US hog farmers faced significant losses of about $31 per head in 2023 due to high input costs, particularly feed and fixed costs. However, a decrease in feed costs and increased demand for pork, both domestically and internationally, especially from Mexico, have helped improve profits. Despite these gains, high fixed costs and inflation continue to pose a challenge. The USDA expects a slight increase in per capita pork demand in the US, supported by strong export demand. However, high prices of products like ham, popular in the Mexican market, could potentially reduce export demand. The CME lean hog index has been rising since early July, indicating higher prices for hogs.