BioSec Bob here on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 — let’s dig into it.
Starting with feed economics for your grow-finish operations. The Pig Site is reporting that digestible nutrient content in soybean meal is directly tied to profitability in grow-finish swine. Higher digestibility means better feed conversion efficiency, which translates straight to the bottom line. Producers who’re dialing in their nutritional specifications based on digestible amino acids and energy rather than crude values are seeing measurable gains in cost per pound of gain. It’s a precision nutrition play that’s becoming harder to ignore as feed costs stay elevated.
Switching to poultry biosecurity this morning — Feedstuffs is reporting that the Food Safety and Inspection Service has launched a biomapping pilot project at raw poultry processing facilities. FSIS is using environmental sampling and genetic sequencing to track pathogens like Salmonella through the processing environment. The pilot will help identify contamination hotspots and test intervention strategies in real-world conditions. It’s still early, but the data should give processors a clearer picture of where their sanitation and process controls need the most attention.
Out of Mexico this morning — National Hog Farmer is reporting that Mexico’s restrictions on imported U.S. pork offal remain a significant cost burden for American producers. The ban, which covers a range of organ meats and byproducts, eliminates a profitable export outlet that processors have traditionally relied on. Those offal products now have fewer markets available, which puts downward pressure on the overall value of the hog and reduces packing plant profitability across the board.
On the disease research front, National Hog Farmer is also reporting new funding commitments aimed at swine disease elimination projects. Research investments are being directed toward priority diseases that still drag on herd productivity and regional profitability. The focus is on diseases where elimination or significant control is actually achievable with the right tools and coordination.
Down in Kentucky, the Kentucky Lantern is reporting that a new processing waiver is now available for small chicken producers. The waiver clarifies what small-scale on-farm processing operations can legally do without triggering full USDA facility requirements. Kentucky farmers running smaller poultry operations will have clearer regulatory footing and can avoid costly facility upgrades that weren’t practical for their scale of operation.
And as we head into July, The Pig Site has a reminder on heat management in swine operations. Heat stress during summer months impacts feed intake, daily gain, and overall performance. Operations that get ahead of it now — ventilation checks, water system capacity, electrolyte supplementation, feeding timing adjustments — will hold their numbers better when the real heat arrives.
Keep your focus on the fundamentals this week.