The idling of several packing plants is now having a trickledown impact through the value chain. After Smithfield closed its Sioux Falls pork packing plant, its also closed a plant in Missouri that makes ham and processed products and a plant in Wisconsin that makes bacon and sausage. Both receive raw material from Sioux Falls. Likewise, a Cargill case ready plant in Pennsylvania has also been idled. These of course are in addition to the actual slaughter operations that are idled. The table below, which we have been updating daily, shows the facilities impacted.

Of course, the impact of interrupted plant operations is trickling upstream to the livestock markets. Meat prices are on a roller-coaster ride. Prices for certain cuts went from...