Worldwide hog production shrinks and Smithfield rocks Sunday, February 6, 2011 Only last June, a troubled Smithfield Foods Inc., based in Virginia, was denying published reports from Brazil that it was going to sell its pork production to JBS, the Brazilian meat packing giant that had already purchased Smithfield's beef operations. What a difference a few months make for the self-described world's largest pork processor and hog producer. While worldwide hog production shrank two per cent, Smithfield reported record high earnings in the quarter ending Oct. 31.Smithfield made money on both pig raising and processing. Live hog market prices rose 54 per cent to $56 per hundredweight from $36. Cutout prices rose more. "Smithfield is performing at record levels and we are focused on continuing to deliver strong earnings in the second half of fiscal 2011. All indications are that fiscal 2011 will be a record year for the company," said C. Larry Pope, president and chief executive officer, in a December press release.Published reports indicate that Smithfield managed to pay down half of a US$1 billion debt in bonds that were due in 2011. The other half may not be as easy, since recently the U.S. government renewed an ethanol subsidy that keeps grain prices high. BP 'Pocket pigs' pose problems Commercial feed is the salmonella culprit
Ag and immigration tied together in the Constitution Tuesday, February 24, 2026 A section of the Constitution declaring agriculture and immigration fall under provincial jurisdiction clears the path for the fall referendum, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said. Speaking with reporters on Feb. 23 Smith pointed out Section 95 of the Constitution. This part of the... Read this article online
Wilson Farms Sponsors Ontario Four 2026 Tuesday, February 24, 2026 Wilson Farms Grain has been announced as the Supreme Champion Sponsor of the Ontario Four Horse Hitch Series for the 2026 season. This partnership connects one of Eastern Ontario’s leading grainlogisticsenterprises with one of the province’s most respected draft horse competitions. Known... Read this article online
Global Commodity Markets Rise as Funds Boost Soybean Buying Monday, February 23, 2026 On the weekly podcast with experts Farms.com Risk Management Chief Commodity Strategist Moe Agostino and Commodity Strategist Abhinesh Gopal, the team agreed that markets moved positively during the week of February 16 to 21, 2026, after stronger fund buying supported soybeans, but new... Read this article online
Alberta Confirms First PEDv Case Since 2022 Monday, February 23, 2026 Alberta has confirmed its first case of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) in four years, after laboratory testing validated the infection on February 21, 2026 at a farm in southern Alberta. The province had not reported a positive case since February 2022, marking this as a... Read this article online
Hog Markets Strengthen Heading Into Late February Monday, February 23, 2026 As hog producers head into the final stretch of February, North American markets showed modest but broad-based strength according to the latest OMAFA report for the week ending February 20, 2026. The data highlights firmer hog prices, stronger futures, and mixed feed costs, offering... Read this article online