By now users of propane in the upper Midwest have experienced sticker shock. So far I haven’t heard of any production site that failed to receive propane when needed but I have heard of very high prices, prepay deliveries only, … Continue reading →

I’m writing this blog on Tuesday morning just prior to heading out for the Illinois Pork Congress in Peoria where I am on the program tomorrow. Once again a winter storm is passing south of Minnesota and covering the central … Continue reading →

There has been lots of press in the past 2 days about the looming propane shortage in the upper midwest. One broker was quoted this morning as saying there is only a 2-3 week supply in the upper Midwest. In … Continue reading →

This past week I did 2 radio interviews about the impact of the PED virus on the swine industry. While much has been written about the tremendous numbers of pig deaths when it strikes a farrowing site, little has been … Continue reading →

On Thursday I worked with the contract growers for a smaller production flow in the upper Midwest. A big concern of the growers was the upward trend in sale weights and the impact on their facilities and work-load. Much has … Continue reading →

With the very cold temperatures in the upper Midwest, ventilation systems in many production facilities are operating at their minimum levels. While these levels were supposedly sized and designed based on moisture removal rates, many producers struggle with wet pens … Continue reading →

Last week I visited a sow unit that was about 10 days into a PED virus outbreak. While I was there to examine ventilation settings and GDU options, it was hard not to have a discussion with the employees about … Continue reading →

Yesterday I received a lesson in snow sleds. This lesson is important since many producers use the red plastic sleds for dead pig removal in their production facilities. With winter weather upon us, now is the time to shop for … Continue reading →

My post a couple of weeks ago about the lack of corn piles in prompted quite a few personal responses. Most agreed with my assessment of the corn grain sales situation in SW Minnesota and NW Iowa and the conclusion … Continue reading →

Today I will be attending the annual meetings of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association and the Minnesota Pork Board. Topics of discussion that I expect to hear in the hallways and even from delegates and presenters include the EPA decision … Continue reading →