Dear readers,
As usual, the good news from the pig industry first:
- Ceva Animal Health, an international firm focused on animal wellbeing, has declared the purchase of Aquilón, SL, a Spanish biotech firm that concentrates on the research, diagnosis, and creation of veterinary products for managing intestinal illnesses in pigs. Established in 2012 and located in León, Aquilón emerged as a spin-off from the University of León .The enterprise has a strong history of research spanning more than ten years, dedicated to the study of the digestive system of pigs and the creation of biological solutions that enhance gut wellness and animal performance.
- Screwworm expanded to another state in the USA: New Mexico.The USDA is allocating approximately $1.3 billion to combat eradication efforts by utilizing existing powers such as the Commodity Credit Corporation and reallocating funds from various programs .This allocation also encompasses funds that were initially designated for community food buying programs .Additionally, there has been an increase in staffing related to this matter, highlighting the critical need for containment. However, despite this effort, challenges are becoming apparent. Limitations in the availability of sterile flies, the pest’s spread in Mexico, and resource constraints within the USDA are all hindering the anticipated timeline.
- The South Dakota Board of Economic Development has granted approval for the application of Smithfield Foods’ Reinvestment Payment Program to assist in the building of its cutting-edge packaged meats and fresh pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota .This approval comprises a reinvestment payment that can reach a maximum of $29,975,400, which will not go beyond the full amount of the actual state sales and use tax paid on qualifying project expenses related to Smithfield’s anticipated $1.29 billion investment .
Events calendar:
- Bulgaria’s role as a key player in the EU fats and oils market, as well as the current state and trends of the Bulgarian oilseeds market, will be in focus at the international conference Fat & Oil Industry 2026 European Edition, scheduled for June 18-19 in Varna (Bulgaria).
- TecnoCarne is Latin America’s leading trade fair for animal protein processing technologies and is regarded as a key meeting point for the global meat and protein industry. Held at the modern São Paulo Expo Exhibition & Convention Center in São Paolo, Brazil, the fair will take place on 4 days from Tuesday, 16. June to Friday, 19. June 2026.
- The Royal Highland Show, established in 1822, is one of the most significant agricultural fairs in the United Kingdom, organized by the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) and takes place at the Royal Highland Centre in Newbridge. The fair will take place on 4 days from Thursday, 18. June to Sunday, 21. June 2026.
The Name of the Game: Football
The impact of diseases on the protein market is gradually increasing in the last decade. The African Swine Fever(ASF) became -unfortunately- a permanent presence, reshaping the pork market all over the planet. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is occasionally appearing and affecting some country’s trade(Germany, Hungary, Cyprus recently). Screwworm also has the potential to reshape trade routes, as Mexico and the US are major protein markets.
In Europe, ASF in Spain left approximately half of the Spanish pork export on the EU market. The volume impacted the price levels even in strong economies. Major players from Germany and the Netherlands are complaining over the price reduction in the retail chains caused by the Spanish offers. Under this pressure, the generally well organized Dutch pig and pork market now takes in consideration the creation of a national pig quotation system. The price levels in the Netherlands are, for now, following the German ones, with some small differences between the large Dutch slaughterhouses. This custom has already been challenged by farmers organizations closing contracts with the German slaughterhouses, now the pressure to establish a national Dutch quotation is increased by the Spanish pork.
The same issue is faced by the pig industry in Poland. Last week, in a meeting between pig farmer organization and Animex, the Polish farmers recognized the leading position of the Animex group in the national meat market, asking for a more favorable price for the pigs, as all the players are following the trend established by the leader. While Animex(part of Smithfield) agreed on a small increase on the live pig price, the national pork market is also under the pressure of the large Spanish supplies. The main players of the Polish are also taking in consideration the creation of a national pig quotation. Similar concerns are characterizing the Bulgarin, Hungarian and Romanian pig and pork market.
Even so, the issue is the low pork consumption. Currently is only one game that could change it. The name of the game: football!
