Washington - U.S. pork producers welcomed USDA's announcement that it will buy pork for federal food aid programs, saying the purchases will help producers who are in a “dire” situation.
“The pork purchase announced today will help many needy Americans, as well as assist pork producers during this very rocky financial period,” NPPC President Donna Reifschneider said in a statement.
The USDA said Monday it will buy up to $50 million of pork in an effort to boost U.S. pork prices, which have sunk to their lowest levels since since 1971. NPPC estimates producers are losing between $50 and $75 per market hog on average.
NPPC on Saturday sent a letter to meat packers asking them to increase their slaughter capacity and to slaughter U.S. hogs first in an effort to help U.S. producers. Approximately 60,000 Canadian hogs are being slaughtered at U.S. plants per week, the NPPC said.
The group also offered to help packers who are facing regulatory restrictions to their slaughter capacity negotiate to raise slaughter limits.
Meat Industry Insights News Service
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