The impact of COVID 19 has caused hog values to plummet, creating a financial disaster for America’s pork producers. National Pork Producers Council President Howard A.V. Roth says immediate relief is needed for pork producers or a lot of hog farms will go under.

He says economists are projecting hog farmers nationwide are facing a collective $5 billion loss for the remainder of this year.

Roth says the Small Business Administration must include agriculture and particularly make pork producers eligible for the economic injury disaster loan program.

Roth says while dairy producers can dump milk and fruit and vegetable growers can dump produce, hog farmers have nowhere to move their hogs as they are currently backing up on farms. He says over $1 billion in pork purchases by the USDA is needed to clear out that backed up meat supply and also equitable direct payments must be made to producers without eligibility restrictions.