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Understanding USDA's Hog Price Reports
I get questions all the time about USDA’s hog price
reports. It is pretty amazing how the mandatory price reporting (MPR)
law, which passed in 1999, created so many reports with so many numbers.
As I will only scratch the surface with this column, here are a few
characteristics of the reports that are important. The MPR reports can
be found at marketnews.usda.gov/portal/lg
by clicking on “swine,” and then on “direct swine reports.”
Some examples from today are included.
A common question: “How are the reports related regarding
geography?”
First, all prices are included in the national reports. There are
national reports for both purchased swine and slaughtered swine (more on
that later), but regional reports are published for only purchased
swine. The country is split into two regions along the Mississippi
River to create the Eastern and Western Corn Belt (ECB and WCB) reports.
A subset of the prices in the Western Cornbelt Report is used for the
Iowa-Minnesota Report.
What hogs are included in a given day’s report?
FULL ARTICLE
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Opportunities for Growth in the Global Pork Market
While U.S. pork exports are approaching record levels,
there are still significant opportunities for growth in the
international marketplace. These new opportunities are not limited to
the new, exotic and unexplored regions of the globe.
Examples of these unexplored or under-explored areas include Central
America, Kazakhstan and South Africa. Those areas were recently
identified by U.S. Meat Export Federation’s (USMEF) international
directors and marketing experts in conjunction with representatives of
the U.S. pork industry’s processors and exporters.
Other opportunities include niches within existing markets that have
been dominated by foreign competitors, but offer significant potential
for increased U.S. pork exports. Although both categories of prospects
are being aggressively pursued, the latter group is particularly
enticing.
FULL ARTICLE
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Korean
FTA & Agriculture
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) estimates when
the Korean-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is implemented, it will
result in an increase in U.S. agricultural trade of $1.8 billion
annually. Some the benefits for U.S. agriculture according to the U.S.
Trade Representative are:
• Nearly two-thirds of current U.S. farm exports to Korea will
become duty-free immediately, including wheat, feed-grade corn, soybeans
for crushing, hides and skins, cotton, plus a broad range of high value
agricultural products, such as almonds, pistachios, bourbon whiskey,
wine, raisins, grape juice, orange juice, fresh cherries, frozen French
fries, frozen orange juice concentrate and pet food.
• U.S. farm products with two-year tariff phase-outs include
avocados, lemons, dried prunes and sunflower seeds.
FULL ARTICLE
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Iowa
Board Approves Plan for Swine Medicine Education Center
The Iowa Board of Regents of Iowa State University (ISU)
Thursday approved the development of the first-ever Swine Medicine
Education Center at ISU in Ames.
The concept for the center, which is expected to attract national and
international interest, is the brainchild of Pat Halbur, DVM, chair of
Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine at ISU.
Halbur presented the idea at last March’s annual meeting of the
American Association of Swine Veterinarians in Omaha, and it received
solid support from swine practitioners, Iowa pork and allied
industries.
FULL ARTICLE
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Dec. 15, 2010: Illinois Farm Economics
Summit, Best Western Prairie Inn Galesburg, IL. For more information
contact: Sue Esposito by phone (217) 333-5506, fax (217) 333-2312 or
e-mail sesposit@illinois.edu.
Dec. 16, 2010: Illinois Farm Economics Summit,
Doubletree Hotel
Bloomington, IL. For more information contact: Sue
Esposito by phone (217) 333-5506, fax (217) 333-2312 or e-mail sesposit@illinois.edu.
Dec. 16, 2010: Passion for Pigs Seminar & Trade
Show, Holiday Inn Select Executive Center Columbia, MO.For more
information contact: Julie Lolli at the Northeast Veterinary Service,
Inc. in Shelbina, MO, at (660) 651-0570.
Dec. 17, 2010: Illinois Farm Economics Summit,
Holiday Inn
Mt. Vernon, IL. For more information contact: Sue
Esposito by phone (217) 333-5506, fax (217) 333-2312 or e-mail sesposit@illinois.edu.
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NPPC and the National Pork Board have launched a program, We
Care, to promote pork producers' commitment to responsible pork
production. From animal care and the environment to food safety and
quality, pork producers demonstrate best practices daily.
For more on continuing the tradition of doing what’s right,
Click here
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