Pork Industry Contributes $57 Billion to U.S. Economy

According to a new report from the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), 66,000 U.S. pig farms sold more than 140 million hogs last year, contributing $28 billion to the national economy. NPPC reports that from production to processing, the U.S. pork industry supports more than 600,000 American jobs and generates $178 billion in sales, equating to $57 billion in value-added GDP.

Feed inputs like corn and soybean meal comprise an estimated 56% of U.S. production costs. And with 140.1 million head of pigs produced each year, the total demand for feed means more than 1.6 billion bushels of corn and 10.5 million tons of soybeans meal goes to U.S. pigs each year. That amount contributes $7.72 billion annually to corn production and $3.39 billion to soybeans. The pork industry continues to be a pillar of the agricultural economy and overall U.S. economic health.

Read more on the report here.