The closing of the Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls has been felt throughout the swine industry. “Let’s face it, the last few years in animal agriculture have not been great.” said Bob Thaler, swine specialist, South Dakota State University Extension. “Farmers are already under a lot of stress and now, this will impact marketing decisions.” Thaler explains pork production is different from raising other livestock because there is a sense of urgency for getting hogs to market. “Due to pig flow and schedules, a lot of operations don’t have the flexibility to hold hogs. When a barn needs to be emptied, it’s got to be emptied. That really does create a huge burden. Some packing plants have been good to take the extra hogs, but there are only so many hogs they can take.”
News Categories
Latest RRFN Podcasts
Subscribe to RRFN
Get a weekly digest from RRFN to stay up-to-date on all the latest news in agriculture.