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News from week of October 12th ā 19th, 2026
PORK WATCH
North America's Swine Industry Roundup
Hog Prices Slide as Demand WeakensFalling hog prices, rising fall disease pressure and a new futures challenger lead this week in swine news.
In this week's issue...
š USDA economists expect fourth-quarter hog prices more than 15% below last year. š¦ PEDV detections jumped in September as fall farm activity raised disease pressure. š ICE plans lean hog futures from December 7, challenging CME's benchmark market. 
A chain held together by a thin string, illustrating weak links in pork demand. Source: National Hog Farmer. Canadian Swine SceneManitoba Pork: public opinion is already shaping how pork is producedFarms.com, October 19th 2026 Manitoba Pork general manager Cam Dahl says the opinions of Canadians with little connection to agriculture are already influencing legislation, regulation and on-farm practices, and that influence will grow. In an article on public trust circulated through Manitoba community newspapers, the producer group argues farmers must find ways to improve public understanding of modern food production, noting that social media lets opinions not grounded in science shape policy, as seen in campaigns against canola and soybean oil. The U.S. Pork ReportUSDA economists see Q4 hog prices falling more than 15%National Hog Farmer, October 19th 2026 USDA Economic Research Service economists expect producer-sold hogs to average about $55 per cwt in the fourth quarter, more than 15% below a year earlier, as the quarterly Hogs and Pigs report points to fewer market hogs into mid-2027. They say imports of live Canadian hogs will gain importance for U.S. supply, and that weak demand is showing up at the wholesale level, where low belly and ham values have pulled the pork cutout down. Genetics & Breeding InnovationPirbright researchers build tools to study key vaccine-response cells in pigsNational Hog Farmer, October 19th 2026 Researchers at The Pirbright Institute have developed new tools to identify and study T follicular helper cells in pigs, specialized immune cells that help B cells produce high-quality antibodies after vaccination or infection. Published in the Journal of Immunology, the work strengthens the immunological toolkit for pig studies and is seen as a step toward using pigs as a model to speed the design and evaluation of vaccines for animal and human health. Balanced Breeding & SustainabilityFall brings seasonal rise in PEDV and PRRSV detectionsFarms.com, October 19th 2026 September diagnostic data showed the usual seasonal rise in viral respiratory and enteric disease, including more porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, active PRRSV variants and influenza, according to the Swine Health Information Center. PEDV positivity rose from 4.87% in August to 6.76% in September, and to 11.92% in wean-to-market sites. SHIC executive director Dr. Lisa Becton links the rise to harvest, site-to-site movement, manure pumping and temperature swings, warning that fall can signal winter disease pressure. Market & Supply Chain DynamicsHog market faces historic downturn as demand weakensPork Business, October 16th 2026 The U.S. hog market continues to slide from its summer highs as weak demand outweighs supply fundamentals, according to EverAg livestock marketing specialist Dave Delaney. Although hog slaughter tightened between June and September, the expected price rally never arrived. Delaney told AgriTalk it was the first time in his 41-year career that lower numbers failed to lift cash hog prices or the pork cutout, leaving both producers and packers struggling. 
An electronic board displays market prices as ICE prepares to challenge CME in livestock futures. Source: The Pig Site. ICE to launch lean hog futures in challenge to CMEThe Pig Site, October 15th 2026 Intercontinental Exchange plans to launch its first livestock futures on December 7, including financially settled lean hog contracts and live and feeder cattle contracts, pending regulatory review. ICE cited strong customer demand for alternatives to CME Group, which runs the benchmark lean hog market. The move comes as CME cancelled plans to temporarily shift electronic livestock trading to Dallas during its migration to Google Cloud. Quick BitesU.S. pork exports to Central America up 11% in volume through August. Read More National Hog Farmer, October 19th 2026 Wisconsin Pork Association launches 24-month pilot aiming to eliminate PEDV statewide. Read More National Hog Farmer, October 19th 2026 Iowa State: manure pumping linked to 3.38-times higher PRRSV outbreak odds. Read More Farms.com, October 19th 2026 Sask Pork symposium, Nov. 3ā4 in Saskatoon, to focus on cross-border ties. Read More Farms.com, October 19th 2026 Japan's hog herd expected to hold steady in 2027 amid feed costs. Read More The Pig Site, October 16th 2026 Enjoying this brief? Share it with a colleague. Subscribe to Pork Watch āHave a news story we should cover, a tip, or thoughts on this edition? Send it over. Want to reach this audience? Sponsor a future edition. |
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Pork Watch | By Action Intelligence Group (AIG) | 421 Mulvey Ave, Winnipeg, MB, Canada | Ā© 2026 Action Intelligence Group. All rights reserved. |
