US 2012 pig meat production, exports up conservatively

Pork exports for 2012 are up 2.8% from 2011 numbers.

U.S. commercial pig meat production in 2012 is forecast at 23.1 billion pounds, up conservatively from 2011's projected 22.6 billion pounds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The September 1 Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report showed that the U.S. hog inventory was up 1% year-over-year. The breeding herd was shown to be up 0.6% year-over-year, and producer’s first farrowing intentions for December-February were 2.857 million, up just 0.5% year-over-year, which may indicate that the industry is cautious about any expansion plans, according to the USDA.
Pork exports in 2012 have been revised down to 5.09 billion pounds, still up 2.8% from projected 2011 export levels. August 2011 pork exports were year-over-year 43.6% higher.