Pork Shortage More Of A Cutback

by Breanna Fuss, Reporter
September 25, 2012 6:52 PM


You may have read a headline or two today stating a bacon and pork shortage is now ‘unavoidable.’

Well we did some investigative reporting on just how unavoidable it really is.

Farmers all agreed that that headline was a bit of an exaggeration, and they said consumers might notice less pork being sold, but you certainly will be able to get your bacon.

With the drought affecting crops across the nation, it has raised feed prices making it difficult for hog farmers to feed their animals. Prompting a cut back on how much pork you may see on your grocers shelves.

"Right now our cost of production is so much higher and intern people are losing huge financial loses in the pork industry right now,” Brad Greenway said.

Brad Greenway is a pork producer from Davison County and he says the cost to feed his hogs has nearly doubled since 2006.  

“The feed cost for a pig was about $52 to $53 from birth to market. Now we are bumping up to $95 per pig,” said Greenway.

Greenway said he recently bought a ton of soybeans that cost him $500. Something smaller hog farmers may not be able to afford. Making them drop out of the business.

“I've heard of some herds selling off at this time. We hope that they will come back into production as the price of grain lowers,” Greenway said.

And to combat the high price of feed for now, there may be less pork for a higher price. But that is to help pay for those rising feed prices.

Greenway just asks one thing of consumers on behalf of all his fellow producers.

“There wont be a shortage of pork, so continue to enjoy pork. Help us out on the producer end of it and buy all the bacon and the porkets you want,” said Greenway.
 
Greenway also said the timeline if there where to be a shortage of pork wouldn’t take affect until next fall. But he said that would only happen if Mother Nature brings us another dry hot summer.