Eric Schwindt says demand is helping to keep up North American hog prices. (John Greig photo)

Ontario hog farmers to get new options with Michigan plant

A combination of hog prices remaining high despite good supplies and a new processing plant in nearby Michigan have Ontario hog farmers optimistic about the near future. “It’s unambiguously good news to have more processing capacity close to Ontario,” said Patrick O’Neil, Ontario Pork’s marketing division manager, at the Ontario Pork Congress. The Clemens Food […] Read more

Seaboard Triumph Foods’ new pork plant is under construction at Sioux City, Iowa. (Video screengrab from SeaboardTriumphFoods.com)

Sizzling hog market waits on new U.S. plants

CNS Canada — Prices for Canadian hogs are enjoying a seasonal bump as consumers prepare for the summer grilling season. In Canada, the Signature No. 5 (Maple Leaf) Index daily price was listed at $179.68 per 100 kg (ckg) on May 26. That price was up $1.11/ckg compared to the week previous, according to data […] Read more


(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Canadian hog prices to rise by summer

CNS Canada — Cheap prices for feed and a softer Canadian dollar have helped keep Canadian hog prices aloft so far in 2017. “Right now producers are looking at $180 to $184 a pig,” said Andrew Dickson, general manger of Manitoba Pork. “Prices are looking pretty good for June, July, August.” By July, he said, […] Read more

(Gloria Solano-Aguilar photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Hog market improving with solid exports

CNS Canada — Strong U.S. exports and declining cold-storage numbers have helped push hog prices on Canada’s Prairies to better levels than a few months back. According to the latest information compiled by Saskatchewan Agriculture, the U.S. exported 173,770 tonnes of pork in November 2016, up 13.5 per cent from 153,051 in October 2016, and […] Read more


A satellite view of Hurricane Matthew at 2:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 7, 2016. (NASA/NOAA GOES Project)

Smithfield to shutter major hog plant against Matthew

Chicago | Reuters — Smithfield Foods will shutter its hog processing facility, the world’s largest, on Saturday to protect employees in North Carolina from Hurricane Matthew, industry sources said on Friday, as farmers braced for the storm’s potential lashing. Matthew has fueled concerns about the safety of livestock and farm workers along the coast from […] Read more



(National Pork Board (U.S.) photo via ARS/USDA)

Cash hog market benefits from barbecue season

CNS Canada –– The Canadian hog market is gearing up to start bringing home the bacon. Weekly cash hog prices are higher on continued stronger seasonal pork cutout values, with lower supply creating better prices. “Prices generally do increase over the summer,” said Brad Marceniuk, a provincial livestock economist in Saskatoon. “I expect hog prices […] Read more

(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Pork prices gain on seasonal demand, tighter numbers

CNS Canada — Western Canadian cash hog prices have been trending higher as supplies tighten and demand increases moving into the summer, two Prairie analysts say. “A lot of that has to do with lower slaughter numbers, higher pork cutout values,” said Brad Marceniuk, a livestock economist with the Saskatchewan government in Saskatoon. Hog numbers […] Read more



(Gloria Solano-Aguilar photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Pork market looks to improve by spring

CNS Canada — Canadian pork prices are feeling a modest bump upward as healthy U.S. exports clean up some excess North American pork supplies. Canadian slaughter-weight prices hit their lows in November and December — and since then, they have increased about 30 per cent, according to Brad Marceniuk, a livestock economist for Saskatchewan’s agriculture […] Read more