Livestock Summit looks for ways to support the industry

Apr 06, 2023

Participants at yesterday’s Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) Livestock Summit shared their concerns about the future the industry.

Cattle, bison, and sheep producers expressed common concerns from accessing capital, business risk management programs to getting financial credit for maintaining pastures that serve as carbon sinks for the environment.

After a day of discussions, a representative from each sector made a closing comment.

Willowbrook cattle producer Levi Hall is concerned for the future. He said with each cattle producers that exits the business there is an increase in grain and oilseed acres.

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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.