After two challenging years, pork producers eye $15 per head profit in 2025 as feed costs begin to ease.

After weathering two of its toughest years on record, the U.S. pork industry is finally seeing a glimmer of hope, with economists forecasting an average $15 per head profit for producers in 2025. This projected turnaround, if realized, will be the quickest recovery the pork industry has ever experienced, according to Lee Schulz, chief economist at Ever.Ag.

“To date, 2023 was the worst year for producer profitability at over $30 per head loss,” Schulz said last week during a presentation at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines. 

He noted that 2024 was roughly breakeven, setting the stage for a potential upswing in 2025. Current models suggest an average hog price in 2025 of $84.72, 3% above the 2024 average.

Lower feed costs helping

The swift recovery isn’t necessarily a sign of booming consumer demand but rather a reflection of how challenging the past two years have been. “I think this...