Several bearish factors have entered the hog market in recent weeks, and it's starting to take a toll on prices.
Tyler Fulton is Manitoba Pork Marketing's director of risk management.  He points to weaker U.S. pork exports despite a weakening American dollar, plus increasing supplies of beef and chicken.  Fulton notes on their own, each factor isn't terrible, but it appears they are stacking on top of each other leading to a much larger impact.  Fulton feels producers should consider pricing as much as 50% of their production during the August thru September timeframe.  He adds despite current values not being favourable for a profit, contracting 25% of 4th quarter production would also be reasonable.