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Minnesota farmers trying to find markets for their hogs — and save their livelihoods
StarTribune.com ^ | 4/24/20 | Mike Hughlett

Posted on 04/24/2020 7:27:27 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo

With Smithfield Foods' Sioux Falls pork plant closed by a COVID-19 outbreak, Minnesota hog farmer Greg Boerboom may face a grim choice.

The South Dakota plant had been scheduled this week to slaughter about 1,400 of Boerboom's pigs. Smithfield directed 25% of that shipment to another Smithfield plant in Illinois — with Boerboom paying the extra $1,500 in freight costs.

The remaining 850 hogs are in limbo. Boerboom is seeking a destination for them before they grow too big for market and thus face euthanization.

Over 3,000 healthy pigs were put down in Minnesota this week, and 200,000 more could soon follow.

"There's never been anything like this," Boerboom said. If idled pork plants don't open soon, "we are going to see multi­generational, longstanding [hog] farms not get through this financially."

Minnesota is the nation's third largest hog-producing state. And pork is critical to Minnesota's agricultural economy.

Up to 30% of the nation's pork-processing capacity is shuttered as COVID-19 cases have spread through factories.

JBS USA's big plant in Worthington, which processes 20,000 hogs a day, was indefinitely idled Monday. Major slaughterhouses in Iowa — also prime destinations for Minnesota-grown hogs — have been closed, too.

(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Local News; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: bacon; chinavirus; coronavirus; hogfarmers; mn; pigfarmers; pigs; porkplants; smithfield
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To: Balding_Eagle

“BTW I raised 250,000 pigs before I sold my farm.”

Whadya do? Cut ‘em loose!?


41 posted on 04/25/2020 6:19:13 AM PDT by SgtHooper (If you remember the 60's, YOU WEREN'T THERE!)
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To: rottndog

Hormel in Austin, MN? Can ‘em!


42 posted on 04/25/2020 6:21:22 AM PDT by SgtHooper (If you remember the 60's, YOU WEREN'T THERE!)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

I understand your example to show price differences; however, a low-end tractor nowadays starts at 250K$. And that may not include the tires/tracks! :-)


43 posted on 04/25/2020 6:23:30 AM PDT by SgtHooper (If you remember the 60's, YOU WEREN'T THERE!)
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To: ButThreeLeftsDo

Time for a whole bunch of backyard Hawaiian style barbecues! We did this for our wedding- had a party the night before, and buried the pig with hot coals- dug it up for the reception, and had another party. The pig was delicious, and the whole thing was a blast!


44 posted on 04/25/2020 7:21:03 AM PDT by TexasBarak (I aim to misbehave!)
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To: TexasBarak

I live just north of a town called Hog Mountain (GA). Local farmers in the 1800s would bring their hogs to this area for delivery to Atlanta for the market slaughterhouse. They would notch each farmers’ hogs’ ears here so that they would know who owned which hog when it to market.

My town was named Dacula because it was the only railroad crossing before the trains went into Atlanta and the market.

Decatur & Atlanta = Dacula


45 posted on 04/25/2020 8:31:24 AM PDT by Dacula (Day 2 of Georgia opening up and I am still alive)
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To: Equine1952

Bullshit, they are one of the most destructive creatures on earth and breed like rabbits. Ask a Texan.”
I’m in agreement with your statement, and I AM a Texan!
What is the BS about?


46 posted on 04/25/2020 12:30:04 PM PDT by 9422WMR (Hong Kong phooey! Number one super fraud!)
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To: 9422WMR

That was about the idea to just turn them loose. They would be better off putting them down and bury them. I hate to see the meat wasted but I’d rather not see them loose and turning wild either.


47 posted on 04/25/2020 12:47:28 PM PDT by Equine1952
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To: Equine1952

I should have added sarcasm. Turning them loose was to get back at the people shutting down the processing plants. Wild pigs will likely never be wiped out. They just breed like flies.


48 posted on 04/25/2020 1:07:20 PM PDT by 9422WMR (Hong Kong phooey! Number one super fraud!)
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To: 9422WMR

They’re tough and eat anything. You folks in Texas know the drill. Be Safe.


49 posted on 04/25/2020 1:52:02 PM PDT by Equine1952
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To: redshawk
Truck them throughout the US sell them to farmers. ..........
That would make sense but I BET that there are VOLUMES of laws prohibiting that...national, regional and state laws. ...........
Volumes of laws. .......no doubt. Government sucks.

My husband and I lived and traveled MANY places. And I NEVER, EVER saw a country/government as wonderful as ours.

I used to tell the whiners and complainers who HATE our country, government or way of life to GO LIVE IN BANGLADESH if it's so bad here!
Go live ANYWHERE south of our border, Africa or Asia!

If people can't see how great we have it here, then they should go visit the third world pit-holes. See how THEY live. Then come back here and be grateful to our good Lord for allowing us to exist.

50 posted on 04/25/2020 2:00:26 PM PDT by cloudmountain
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To: cloudmountain

20 years ago I agreed with you. Now the US is number 17 in economic freedom.

https://www.heritage.org/index/ranking


51 posted on 04/25/2020 2:03:55 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: cloudmountain

20 years ago I agreed with you. Now the US is number 17 in economic freedom.

https://www.heritage.org/index/ranking


52 posted on 04/25/2020 2:03:55 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: mad_as_he$$
Well, heritage.org is as good as anyone for the ranking.
Being #17 on the planet is relative to the pitholes of the world...and there are a LOT of them.

People don't "sneak" into places like Bangladesh, Central Africa or South American dictatorships. They don't even sneak into second world countries. They sneak into FIRST WORLD countries like ours, Europe, Australia and a hand full of anomalous countries.

Mexico HELPS the Central/South Americans who want to get to the USA. With friends like Mexico we don't need any enemies.

And, in Central America MEXICO is called the "GIANT OF THE NORTH."
It's a lot to do with perspective, don't you think?

53 posted on 04/25/2020 2:46:53 PM PDT by cloudmountain
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To: cloudmountain

Probably is perspective. I had a German tell me once that it was just luck that I was born American and I shouldn’t be arrogant about it. I told him that I was 25% German and no where near as arrogant as he was.

As they say: Damn Gringo, take me with you.


54 posted on 04/25/2020 2:53:39 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: mad_as_he$$
Probably is perspective. I had a German tell me once that it was just luck that I was born American and I shouldn’t be arrogant about it. I told him that I was 25% German and no where near as arrogant as he was.
As they say: Damn Gringo, take me with you.

The German is lucky to be born in the biggest economy in Europe. It was luck that he was born there but who knows if he's arrogant about it.
There are some 16% of Americans with some German heritage in them...mein Herr. My mother was +45% German. We are a mongrel race.

55 posted on 04/25/2020 2:58:26 PM PDT by cloudmountain
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To: cloudmountain

I represent the Northern part of the EU. lol...full mutt.


56 posted on 04/25/2020 3:01:22 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: ButThreeLeftsDo

Meanwhile I have a rain check for a cheap ham that can’t be redeemed because the store has none in stock nor any prospect of stocks.


57 posted on 04/25/2020 4:57:53 PM PDT by wildbill (The older I get, the less 'life in prison" means to me)
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To: wildbill

And it’s going to get worse before it gets better.


58 posted on 04/25/2020 5:04:08 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo (MAGA!!!)
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To: jetson
The trucking is the problem.

It is costly.

In our area hogs for slaughter are going cheap. The problem is you either have to slaughter them yourself or find a butcher open to do it for you.

59 posted on 04/25/2020 5:04:47 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Leave it to me to be holdin' the matches when the fire truck shows up & there's nobody else to blame)
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To: 9422WMR
They should turn them loose. Every pig farm that has animals with no market just let them go. Pigs will find a way!

You want to destroy the area and all the other farmers?

So sad that you fell in the pen with your remaining pigs.

60 posted on 04/25/2020 5:10:25 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Leave it to me to be holdin' the matches when the fire truck shows up & there's nobody else to blame)
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