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
Markets Slip as Corn Hits New Lows While Wheat Shows Strength Wednesday, June 17, 2026 On the latest episode of the Ag Commodity Corner+ Podcast titled, Farms.com Risk Management Chief Commodity Strategist Moe Agostino and Commodity Strategist Abhinesh Gopal discussed key developments in global commodity markets in detail. They started the podcast by explaining how corn... Read this article online
Ottawa unveils National Food Security Strategy Wednesday, June 17, 2026 The federal government is looking to support producers and lower grocery costs for Canadians through its National Food Security Strategy. The strategy announced on June 11 commits at least $3 billion over 10 years to address multiple areas of Canada’s food supply chain. Here’s how the... Read this article online
Canadian Food Security Plan Boosts Ag Sector Growth Tuesday, June 16, 2026 The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) has welcomed the federal government’s newly announced National Food Security Strategy, highlighting its renewed commitment to strengthening Canada’s agri-food sector through investments that support competitiveness, affordability, and long-term... Read this article online
Western Farm Weather Alert: Heat, Storms, and Unpredictable El Niño Tuesday, June 16, 2026 Farmers across the west, in both the United States and Canada could be facing an unpredictable and potentially challenging stretch of weather as summer approaches, according to the latest released June 15 by Nutrien’s Eric Snodgrass. The report points to a developing weather pattern... Read this article online
What Can Canadian Canola Growers Learn from the Decline of Rapeseed Oil in the United Kingdom Tuesday, June 16, 2026 The Farms.com team recently attended the Cereals Show in the United Kingdom. This year, the show was held in the Cotswolds at Diddly Squat Farm (owned by Jeremy Clarkson, from Clarkson’s Farms). We were intrigued to learn about the dramatic decline of the rapeseed sector. The United... Read this article online