NPPC Welcomes Biden Administration Siding with Farmers on Prop 12

Dan Legislative, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), Pork, Regulation

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) welcomed a Supreme Court brief filed by the Biden administration in favor of ag groups regarding California’s Proposition 12. The state law seeks to ban the sale of pork from pigs that do not meet the state’s arbitrary production standards, including pork from pigs raised on farms outside of California. NPPC assistant vice president and general …

Study Shows Red Meat Exports Deliver Value to Corn, Soybean Producers

Dan Beef, Cattle, Corn, Exports/Imports, Field Crops, Livestock, Soybeans

Record level red meat exports of $18.7 billion last year, had a major impact on the corn and soybean industries, according to an independent study by the Juday Group. The study quantified the returns that red meat exports brought to corn and soybean producers in 2021. Corn and soybean growers support the international promotion of U.S. pork, beef and lamb …

Inflation Prompts Some Trading Partners to Cut Tariffs on Red Meat

Dan Beef, Cattle, Economy, Exports/Imports, Livestock, Pork, Tariff

South Korea is the latest country to suspend import duties on pork and other food items in an effort to combat inflation. They join Mexico, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam and Brazil in reducing or eliminating tariffs on certain food items to lower consumer prices. And while these tariff reductions sometimes benefit global competitors more than U.S. red meat, the overall …

Avian Influenza Causing Losses of Egg Laying Hens

Dan Avian Influenza, Eggs, Poultry

While the number of highly pathogenic avian influenza cases across the U.S. have outpaced the 2014-2015 outbreak, experts say the one key to controlling the spread of it is fast reaction to reported detections. Even so, USDA economist Matt Maclachlan notes avian influenza this year has caused the loss of about 2 million laying hens. And when it comes to …

WLAC Winner Named, 2023 Event to be Held in Florida

Dan Cattle, Livestock, Marketing

Will Epperly, from Dunlap, Iowa, was named the 2022 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion (WLAC) at the 58th annual competition held at Shipshewana Auction & Trading Place, Shipshewana, Ind. This past Saturday’s event was presented by the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA). “It was such a powerful moment,” Epperly said. “I thought to myself, ‘this can’t be real,’ and the emotions that came over me …

AFBF and NPPC Tell Supreme Court Proposition 12 is Unconstitutional

Dan Pork

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 12. The state law seeks to ban the sale of pork from hogs that don’t meet the state’s arbitrary production standards, even if the pork was raised on farms outside of California. AFBF and …

April Beef, Lamb Exports Up, Pork Down

Dan Beef, Cattle, Exports/Imports, Pork, Sheep-Goats

The latest red meat export report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show beef exports maintained a remarkable pace in April, topping $1 billion for the third time this year. USMEF Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO, Dan Halstrom, offers insight into what continues to drive global demand for U.S. beef. Beef exports totaled 124,408 metric tons (mt) in …

Investing in Farm & Ranch Land

Dan Beef, Cattle, Economy, Field Crops, Livestock, Pasture

We told you last week that stronger land prices during late 2021 continued higher through the first five months of this year. That was partially helped by investors looking for a low-risk inflation hedging investment. And Mark Oppold reports wealthy investors are turning to farm and ranch land. According to Farmers National Company, prices for good quality cropland are up 20 …

Key Policy Issues Lead NPPC Strategic Agenda

Dan Pork

Wednesday, a panel led by National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) experts at World Pork Expo discussed the pork industry’s current policy priorities that are vital to producers’ livelihoods and the future success of the industry. As part of the pork industry’s long-range strategic planning process, the Pork Industry Visioning Task Force prioritized international trade, foreign animal disease and labor as key policy …