AM Minnesota Today Information For Pork Producers

Today's AM Minnesota Program will feature information for pork producers in Minnesota. My guests will be Swine Specialist Dianne DeWitte with the University of Minnesota Extension Service and Extension Educator in Rice and Steele County Claire LaCanne. COVID-19 has resulted in some pork processing plants shutting down or slowing production. That has backed up finished hogs in pork producers barns forcing some very difficult decisions.

Some of the specific topics that will be addressed include: an update on pork processing plant capacity, resources available on nutrition to slow growth, composting mortalities, funding available for pork producers to help compensate some of the losses, working with local meat processors, and rural stress and mental health resources.

I know it is difficult to understand how there can be very high meat prices in the grocery store while at the same time livestock ready for market on farms has no value! This is what happens when the "food chain" is broken with meat processing plants because of COVID-19.