US pig producers back in the black as feed cost pressures begin to ease

摘要

Sentiment among US pig producers has improved markedly after two key indicators from the US Department of Agriculture pointed to better profitability over the coming months. The first piece of good news came with the September Hogs and Pigs report which indicated little change in the size of the breeding herd. The second was the feedprice lowering impact of higher-than-expected maize inventories revealed in the September Grain Stocks report. The combination of stronger hog prices and lower feed prices has put the pork outlook back into solid black for the coming year, according to Purdue University agricultural economist Chris Hurt.