Misleading blogging on both Erik and Mark's part IMO. #2's already pointed to the actual paragraphs which Erik has skipped over.

@Mark: I'd hardly call this making a "killing". In many cases, as the linked article also explained, pig farmers are attempting to scrape out enough money to keep their farms and, as such, the governments involvement is not for "no reason". Killing the pigs = monies = farmers keeping the farms.

The issue is problematic in other ways (use taxpayer's money, the question of when and if the U.S will begin buying again, etc.) but your representation of the story didn't do it much justice.