Change strengthens fed cattle settlement data collection

Apr 21, 2023

As of April 1, the LPI-Fed settlement index will not include any cash prices that are outside +/- 5% of the average weekly mean. Previously, the LPI-Fed settlement index did not include any cash prices that were $4/CWT above or below the average weekly mean.

Producers will continue to settle policies as usual. The data collected for calculating the settlement index is not affected by this change, only the analysis of data to include in our index.

In rare cases, the $4/cwt rule caused settlement blackout weeks. For example, in late 2022, the LPI-Fed settlement index excluded a larger-than-usual number of outliers (31 per cent within four out of five weeks) and the $4/cwt rule resulted in a blackout week. If the +/-5% rule had been in place, a blackout week would not have been necessary.

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Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.