The National Pork Producers Council says the nation’s hog farmers are facing an unprecedented emergency caused by COVID-19.
According to a news release, an estimated 2 million hogs are backed up on farms and U.S. hog farmers could lose almost $5 billion in total revenue.
Dr. Steve Meyer, an economist with Kerns & Associates who did an analysis on hog backups on farms, said this is the worst financial disaster ever for American hog farmers.
According to Meyer, hog farmers are looking at losses of about $37/hog in a year that looked like it was going to be profitable.
“If COVID prompts additional plant disruptions - a real possibility - the number of hogs backed-up on farms will swell precipitously,” he said.
In the release, the NPPC expressed “strong support” for the RELIEF For Producers Act of 2020 proposed by four Republican Senators as well as the legislation proposed by Agriculture Committee Chairman, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN).
“Many U.S. hog farmers will not survive this crisis,” NPPC President AV Roth said. “As the Senate begins work on the next COVID relief package, we urge lawmakers to provide a critical lifeline to hog farmers across the nation to minimize what has already been significant damage to our producers.”