PED and Pig Feed Connection

Feb 09, 2014

Swine Feed Identified as a ‘Potential Vector’ for Spreading Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus

Amid the growing spread of the pig-killing virus, known as porcine epidemic diarrhea or PED, new information has become available which indicates that the virus may also be spread through pig feed. Until now, it was believed that the virus could only be transmitted through hog manure or from pig to pig.

On February 9, Dr. Steve Dritz from Kansas State University (KSU) posted a statement on KSU’s website.

“The magnitude of risk that swine feed can be a potential vector for porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus transmission is currently unknown,” the notice said. “We believe that further investigation is urgently needed to define the relative risk of feed or feed ingredients for transmission of PED virus.”

Swine feed that contains porcine origin blood plasma is the concern. It’s a relatively new feed ingredient used as a protein source for early-weaned pigs. The product is produced by American Protein Corporation, which is headquartered in Ames, Iowa.

Dried plasma comes from pigs and is used as an ingredient in some pig starter, also known as creep feed. The feed is given to piglets while still on their mother (sow), or in the first days of post weaning.

With the new information about feed possibly causing the spread of PED, an Ontario feed company is taking precautions to protect its consumers. Grand Valley Fortifiers, based in Cambridge, Ont., is asking its customers to stop feeding products that contain porcine origin blood plasma.

The products include the following (sold from the date Jan. 1at 2014 forward):

Bionic®
BioForce®
BioPrime® nursery feeds (Phases 1 - 4)

Grand Valley Fortifiers said it is recalling all these feed products in question and will credit farmers if they’ve bought the feed products.

The company has stopped selling feeds that contain animal by-products (dried plasma), and moved to handling a new line of nursery feeds, under the brand name Natures Blend.

Since last spring, the United States has been dealing with PED, which has infected over 2,000 hog farms in 22 different states, killing millions of pigs. Since then, it has also spread to Canada, with the first case being identified Jan. 22 on a farm in Middlesex County. There are now eleven confirmed cases in Ontario.

PED is almost 100 percent fatal for piglets, while older animals typically recover from the virus. The virus does not pose a risk to human health, and is not a food safety concern. Pork producers are encouraged to continue and maintain strict biosecurity protocols to mitigate the spread.

Video: 2025 USDA December Crop Report a “Dud” + Trump $12 Billion U.S. Farm Aid

The USDA December crop report was friendly corn, neutral soybeans and bearish wheat. The USDA did surprise and increase the 25/26 U.S. corn export forecast to a new record high at 3.2 billion bushels now up 12% vs. last year vs. prior at +9% vs. the export pace to date up 30% the best in 10 years even higher than 20/21! The USDA left the 25/26 U.S. soybean export pace unchanged at 1.635 billion bushels. Higher global wheat supplies will remain a weight and headwind for wheat into year end and start of 2026.
Mexico is now the #1 buyer of U.S. corn, soybeans (usually China), wheat and pork!
USDA also released its long-term early projections but expect more changes by February of 2026.
Trump announces a $12 billion U.S. farmer aid package to be paid out by February 28, 2026. This helps no one but the ag banks, farm equipment companies, seed and fertilizer companies. It does prevent more farmer bushels from being sold near-term but is not bullish grain prices long-term. The Trump administration should focus on increasing U.S. domestic demand and propping up grain futures so farmers can cover their higher costs, up since COVID of 2020.
The China U.S. soybean purchase tracker now stands at 4.521 mmt or 38% of the 12 mmt promised by China at year end or is it end of February or the growing season? Why the discrepancy vs. the fact sheet. The optics are poor for the Trump administration.
After surging to contract highs U.S. natural gas futures plunged over 30+% in just 5-trading days!
Silver traded to new record highs as the debasement and de dollarization trade continued but technicals remain overbought near-term.
Soybean futures remained in correction mode after the funds went record long futures on Nov. 19 +233,000 contracts but the $10.80 support should hold into year end when the fund profit taking/liquidation comes to an end from the year end, end of month and end of quarter selling.
The U.S. Fed cut interest rates for the 3rd time by 25 basis points to a range of 3.50 – 3.75% and they will only cut one more time in 2026 and once in 20267/ but when Powell is gone next April the replacement is willing to cut more aggressively and we could see U.S. interest rates fall to 2.0% very bullish for ag and stocks as it could reignite inflation into 2027.
After 2 months of being drier than normal in Brazil the rains have finally arrived for the 1st half of December, and a record crop is still in the cards but if this pattern continues and verifies it could start to delay the harvest. Argentina after being too wet has turned dry but they are too small, compared top Brazil in the grand picture.
The Canadian dollar surged to $0.73 after better-than-expected employment data with 180,000 new jobs in the past 3-months and 3rd quarter GDP at +2.6% but this could be short-lived.
The latest CFTC report as of 11-19-2025 reported a record long fund position in soybeans at +233,000 contracts when 2026 March soybean futures peaked on 11-19-25 at $11.724/bu.