This is good because a forced sell would have put downward pressure on the sales price of those assets," said Farha Aslam, industry analyst with Stephens inc. (Stephens inc. performs investment banking services for Smithfield Foods and is compensated accordingly. This is good because a forced sell would have put downward pressure on the sales price of those assets," said Farha Aslam, industry analyst with Stephens inc. (Stephens inc. performs investment banking services for Smithfield...

The beef export forecast for 2007 is nearly unchanged from last month but the pork export forecast is reduced sharply, because of expected weak pork sales to a number of markets. Pork production growth is forecast to be moderate as producers remain cautious about expansion. Pork exports are forecast to continue to expand although slower than exhibited in recent years. A recovery in cattle weights should support higher beef production despite expected smaller fed cattle marketings in 2008....

The formula of "skin to skin is no sin" is taking its toll but there is hardly any feeling of shame or remorse over the end-result. Those nations, which consume pork habitually, have a low standard of morality with the result that virginity, chastity and bashfulness are becoming a thing of the past. According to physicians and medical experts, pork is a harmful diet. Since the Western nations have become addicted to wine and pork, sexual freedom with all its attendant evils has got...

Kingston Fire and Rescue said the owner, Andrew Forman, was able to get the two pigs out of the barn before extreme heat and smoke prevented him from going back in to save more items in the barn. It was the second time the swine survived a brush with fiery death. On a cold winter night in February, the same two pigs were rescued from another barn fire on Highway 15. No cattle were lost in the fire, but the barn collapsed and destroyed 200 bales of hay. The fire department said insurance...

Second pseudorabies-infected swine herd found - No other infected farms found in area surrounding original farm. Quarantines will be delivered in the next few days to farms with swine within five miles of this second herd. Department of Agriculture is deciding whether Wisconsin can maintain its pseudorabies-free status for trade purposes now that a second infected herd has been found. The herd was tested because it had been in contact with the original infected herd; a boar from that herd...