Corn Price Surge Sets Stage for Higher Swine Finishing Feed Costs
The price of corn has risen significantly in recent months, impacting swine finishing feed costs. According to the data, the nearby corn futures contract started at around $4.40 per bushel in January 2026 and averaged $5.18 for the first week in August. By early September, the December 2026 futures contract had prices ranging from $4.97 to $5.70 per bushel, depending on the percentile.
This increase in corn prices will likely lead to higher feed costs for swine finishing operations later this year and into 2027. To analyze the impact of these rising prices, a swine finishing enterprise was examined, assuming the finishing of an early-weaned pig. The rations consisted of corn, soybean meal, dry distillers' grain, and supplements.
Regression analysis showed that each $0.10 per bushel increase in corn price results in a $0.43 per cwt increase in feed cost, while each $10 per ton increase in soybean meal prices leads to a $0.37 per cwt increase in feed cost.