Yesterday, Chairman David Scott (GA) and other members from the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry, heard about the problems plaguing the pork industry this year as they held a hearing to discuss the economic crisis with which producers are currently dealing.
According to the subcommittee news release, “the U.S. pork industry has lost an estimated $4.6 billion dollars, with producers losing an average of more than $21 dollars for each hog they sell today.” This is what has occurred since September 2007. During this time producers have had to contend with high feed prices, increased energy costs, a global economic slide, trade barriers, and of course, the insistence of some to believe consuming pork products can somehow cause one to contract H1N1, which many in the media consistently, despite the administration’s and industry’s pleas, call the “swine flu.”
As Chairman Scott stated, “"Over the last several years pork producers have suffered a serious decline in their financial well-being. Clearly, if this situation persists and producers continue to lose money, many will simply leave farming altogether, which is certainly an undesirable outcome. Something must be done, both in the short term and long term, in order to help pork producers turn their industry around . . . Today's hearing outlined many of the factors contributing to the current crisis and also offered some potential solutions. I look forward to working with my colleagues and other stakeholders to examine these issues more closely and to pursuing ideas that will lead to better outcomes for our farmers."
There were two separate panels that testified. The first panel featured Michael Scuse, Deputy Under Secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. The second panel featured representatives from the industry and academics
To read the subcommittee news release click here.
Posted: 10/23/09
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