Tariffs, Tech and Profitability: Midwest Pork Producers Weigh In

The fun part about being a pork producer is that there are so many things you have to keep your eye on, says Keith Schoettmer, a pork producer from Tipton, Ind.

“The landscape is continually changing. I wish at the end of every year of my nearly 50-year career, I would have written down the challenge of the year,” Schoettmer says. “But sometimes it’s nice to look ahead and anticipate some of the challenges.”

Tariffs and Trade in 2025

Tariffs came up over and over again in conversations with Schoettmer and other pork producers at the Midwest Pork Conference when asked what challenges they anticipate this year.

“We have an administration change that’s coming and talking some about tariffs. While sometimes we think we know what that means to our industry, I’m not sure we do,” Schoettmer says. “It’s going to be interesting to see how that unfolds.”

The U.S. is exporting close to 30% of all the pork produced, points out Mark Legan, a pork producer and grain farmer in Coatesville, Ind. Exports are vitally important to U.S. pork producers.

“We’ve already singled out Mexico, Canada and China, three of our four largest export markets, that additional tariffs are going to be slapped on,” Legan says. “That’s a concern going forward. If we do see the increase in tariffs and a corresponding decrease in pork that’s exported, it’s going to be tough. Because with any meat product, you can’t store it for too long. You either sell it or smell it.”

If exports drop, that puts a lot of product back on the domestic market, he adds.

“I guess the good thing is the pig numbers have been down compared to what USDA was projecting for this time of the year. And we keep hearing of sow farms going out. We’re getting production in line with what utilization could be in the future,” Legan says.