Business

Hog Market Feeling Supply Pressure

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:30:00 +0000

There have been times this spring, especially during the lean finely textured beef/beef trimmings debacle, when pork and hog demand have seemed less than stellar. But the past few weeks’ data suggest that ample pork supplies are keeping markets under plenty of pressure.

U.S. Pork Exports to Mexico Remain Rosy

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:28:00 +0000

By Jim Herlihy, U.S. Meat Export Federation, Denver, CO

With the first quarter’s results in, the No. 1 volume market for U.S. pork exports – Mexico – remains on track to set new records in 2012, according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

New Pork Board Members Announced

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:12:00 +0000

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the appointment of five members to the 15-member National Pork Board. New members of the board are Craig Mensink, Preston, MN and Carl Link, Fort Recovery, OH.

Call for More Oversight of Antibiotics and DDGS

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:08:00 +0000

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Congressman Ed Markey (D-MA) are asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to clarify its authority over and surveillance of antibiotic use in distiller’s dried grains with soluble (DDGS).

Colombia Trade Agreement Goes into Effect

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:08:00 +0000

The U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement went into effect on May 15. In 2011, the United States exported $1.1 billion of agricultural products to Colombia

House Agriculture Completes Farm Bill Hearings

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:08:00 +0000

The House Agriculture Committee wrapped up its last farm bill hearings on May 18

Senators Request Farm Bill Debate

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:08:00 +0000

Forty-four senators have written the senate leadership calling for a timely and open debate of the farm bill. The bipartisan letter was organized by Senators Mike Johanns (R-NE), Max Baucus (D-MT), Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

Three Reasons Why the Hog Market Fizzled This Spring

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:32:00 +0000

Joe Vansickle Senior Editor

The spring rally in the hog market has been very strong the past five years, from the last week of March through the third week of May, becoming the strongest seasonal rally of the year, according to Chris Hurt, Purdue University Extension agricultural economist. This year’s counter-seasonal price movement has caused the anticipated spring rally to fizzle.

How to Make Good Use of a Smartphone

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:46:00 +0000

A busy pork producer shares his smartphone tips.

Lora Berg

Thome uses a Casio G’z One Commando model smartphone with Android apps. He did his homework to make sure the phone would be rugged and could stand up to the challenging and often dusty, dirty and wet conditions in barns and outdoors.

Tackling Smartphone Technology

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:39:00 +0000

A number of companies are developing tools specifically for pork producers.

Lora Berg

More and more pork producers are turning to smartphones as a go-to tool within their operations. The dizzying array of applications, or “apps,” as they are commonly called, can seem a bit overwhelming.