Tighter hog numbers due to Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus are resulting in kill cuts at some of the nation’s pork packing plants.  Steve Meyer, Economist with Paragon Economics says slaughter has dropped the last two weeks 6% to 7% below a year ago due to P-E-D-V losses and is nearing just 2 million head.  As a result, many plants are not at capacity and are trying to manage their labor force.

He says while the impact won’t be as severe, he is expecting this trend to hit Midwest packing facilities by May or June.

This trend started already last November and December when Seaboard’s facilities in Oklahoma stopped Saturday operations due to the lack of pigs associated with the virus.