FarmWeek Page 7 Monday, March 29, 2010
PRODUCTION
Tighter pork supplies could ignite ‘fireworks’ in market hundredweight. If realized, hog prices would be up about 20 to 22 percent compared to last USDA on Friday may have ignited some year. “fireworks” in the hog market with the release “I believe the industry has its eye on profof its quarterly hogs and pigs report. itability right now,” Rosa said. “Producers have Traders were caught off guard as USDA gone through many years of losses, so they’re slashed its swine inventory numcautious going ahead.” bers. U.S. pork producers the past FarmWeekNow.com “There could be some real quarter reduced the inventory Visit FarmWeekNow.com fireworks this summer,” Len of hogs and pigs 2.8 percent to to view the latest USDA Steiner, market analyst with 63.9 million head. They also cut hogs and pigs repor t. Steiner Consultant Group, said the breeding herd by 3.9 perduring a teleconference hosted by cent to 5.76 million head and the National Pork Board. “As supplies tighten, reduced the market hog inventory by 3 percent and if exports pick up, it could get this market to 58.2 million head. rocking and rolling.” “The report is very bullish,” Rosa said. “The Steiner predicted lean hog carcass prices in numbers were tighter than expected.” the second and third quarters could reach $78 Producers are expected to reduce the numto $79 per hundredweight. ber of sows to farrow by 4 percent. But the one Erica Rosa, ag economist for the Livestock number that could counter-balance tight supMarketing Information Center in Lakewood, plies is the average pigs-saved-per-litter, which Colo., and Darrell Mark, University of Nebraswas a record 9.61 in the latest report. ka Extension marketing specialist, also predictHowever, the hog market also is expected to ed hog prices in coming months could surpass be supported by a year-over-year increase in the $70 mark. exports, said Rosa, who also noted the Canadi“The supply fundamental is there for higher an swine herd and slaughter hog imports to the prices (due to reduced supplies of pork and U.S. have declined in recent months. beef),” Rosa said. “The key is demand.” Meanwhile, Steiner believes the positive outRosa predicted average hog carcass prices for look will put an end to the culling of the swine 2010 could average between $68 and $70 per herd in the U.S.
BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek
2009 corn crop, yields Illinois’ fourth largest The 2009 growing season in Illinois likely will be remembered for heavy rains, flooded fields, and numerous fieldwork delays. But it also produced the fourth-largest corn crop and fourthbest corn yield average in state history, according to Mark Schleusener, deputy director of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) state office in Springfield. “2009 was a challenging year for producers due to too much rain during planting and harvest,” Schleusener said. “However, the yield still was the fourth-largest ever produced in Illinois.” Illinois farmers last year produced 2.053 billion bushels of corn with an average yield of 174 bushels per acre. NASS on Friday released yield averages for each county in the state. The estimates were delayed this year because NASS re-surveyed farmers in February to account for the late harvest and corn still standing in the field. Some farmers were just finishing up their 2009 harvest last week. “With the late harvest, we did a re-contact project in February and as a result we did lower the state average yield (from the January estimate) by one bushel,” Schleusener said. Counties with the highest corn yield averages in Illinois in 2009 were Warren (193), Macon (192), Menard and Champaign (190 each), and Carroll and Sangamon (189 each). Lake County had the lowest corn yield average at 121 bushels per acre. The top corn-producing counties in 2009 were McLean (68.5 million bushels), Iroquois (64.3 million), Livingston (58.9 million), LaSalle (57.7 million), and Champaign (56.8 million). — Daniel Grant