WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Hog producers say they are facing an
economic crisis caused by soaring livestock feed costs and need
higher swine prices to survive.
They say they have lost between $30 and $50 a head for each pig
marketed.
The Agriculture Department says it will buy up to 50 million
dollars of pork sausage for child nutrition and other domestic food
assistance programs.
The agency says move is meant to help poor families struggling
with high grocery tabs. But it will also help hog producers by
reducing the sow herd.
The industry says it needs to cull 10 percent of sows to be
profitable.
But economists say that could raise retail pork prices by 10 to
15 percent.
The Kansas Pork Association says the state's hog industry was
losing 10 million dollars a month in equity.
Kansas represents about 2.5 percent of the nation's hog
production, selling more than 3 million head of market hogs a year
valued at 400 million dollars.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)