$54 billion US pig industry is under pressure from the forces of supply and demand

$54 billion US pig industry is under pressure from the forces of supply and demand
Photo is illustrative in nature. From open sources.

The Wall Street Journal reports that pig farmers are under pressure and some are even going out of business as they lose money at the fastest rate in decades. The impact is spilling over supply chains as businesses from pig farms to processing plants scale back operations and MEAT packing companies including Smithfield Foods, Tyson Foods and JBS grapple with shrinking profits.

Turbulence is the result of rapid changes in the markets. Rising overseas demand has prompted many producers to expand their operations, especially after China's pig herd was devastated by African swine fever. Trade wars have hampered this business, and more recently a strong US DOLLAR has made American pork less competitive overseas.

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