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Better Pork Featured Articles

Better Pork magazine is published bimonthly. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Worldwide hog production shrinks and Smithfield rocks

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Only last June, a troubled Smithfield Foods Inc., based in Virginia, was denying published reports from Brazil that it was going to sell its pork production to JBS, the Brazilian meat packing giant that had already purchased Smithfield's beef operations.

What a difference a few months make for the self-described world's largest pork processor and hog producer. While worldwide hog production shrank two per cent, Smithfield reported record high earnings in the quarter ending Oct. 31.

Smithfield made money on both pig raising and processing. Live hog market prices rose 54 per cent to $56 per hundredweight from $36. Cutout prices rose more. "Smithfield is performing at record levels and we are focused on continuing to deliver strong earnings in the second half of fiscal 2011. All indications are that fiscal 2011 will be a record year for the company," said C. Larry Pope, president and chief executive officer, in a December press release.

Published reports indicate that Smithfield managed to pay down half of a US$1 billion debt in bonds that were due in 2011. The other half may not be as easy, since recently the U.S. government renewed an ethanol subsidy that keeps grain prices high. BP

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February 2025

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Canada-U.S. economic summit scheduled for Friday

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Members of the Canadian government and business community will meet Friday to discuss Canada-U.S. relations. The Canada-U.S. Economic Summit in Toronto on Feb. 7 will bring together people from the Council on Canada-U.S. Relations, business and labour leaders, to explore ways of... Read this article online

Canadian tech leads the way for egg gender testing

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash Canadian Egg Technologies and MatrixSpec Solutions Inc. have announced that their technology is delivering accurate in-ovo gender determination for white and brown eggs as early as the fourth day of incubation. Called a transformative breakthrough for... Read this article online

Nortera celebrates $25M expansion

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Nortera, a North American leader in frozen and canned vegetable processing, has celebrated the $25 million expansion of its Wright Street frozen warehouse in Strathroy, Ontario. This investment directly supports the local economy by sustaining over 270 jobs and strengthening... Read this article online

Profitable Pastures 2025 webinar series

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

The Ontario Forage Council (OFC) has announced that its is back, providing best management practices for pasture and grazing managers. There will be three webinars airing daily from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm EST over March 4-6, 2025. Registration is required, but there is no cost to... Read this article online

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