Welcome

Welcome to Hogs on the Hill, a blog that will offer commentary on issues of importance to the U.S. pork industry. We hope you'll visit often, and feel free to comment on any of our posts.

After more than two years of losses, pork producers have seen profits the past few months -- here's a Minneapolis Star-Tribune story on one such producer -- but actions (even inactions) in Washington could jeopardize all that. From stalled trade deals, efforts to ban animal antibiotics and federal biofuels policy to new environmental rules and livestock "competition" workshops, the U.S. pork industry has its hands full in dealing with issues other than providing safe, wholesome pork to consumers worldwide. Hogs on the Hill will be commenting on all those matters in the days ahead. Stay tuned.

One topic on which we've wanted to weigh in is the "organic/free-range" debate. For whatever reason, there are those, including those opposed to modern livestock production, who take as gospel that organic and free-range mean better and safer. Here's a contrary view that appeared in The Atlantic about meat from free-range livestock.