 "The just-released USDA Hogs and Pigs report does suggest that
U.S. producers are following through on their intentions to
reduce the breeding herd and cut production for 2009," said
Chris Hurt. "The nation's breeding herd is down 3 percent, and
producers indicate they will cut farrowings by 5 percent this
fall and another 3 percent in the winter."However, record
weaning rates mean that supplies will not be down by the same
percentage."
Hurt's comments came as he reviewed the pork industry.
"These are uncertain times, not only for grain producers but
for livestock producers as well," he observed. "Worried
investors are sending the stock market and agricultural markets
reeling. After all, it is the incomes of world consumers that
are the foundation of pork demand.
"U.S. consumers have been shaken, and the pork industry has
never been as dependent on the incomes of the world's consumers,
as pork exports have led prices higher."
Record high weaning rates are not new to the U.S. pork
industry, he noted. The number of pigs per litter will be nearly
2 percent higher in 2008 as extremely high feed prices have
forced the industry to trim low-productive sows and encouraged
management practices to save more pigs.
"The rate at which pigs-per-litter grows is highly affected
by feed costs," he said. "The last time the growth rate in pigs
per litter was at 2 percent a year was in 1996 and 1997, when
corn prices moved above $5 per bushel."
U.S. pork production is expected to remain up about 3 percent
in the fourth quarter before dropping 1-2 percent in 2009. Pork
trade has been the outstanding feature of 2008.
"So far this year, pork exports have been up 71 percent and
imports down 16 percent," said Hurt. "Net trade -- exports minus
imports -- has accounted for 18 percent of U.S. production. This
compares with 10 percent last year.
"This means an additional 8 percent of U.S. production is not
available to U.S. consumers because of trade. Given that
domestic production is up about 7 percent this year, trade is
the only reason hog prices were able to recover so sharply this
spring and summer."
However, Hurt added, several cracks in the bullish trade
numbers have developed.
China was by far the leader of added exports, representing 46
percent of the additional exports through July. The rate of
exports to China dropped in July, giving rise to concerns it may
reduce purchases in the post-Olympic period.
"Russia has also been an important buyer of pork this year,
accounting for 13 percent of the growth in U.S. exports in the
first seven months," he said. "Continued exports to Russia are
in jeopardy as Russia retaliates for U.S. diplomatic criticism
of Russia's incursions into Georgia.
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"Russia has sought to ban some imports from the United States on
health and sanitation reasons and is attempting to stimulate their
own domestic production through government supports of their
industry. Most important, Russian pork purchases represented only 2
percent of U.S. production so far this year, so a total loss of that
business is not terribly bearish to prices."
Hog prices, as measured by live prices for 51-52 percent hog
carcasses, are expected to average in the high $40s to very low $50s
for the fourth quarter of 2008. Prices are expected to be in the low
$50s this winter and move into the high $50s to very low $60s in the
spring and summer. For the calendar year of 2009, hog prices are
expected to average in the mid- to upper $50s.
"Current estimates of costs for 2009 are in the mid-$50s,
resulting in an estimate for modest profits for the year," said
Hurt. "Feed prices are highly unstable at this writing, so much
uncertainty is added for pork producers from the feed-cost side as
well.
"Given the current forecast of hog prices and costs, producers
could pay about $5.25 per bushel for corn in 2009 and still break
even. This compares with a corn break-even purchase price of only
$3.75 per bushel for 2008. Since corn prices will average closer to
$5 a bushel, this means considerable losses in 2008, on average."
Hurt also addressed the current financial difficulties of the
U.S. economy.
"Will consumers back away from meat consumption, given the
uncertainty in their incomes and reduced value of their stock
portfolios?" he said. "Beef consumption will feel the impacts much
more strongly than pork since pork is much lower priced."
For 2008, retail beef prices have averaged $4.26 per pound, and
retail pork has averaged $2.90 per pound.
"In recent years, the level of consumer incomes has had little
impact on pork consumption," he said. "However, pork prices can be
expected to experience some negative reactions to consumer income
uncertainty.
"Both crop and animal agriculture are ready for more stability,
but a movement toward more stability cannot yet be seen from today's
vantage point."
[Text from file received
from the University
of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental
Sciences]
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