High Canadian dollar
Canadian hog prices track those in the United States,
and the strong currency has driven up the price for foreign buyers.
Country of origin labelling
New segregation and labelling rules make the export of
meat to the United States slower and expensive.
Swine flu
Drought
Dry weather in much of the United States in 2011 and
2012 drove up prices for corn and other crops fed to hogs. Farmers reduced
their herd sizes to cuts costs.
Biofuels
The rise of the ethanol and biodiesel businesses has
created a steady market for growers of corn and other grains and oil seeds,
driving up prices of the main feed for livestock.