I have just returned from participation in the fall meeting of the Ontario Association of Swine Veterinarians. A great group of swine professionals who are very worried about the future of the swine industry in Ontario. Challenges in Ontario include … Continue reading →

Here in southern Minnesota, the corn harvest is in full swing. This morning on the local radio station’s farm show, seed corn representatives were citing test plot yields of 220+ bu/acre. Given the many weather challenges of this growing year, … Continue reading →

With propane at $2/gallon, many producers have begun inserting ‘Tekfoil’ or similar materials between the bird netting and emergency drop curtains in cold weather. The question that needs to be asked – how tight can these emergency drop curtains be … Continue reading →

By now, many of the readers of this blog have had time to read and digest the numbers in last Friday’s USDA Hogs and Pigs report. In addition, many of you have seen my interpretation of the report which keyed … Continue reading →

I’ve written earlier blogs on the cost of propane this winter and the estimated impact on production costs, especially for contract growers with fixed payment contracts. This weekend I had a question from a veterinarian and finishing manager for a … Continue reading →

As agriculture continues to evolve in the Midwest, the impact of this evolution on rural communities is increasingly becoming fodder for community discussion. At the core of the discussion is the often unspoken concern that rural communities are dying because … Continue reading →

While it is 9 days until the official end of summer, many producers and contract growers are already planning for winter management of production facilities. This planning includes contracting of propane supplies. At recent meetings, I’ve had producers quote $1.71/gal … Continue reading →

Last week I sat in on a webcast from Iowa State University on the upcoming implementation of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). Hosted by Dr John Lawrence, extension ag economist and Dr Jim McKean, extension swine veterinarian, the webcast dealt … Continue reading →

The threat of a trade dispute with Mexico and the Russian announcement of a possible major reduction of imports of pork and poultry were reminders this week of the impact of world trade on US pork prices. At the current … Continue reading →

Every year those of us involved in pork production hear tales of pig deaths associated with manure pit agitation and manure removal from confinement facilities. These deaths range from a ‘few’ pigs in a corner of a curtain-sided wean-finish facility … Continue reading →