Business Matters

More Pork and Corn in 2012

05/03/2012 8:00:00 AM

USDA released three crucial reports at the end of March: the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report, the Quarterly Grain Stocks Report and the Planting Intentions Report. ... Full story.

Weigh Your Many Options

04/04/2012 10:00:00 AM

Thanks to a profitable environment for the pork industry dating back to June 2010, producers have rebuilt their balance sheets to respectable levels. ... Full story.

For pork producers, mid-to-late March is really the time to start thinking about summer. A well-accepted fact of the business is that market-hog weights decline during summer months, although the amount varies somewhat due to location. ... Full story.

Prospects for a Profitable Year

02/09/2012 2:22:59 PM

As we enter 2012, the livestock and crop markets saw some sizable swings. Worries about demand and economic weakness (especially in Europe) pushed prices down, while concerns about supplies and extreme weather events pushed prices up. ... Full story.

MF Global: A Rocky End to a Good Year

01/06/2012 8:15:00 AM

Just when we had become accustomed to the volatility in the pork industry, we were thrown a big curve we didn’t see coming. MF Global filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 31, and the fallout has been real for those producers who utilized MF for their clearing services. ... Full story.

Why do You Raise Hogs?

11/07/2011 8:00:00 AM

I spend significant time on farms working with producers and production systems on a variety of problems. I also spend time thinking about the industry’s changing structure — not only where we’re raising pigs today, but the ownership issues. ... Full story.

Relationships Matter, Workplace Included

10/10/2011 7:00:00 AM

Think what life would be like without relationships — no one to interact with, talk to or even e-mail or text. When we think of relationships, we think first about family, friends and perhaps coworkers. ... Full story.

How Washington’s Decisions Impact Your Business

09/08/2011 6:00:00 AM

Regardless of which side you were on, it’s safe to say we can all agree that the debate over raising the U.S. debt ceiling was a painstaking process. Now, with some time having passed since Standard & Poor’s downgrade of the United States’ debt rating from AAA to AA+, we have seen some unprecedented volatility in the stock market. ... Full story.

Keep Your Maintenance Schedule at Hand

08/09/2011 8:00:00 AM

Recently, I’ve visited grow/finish facilities that are 12 to 15 years old; some need major repairs and some are in almost new condition. In each instance, the facilities have housed growing pigs for their entire lives, and sometimes both the best and the worst cases were constructed by the same company. ... Full story.

Positive Feedback Works Wonders

06/03/2011 9:38:55 AM

That’s the technical side, but achieving superb pork production performance requires excellence in both your technical and people processes. So, what people processes do you utilize to ensure that your workforce performance is outstanding? ... Full story.

What Are Pork Producers Thinking?

05/10/2011 11:05:21 AM

I’ve been getting phone calls from the press and some East Coast investors who think that with higher hog prices we should be starting to see some sow expansion. But while we have record-high hog prices we also have record-high costs. ... Full story.

The Real Feeder Costs

04/11/2011 11:23:36 AM

During recent discussions involving production systems and contract growers, the focus was on how to improve feed conversion in growers’ facilities. For owners, ingredients, particle size, diet sequencing, antibiotics inclusion, Paylean use and such are all important. ... Full story.

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