.

Curliss is chairman at the Carver Center for Agriculture and Nutrition, a nonprofit research initiative focused on food affordability, access and sound nutrition. The full Gallup analysis and Carver Trust Index are available at carverfood.org . Check out this downloadable report.

Summer Marketing Period is More Than Summer

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 19:54:47 GMT

For 2026, the terminology around “summer marketing” has a slightly different context. Normally, the crush sheets indicate that those few summer months might be the only months of the calendar year that offer a market profit opportunity. However, for 2026, depending on individual production costs, all months have had and continue to have this potential. While all swine operations implement diets and management strategies with the end in mind, 2026 should bring even a sharper pencil to maximize this opportunity.

Real time decision-making economic tools discussed below for stocking rate influence on growth rate, DDGS inclusion recommendations, ideal net energy and amino acid inclusion (lysine and tryptophan), optimal diet phosphorus levels and feed additives use such as Skycis, among other tools are available here .

Try These Post-Weaning Practices

For the first three to four weeks post-weaning, there is a limited opportunity to accelerate growth rate to have a measurable impact on final market weight. In many cases, more time and investment should be devoted to ensuring pigs are started correctly, with properly sanitized facilities, accurate implementation of SOPs for newly placed pigs, proper ventilation and timely treatment of challenged pigs to ensure they are set up for the remainder of their growth stage to market. However, nursery nutritional programs that include in-feed acids, pharmacological zinc, super-dose phytase and other feed and water additives, with consistent data, can increase final body weight by 0.4 to 1.5 lb. at the end of this period.

Late Nursery to Marketing Tips

Once post-wean pigs are about 28 days post-weaned, they often respond to various nutritional practices to increase growth rates that are sustainable until marketing. These practices include increased dietary energy intake and use of growth promoters (some already mentioned in the post-wean section), such as pharmacological copper, ionophores and other feed additives. Some nutritionists formulate dietary phosphorus and various amino acids, such as tryptophan, at slightly higher concentrations to achieve higher growth rate targets.

A commonly used practice is to reduce or eliminate higher-fiber ingredients, such as distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) or wheat middlings, to increase growth. This also allows for increased dietary soybean meal, which can improve growth rates if currently included at low diet concentrations.

The use of added fat is a decades old practice that always gets discussed, but often the resulting improvements are only in the 1.0-2.0 lb. carcass weight basis, but the added feed cost in many U.S. locations can still be greater than the revenue received.

While nutrition is a piece of maximizing profitability in high market price months, management practices can often override nutrition changes for extra weight gain. Practices to increase days to market could include:

Double stocking nursery pigs longer for fall-marketed pigs to allow for more days on feed of finishing pigs during the summer months.
Utilizing a lower stock rate for targets periods of time as possible as a means to improve daily gain.
Altering marketing strategies to maximize days of feed of an entire barn population.

Pork

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The Path Forward

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High-Level Backing

Government:

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Advocacy:

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Exporting soybeans through U.S. pork

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Why Variety Meats Matter: The Whole Hog Value

A Market with Upside Opportunity

From Barn to Border

U.S. Justice Department Settles Agri Stats Meat Pricing Case

Record Pace: Mexico Market Drives Strong Q1 for U.S. Pork

What This Means for Pork Producers

Monster First Quarter for Pork

KOREA

ASEAN

TAIWAN

CHINA

Mexico Keeps Border Open to U.S. Pork Muscle Cuts Amid PRV Detections

The Source of the Detection

Current Trade Status: Muscle Cuts vs. Byproducts

Looking Ahead

Safety Assurance

Read More Here:

DOJ Plans to Settle Agri Stats Case, White House Official Says

MEAT-PACKING INDUSTRY PROBE

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When Good Employees Create Hard Decisions

Recognize When Something is Off

Focus on Facts, Not Assumptions

Listen Before Deciding

Use Policy as a Guide

Think Through the Options

If You Miss it, Adjust

Smithfield Launches New Pre-Cut Pork Line for 20-Minute Gourmet Meals

Can Bigger Pork Carcasses Keep Their Cool?

So, what did we do to evaluate this?

But here’s the good news.

Want to know more? Check out our publications about these pigs:

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Fish Where the Fish Are

U.S. Pork Exports Rise in 2026 as Beef Trends Lower in February

Pork is above pace

Pork exports build momentum in Latin America and Japan

Latin America continues to perform.

Japan experiences renewed momentum.

It’s time to demonstrate U.S. pork’s advantages in Japan