Swine Inventory Signals Growth in 2026

U.S. hog producers are signaling higher production for the first half of 2026. According to the USDA Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report, more farrowings next year, which should boost overall hog supplies compared with 2025. “So overall, what the report indicates is that heading into next year, those farrowings and the fact that we’re seeing the intentions are to farrow more hogs in 2026, at least for the first half, that should result in relatively higher hog supplies relative to 2025, which bodes well for pork production and growth in pork production into next year,” said Michael McConnell, USDA livestock analyst. The sow herd is slightly smaller than last year, meaning producers will rely more on productivity improvements. McConnell added that recent strong returns are influencing producer decisions.