One of the largest U.S. meat processing companies, Tyson Foods, has agreed to pay $85 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by consumers who accused the company and its competitors of colluding to inflate pork prices by artificially limiting supply. The news was reported by Reuters.

The European Commission has released new data on pig slaughter across the 27 EU member states, showing continued growth in volumes during the first half of 2025. From January to June, 111.89 million pigs were processed at European slaughterhouses — 1.6 million more than in the same period of 2024 (110.13 million). For comparison, in 2023 the figure was below 110 million. However, compared to ten years ago, current slaughter levels are 7.7% lower.

On the night of October 3, the agricultural enterprise Svitanok, located in the Novovodolazka community of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, suffered a devastating drone strike by Russian forces. According to preliminary estimates by the company’s management, around 13,000 pigs out of a total of 15,000 were killed in the attack. The financial losses are projected to reach ₴300 million (approximately $7.5 million), Suspilne Kharkiv reported.

On the night of October 3, кussian forces carried out a massive strike on an agricultural enterprise in the Novovodolazka community of Kharkiv region, killing around 13,000 pigs. The attack was confirmed by community head Oleksandr Yesin in a comment to Suspilne.

The US government is preparing a large-scale support package for American farmers after China refused to purchase soybeans from the autumn harvest due to the ongoing trade standoff between Washington and Beijing. The announcement was made by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to Reuters.

Estonia has officially lifted the state of emergency introduced due to African swine fever (ASF). According to the Agriculture and Food Board (PTA), all pigs on farms where outbreaks were confirmed have been culled and initial disinfection has been completed.

Procurement prices for slaughter pigs have been holding steady for the past six weeks. Analysts of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders report stability in quotations on the industrial pork market, citing the results of their weekly monitoring of procurement prices.

This week, Taiwan is hosting a senior official from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) — Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, Luke J. Lindberg. The visit was announced by the American Institute in Taiwan, which serves as the de facto U.S. embassy on the island.

European pig farming is showing moderate growth: in the first six months of 2025, EU pork production increased by 3% compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 10.91 million tonnes. This represents an additional 341,000 tonnes of meat.

African swine fever (ASF) continues to deal severe blows to European pig farming. One of the most notable cases was the outbreak at the large Ekseko farm in Estonia, owned by Maag Agro. Due to the epidemic, management announced collective layoffs — 44 employees, or a quarter of the company’s pig farming division, will lose their jobs.

Brazilian meat products are gaining new opportunities in the international market as Azerbaijan has officially opened its borders to imports of thermo-processed poultry and pork. The news was announced by the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), which noted that Azerbaijani health authorities made the decision following negotiations with Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Fávaro, and his team.

At the beginning of September, the prices of live pigs and pork in Brazil held steady. This was reported by researchers from the Center for Advanced Studies in Applied Economics (Cepea), who highlighted a balance between supply and demand in key markets.

On September 5, China announced the introduction of new tariffs on pork imports from EU countries, a development seen as the most significant news of the month—and possibly the year—for Spain. From now on, each exporter will face different tariff rates depending on the results of China’s anti-dumping investigation. For most Spanish companies, the tariff has been set at 20%, while Litera Meats, thanks to its full cooperation with Chinese authorities, will pay a reduced rate of 15.6%.

Italy recently breathed a sigh of relief as restrictions linked to African swine fever (ASF) were eased in Lombardy and Piedmont. The latest bulletin from the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria, and Valle d’Aosta revealed no new critical cases. However, the situation in the Balkans is forcing Italian farmers and authorities to remain on high alert. New outbreaks in Croatia and Slovenia create additional risks for Italy, given the geographic proximity of these countries.

On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met to stress the importance of strategic cooperation between the world’s second- and third-largest economies. The main objective was to ease trade tensions that have been intensifying under U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.