CLIVE, Iowa — While authorities in northern Iowa and southern Minnesota are still investigating the mysterious disappearance of nearly 1,000 hogs in both states, Iowa’s biggest industry representative said it believes the large-scale thefts are market-driven.

“Market prices have been relatively good and hogs are a high-value commodity, bringing prices of between $170 and $180 a head,” said Ron Birkenholz, communications director for the Iowa Pork Producers Assoc. (IPPA) in Clive. “It’s apparent it’s someone who knows the business and knows how the market channels work, and may have a previous relationship with a packer.”

Since these packers have ongoing relationships with pork producers and knowledge of the various production sites, Birkenholz said, “they’re less likely to question a load of hogs. The stolen pigs are possibly being comingled with pigs at a new site as well.”

For almost a year, authorities from both states said a “well-organized” hog theft ring may be responsible for the heist of at least 910 pigs at large confined animal feeding operations in Nicollet and Kandiyohi counties in Minnesota and Mitchell County in Iowa, which could have started in late 2010. In June 2010, however, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said it broke up a ring of hog thefts in rural Marcus, arresting five area men facing felony and money laundering charges.

The department’s investigation found over the previous 10 months, about 176 hogs had been stolen from confinement buildings in rural Cherokee County and transported to area sales barns. The five men had received more than $12,000 when they sold the hogs.

In May 2011, the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office in northwestern Iowa reported about 98 Berkshire pigs stolen from a hoop building at Eden Farms of State Center near Granville, worth an estimated $17,000.

Deputies said the thieves likely conducted surveillance of the targeted facilities before stealing the hogs, which were hauled off by the hundreds in trucks and then sold to slaughterhouses in Iowa and Minnesota – possibly because of the higher hog prices this year.

Marc Chadderdon, Nicollet County sheriff’s investigator, said trucks routinely pull up to the facilities at all hours of the day and night to either deliver feed or collect hogs ready for slaughter. While authorities from both states aren’t yet sure whether the thefts in Iowa and Minnesota are connected, they said the stolen hogs are worth an estimated $140,000.

The Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office said the thieves gained entry late at night to the 200 hogs owned by Iowa Select Farms in Iowa Falls by cutting through the netting that keeps birds out, and then raising and lowering the buildings’ side curtains, which are typically used for ventilation. None of the buildings were locked, according to Mitchell County Sheriff Curt Younker.

The Mitchell County Press News reported hogs also stolen at Reed Kuper’s hog operation, which he shares with his father and brother in northern Mitchell County, near the Minnesota border.

Officials at Iowa Select Farms said the animals stolen at their three facilities were feeder pigs. The estimated 150 hogs stolen at a farm near Lafayette, Minn. in Nicollet County, and the 590 hogs stolen at a farm along Highway 7 near Lake Lillian, Minn., in Kandiyohi County, were all market-ready hogs, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported. The pigs weighed between 250-275 pounds.

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey said while these reports of theft are certainly troubling, “it does show that the agricultural goods we produce are more valuable, and as a result, farmers are going to have to take more steps to protect their animals and their property.

“This includes common-sense steps like locking doors, checking in on sites regularly and installing additional lighting,” he said. “The good news is that for the most part, our rural communities remain very safe, and taking simple steps can help farmers better protect their land and livestock.”

The IPPA is also advising the state’s pork producers to lock buildings, if possible, closely monitor head counts and remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to local authorities.

“The number of hog thefts that have occurred in Iowa this year is alarming and we’re hopeful the authorities can work together to apprehend the person or persons responsible,” Birkenholz said.