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
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
New leadership elected as Beef Farmers of Ontario charts priorities for 2026 Monday, February 23, 2026 The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) has announced new leadership following its , with directors electing Jason Leblond of Chisholm as president and Don Badour of Perth as vice president. The election marks the conclusion of Past President Craig McLaughlin’s nine-year term on the... Read this article online
CRSB Launches Certified Beef Producer Incentive Program Friday, February 20, 2026 The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) has announced the launch of the CRSB Certified Producer Incentive. This new program is designed to recognize and reward beef producers who have invested time and resources to become certified under CRSB standards. The main goal of this... Read this article online