the biggest factor currently driving the hog market is uncertainty -

And the underlying factor to this uncertainty is the unknown relative to the degree of piglet loss last winter and how consumers and producers are responding to it. So far consumers has done a fairly good job of carrying off the pork at these higher prices and producers have withheld hogs from the market and finished them to heavier weights with cheaper feed thus keeping supply up.

As we see hog prices decline, are producers going to hurry a bunch of heavy hogs to market and drive prices down further or will piglet losses last winter restrict the number of hogs available for slaughter?

Will high prices drive away consumers or will they keep on buying?

Yes, indeed! There is enough uncertainty to keep volatility high as we go into what should be the high fall kill period. But how high will the kill rate be?

Best wishes,

dhm