U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Acting State Director Joan Scheel announced today that USDA is awarding a nearly $1.2 million grant to a local independent meat processor in Nebraska that will increase processing capacity, spur competition to expand market opportunities in rural areas throughout the state.

Pumpkin spice, bonfires, chili, fall foliage and Pork Month. Who’s excited for the best time of the year? PORKtober is here! There’s no doubt that October is the perfect month to celebrate our favorite food – pork. But do you know how it first started? Years ago, October marked the time of year when hogs

Longshoremen at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts are set to strike when their current labor contract expires at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1. The strike will impose a significant economic impact on the U.S. meat and livestock industries, according to U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Vice President for Economic Analysis Erin Borror. “These

Smithfield Foods has reduced its hog production by about 20% by cutting farm operations in multiple U.S. states, the world’s largest pork processor said on Friday. In an emailed statement, the company attributed the decline to the closure of its slaughtering plant in Vernon, Calif., in early 2023 and other strategic decisions to improve and

When African swine fever was diagnosed in China in August 2018, the North American swine industry immediately began actively monitoring its status and subsequent efforts to control the outbreak. Knowing the consequences of an ASF diagnosis in North America would be catastrophic, collaborative efforts among stakeholders in the US, Canada, and Mexico began immediately. The

With a goal to provide welfare-friendly and cost-effective methods for active PRRSV surveillance, Drs. Cesar Corzo, Mariana Kikuti and colleagues from the University of Minnesota led a study to evaluate the accuracy of different postmortem specimens collected from piglets in breeding herds for disease detection. Funded by the Swine Health Information Center, the study focused

Improvements will allow for easier and better data collection and analysis

As US beef production declines, Australia steps up its exports. US supply and exports shrink while Australia capitalizes on growing demand.

Agricultural producers face many pressures and challenges.

The National Pork Producers Council hosted a webinar Sept. 9 to talk about policy issues facing the industry, including the ongoing efforts for a new farm bill and foreign animal disease prevention. NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys said it is an important time for the industry. “There are a number of challenges and opportunities that face