05/06/08 Government's pork buyout

USDA says it's reacting quickly to help the nation's pork producers and the needy. Agriculture Marketing Service's Lloyd Day says the federal government will buy 50 million dollars worth of pork and use it in the nation's feeding and nutrition programs. DAY "This buy of pork is meant to help the pork industry that is suffering from a doubling of their feed prices." So how much help will this actually provide? USDA livestock analyst Shayle Shagam. SHAGAM "It will definitely provide some psychological boosts to the markets. It will probably help support pork prices. I really can't put a number on how much it would cause prices to increase but to the extent that is does help the producers' bottom line." Shagam says high production and feed costs have turned profits of last year into losses in the early part of this year. The 50 million dollar buyout will be mostly port patties from sows and Day says that will feed a lot of needy Americans. DAY "Its going to put protein on the plates of needy families across the country and at a time where there has been a rise of food prices and a decline in the donations into community food banks and an inability of people to afford a lot of food." Idaho isn't a large pork producer like some states but some farmers are trying to organize as a group. That story tomorrow. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott