The Hogs and Pigs Report did confirm that we are going to have plenty of pigs the rest of this year and into 2020. It did not point to some irrational growth rate that is going to flood us with pigs in the future.

The December-February 2019 pig crop, at 32.99 million head, was up 2.8% from 2018, precisely the year-over-year change analysts had expected.

U.S. pork exports are projected to grow faster than beef exports and on par with poultry exports.

Last year was a record-breaking year for U.S. exports to the Philippines, with pork exports of nearly 48,000 metric tons, up 23% from 2017.

Sometimes the futures market, in rare instances, is simply not in tune or not capable of anticipating major changes in fundamental developments until they actually rear their head.

The national average negotiated barrow and gilt carcass price for plant delivered hogs on Friday’s afternoon report was $54.20 per hundredweight, the highest for any day since Nov. 12.

Pork exports could rise 6% this year to 6.3 billion pounds which Shagam says “would be a record in terms of our exports.”

African swine fever story will dominate the fundamental news before the end of this year.

Weights at the start of 2019 have been up slightly from last year. Milder spring weather should boost slaughter weights a bit before summer heat drives them down.

If you think we don’t know much about production losses in China; we know even less about pork demand in China.