The USDA pork carcass cutout remains one of the most discussed and closely watched market indicators in the pork industry. Producers, pork processors, and industry leaders will have the opportunity to learn more during an educational seminar at the 2026 World Pork Expo.
The session, titled “Understanding the USDA Pork Carcass Cutout: A Discussion with USDA,” will take place Thursday, June 4, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Varied Industries Building Upper Level during World Pork Expo in Des Moines.
The seminar will feature speakers Chris Sommers and Kirk Hatfield with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. Attendees will gain insight into what drives the USDA pork carcass cutout, why the calculation process can be complex, and why it remains important to the U.S. pork industry.
According to the seminar description, the discussion will focus on what pork producers need to understand about the pork cutout and what efforts are being made to ensure the pricing system remains representative and relevant in today’s evolving pork market.
The pork carcass cutout plays a major role in helping determine hog values and providing market transparency across the pork supply chain. Understanding how wholesale pork prices are calculated can help producers better understand market trends, pork demand, and overall industry economics.
The educational session is part of the WPX Business Seminar series and is sponsored by the National Pork Producers Council.
World Pork Expo continues to serve as one of the largest pork industry events in the world, bringing together pork producers, agribusiness professionals, veterinarians, nutritionists, equipment companies, and industry organizations for education, networking, and innovation discussions focused on the future of pork production.