By Fred Gale, USDA Economic Research Service Abstract: China has become a leading importer of pork as its hog production costs have grown. China-U.S. comparisons show that hog producers in China face higher feed and labor costs than U.S. producers, while costs of feeder pigs fluctuate from year to year in both countries. Efficiency of feed use has improved marginally …
Pig Farmers Complying with New VFD Requirements
A recent survey shows that U.S. pig farmers are complying with the new federal rules regarding antibiotic use in their animals. The November survey done by the National Pork Board showed that 95 percent of farmers were ready for full compliance well before the January first deadline. Jan Archer, Pork Board President, says, “The pork industry has worked toward the …
November Pork Exports Set Record
U.S. pork exports set a monthly volume record in November, helping overall U.S. red meat exports build momentum. Both beef and pork exports were 20 percent higher than last year in both volume and value. Statistics compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation show that November pork exports totaled 225,757 metric tons, up 24 percent year-over-year and breaking the previous …
USDA Wants Dismissal of “Pork, the Other White Meat” Lawsuit
The U.S. Department of Agriculture filed a motion in court this week to dismiss the Humane Society’s lawsuit against the agency over the National Pork Producers Council selling the “Pork, the Other White Meat” trademarks to the National Pork Board. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle …
Smithfield Cutting Back on Gestation Crates
The world’s largest pork producer, Smithfield Foods, said this week they’ve moved 87 percent of their pregnant sows out of gestation crates to group housing. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to …
A Look at 2017 Prospects for Livestock Producers
Many producers of meat animals may have another year of belt tightening ahead. Gary Crawford has the story. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board …
National Bacon Day
Cathy Isom tells us why today may be one of the tastiest National holidays of the year. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong Relationship Exists Between the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board and UF-IFASApril 17, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research …
U.S. Hogs and Pigs Inventory Up 4 Percent
As of December 1, there were 71.5 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms, up 4 percent from December 2015, and up slightly from September 1, 2016, according to the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, …
Ag in Review for the Week Ending December 16, 2016
In this week’s recap of agricultural news from around the Southeast, we look at why many agriculture groups are concerned with USDA’s proposed changes to the GIPSA final interim rule, talk about an event held in Atlanta this past week to highlight the power of partner-driven conservation on private working lands, have information about the importance of agriculture, nature-made Christmas …
Concerns with Proposed GIPSA Rules
Many agriculture groups are concerned with USDA’s proposed changes to the Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) final interim rule. The National Turkey Federation is concerned with two proposed regulations possibly upending contract relationships in place between turkey growers and processors. The USDA wants to Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Critical Funding To Enhance Brahman GeneticsApril 24, 2026Strong …