The market was fairly quiet to start the week. A number of market participants are already on their way to Nashville for the American Fats and Oils Association meeting. Two cars of technical tallow did trade higher this afternoon on a Chicago basis. 

For the week ending October 16^th, 2021, hog slaughter is forecast at 2.575 million head, a 4.1 percent drop from 2020; a 5.4 percent decline from 2019; and a 0.85 percent decrease from the prior week. With the diminished supply noted in the most recent USDA Hogs and Pigs report, slaughter could be under 2020 levels through the fourth quarter. According to the USDA Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection for October 2nd, average live weights are currently…