senate

NPPC President Testifies before Senate Ag Committee

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

Last week the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) president testified before the Senate Committee on Agriculture. While she touched on various issues, Rusty Halvorson reports trade issues and ongoing market access with tariff concerns was one of the top ones. Stevermer also discussed California Proposition 12, a state law that prohibits the sale of uncooked whole pork meat from hogs born to sows raised …

farm bill

New Numbers for Beef Producers

Dan Beef, Cattle, Labor and Immigration, Marketing, Pork

New numbers for beef producers were available in a recent report. Rusty Halvorson has more on that, along with information about labor issues for hog producers. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Helps to Support Forage Development and Management PracticesMarch 6, 2026CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement …

usmef

Record Large Pork Exports, Beef Export Value Higher

Dan Beef, Cattle, Exports/Imports, Pork, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)

According to year-end data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), exports of U.S. pork eclipsed previous highs in both volume and value in 2024, while beef export value climbed 5% from 2023. Rusty Halvorson has more details. According to USMEF, December pork exports totaled 267,132 metric tons (mt), slightly below last year’s large volume, while value …

trade

Trade Watching for Hog, Cattle Reports

Dan Cattle, Pork, Trade

Those in the livestock trade are looking ahead at a couple of reports, one from the hog industry and one from the cattle industry. Rusty Halvorson has the story. USDA’s December Hogs and Pigs Report put the December 1 inventory at 75.8 million head. That’s down about a percentage point from the previous quarter but up a half percent from …

agricultural commodities

Reviewing Agricultural Commodities

Dan Biofuels/Energy, Cattle, Commodities, Corn, Cotton, Economy, Pork, Soybeans, Wheat

With markets closed today, Mark Oppold takes time to look at where certain agricultural commodities currently stand so far this year. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Helps to Support Forage Development and Management PracticesMarch 6, 2026CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in …

nppc

APHIS Announces New Health Plan for U.S. Hog Industry

Dan Pork, USDA-APHIS

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently announced a new health plan for the U.S. hog industry. Rusty Halvorson has more details. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Helps to Support Forage Development and Management PracticesMarch 6, 2026CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research …

medicine

A Team Effort by Medicine and Agriculture

Dan Pork, Research, Technology

Thanks to research over the years, Mark Oppold notes how a team effort by medicine and agriculture helped one woman overcome a serious medical issue. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Helps to Support Forage Development and Management PracticesMarch 6, 2026CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board …

asi

Red Meat Production Down Three Percent in November

Dan Beef, Cattle, Livestock, Pork, Sheep-Goats

USDA says red meat production fell year over year in November as cattle and hog slaughter both declined. Commercial meat output totaled 4.56 billion pounds in November, down three percent from November 2023.  Beef production dropped three percent on an annual basis to 2.22 billion pounds. Cattle slaughter fell six percent to 2.57 million head last month. USDA said the …

commodities

How Agricultural Commodities Performed in 2024

Dan Cattle, Commodities, Corn, Cotton, Economy, Field Crops, Pork, Soybeans, Specialty Crops, Wheat

With 2024 in the rear-view mirror, Mark Oppold looks back at how certain agricultural commodities actually performed for the year. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Helps to Support Forage Development and Management PracticesMarch 6, 2026CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Offers Targeted Research for Florida Cattle IndustryFebruary 20, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the …

bracing

Bracing for a Potential Work Stoppage at Ports

Dan Beef, Cattle, Exports/Imports, Labor and Immigration, Marketing, Pork, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF)

As we kick off the New Year, many are bracing for a potential work stoppage at various ports around the country. Rusty Halvorson has the story. U.S. agriculture is bracing for a potential work stoppage at East and Gulf Coast ports that could greatly disrupt U.S. exports. Contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance broke …