Prepared and written by Jeff Swenson, DATCP Livestock and Meat Specialist. The Market Update draws information from several sources, including trade publications, radio broadcasts, agricultural news services, individuals involved in the industry as well as USDA NASS and AMS reports.
Pork packer margins remain in the black but dropped last week by $2.78 to $6.86/head according to the Sterling Profit Tracker. The national base carcass price was $85.05 last week, making it 72 cents higher. The negotiated pork carcass cutout value was virtually unchanged, averaging $95.02. Last week’s USDA weekly harvest estimate of 2.593 million hogs was 92,000 more than the previous week and 72,000 more than the same week last year. Harvest numbers are building but the year-to-date total is 2.7% less than last year. Pork production is trailing 2025 by 1.7%. Hogs harvested last week averaged 295 pounds, which was three pounds heavier than a year ago. Futures prices have stalled as the market searches for positive fundamentals to move higher. Forty-pound feeder pigs were higher again last week, averaging $12314/head with weaned pigs averaging $92.78.
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