The Pork Report: Lean Hogs Improve While Grains Struggle

Lean hogs improved again, up $1.75 to $79.78. Corn, wheat and soybeans tumbled Thursday as the Iowa/Minnesota live basis for barrow and gilts climbed by $0.80 to $54.23. Pork bellies were once again unchanged for the fourth consecutive day.

Livestock slaughter total for both hogs and cattle jumped by 3,000, increasing to 424,000 and 127,000 respectively.

Rib was the biggest gainer of the primal cutouts on Thursday, advancing by $2.47 to $127.98. Picnic and ham prices dropped by $0.02 and $0.06, and the pork loads plummeted by 90 to 53. Pork butt, loin and belly continued their upward trends.

1. Ag markets moved generally higher Wednesday
2. Infrastructure limits ag export growth, economist says
3. Beetles, housefly larvae open new frontier in animal feed sector
4. Oil pressured by Bernanke comments, crude stocks up
5. Repainting “American Gothic:” Number of women farming triples
6. Commentary: Severely ticked off

1. Commentary: Ag must resist HSUS 'divide and conquer' strategy
2. Outbreak of PEDV spreads to 13 U.S. states
3. Smithfield Foods bid reflects China’s quality issues
4. Finding the comedy in ag-gag
5. National Pork Board elects new officers; Richter to lead
6. Will Smith dethroned in latest Peterson Farm Bros. parody

1. COOL isn’t working
2. NIAA releases white paper on FMD preparedness
3. American students immerse themselves in Scotland
4. Finding the comedy in ag-gag
5. Commentary: Ag must resist HSUS 'divide and conquer' strategy
6. Will Smith dethroned in latest Peterson Farm Bros. parody