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USDA reviews Canadian hog classes
KANSAS CITY (OsterDowJones)--In the last two weekly reports on livestock imports from Canada, the U.S. Department of Agriculture included a memo that import data on barrows and gilts along with sows and boars shipped for slaughter would be suspended until further notice pending a review of the two classifications.
Industry sources and analysts said even if there are some problems in how the imported hogs are being classified, they would still like to see an aggregate total figure that includes all the categories, not just a portion of them as was the case in the most recent two reports. Having only part of the information does not allow them to estimate the portion of U.S. hog slaughter that is made up of slaughter hogs shipped in from Canada.
Ron Plain, agricultural economist at the University of Missouri, said the weekly sow/boar figures had recently been running so high as to be unbelievable, which he said probably means that the barrow/gilt category was being understated.
A notice on the last two weekly livestock import reports reads as follows:
"Until further notice, release of Import Data for Canadian slaughter barrows and gilts; and sows and boars is suspended while the classification process is being reviewed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Agricultural Marketing Service."
Kathryn Mattingly, spokeswoman with AMS, said AMS and Aphis are looking into the two categories to make sure the data accurately reflect what's coming into the country.
Ed Curlett, spokesman for USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, told OsterDowJones that due to vacation schedules and the holidays, it could be into January before the review is completed. When asked if it would be possible for USDA to report total imports without subtotals for two categories in question, he said that does not appear to be possible at this time.
"It doesn't do anybody any good--for the agency (USDA) to suspend reporting the two categories and not include those hogs in the weekly total," said an industry source in the western corn belt who requested anonymity.
Based on the average of the 10 weeks prior to the latest two reports, the barrow/gilt and sow/boar for slaughter categories combined accounted for slightly over 60,000 head per week.
If imports in these two categories have continued on a similar pace, then the total for the year for all hogs and pigs likely surpassed 7.0 million head during the week-ended Dec. 13. Last year's total was 5,967,608 head, according to USDA.
Date: 1/15/04
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