Pork is a staple in many households across the United States, but have you ever wondered which state produces the most of it?
Look no further than Iowa, the top pork producing state in the country. With nearly one-third of the nation’s hogs raised in Iowa, it’s no surprise that this state is also the top state for pork exports.
But what does this mean for the economy and sustainability efforts? Let’s dive into the facts and figures behind Iowa’s pork industry.
What State Produces The Most Pork?
As mentioned earlier, Iowa is the top state for pork production in the United States. In 2020, Iowa-based pork producers raised a third of the country’s pigs on over 5,400 pig farms. At least 69 percent of pigs raised in Iowa are kept in farming operations with 5,000 or more pigs. Farms with more than 5,000 pigs make up 20 percent of all pig farms in Iowa.
The top five Iowa counties for pig production are Washington, Sioux, Lyon, Hamilton, and Plymouth. These counties hold 25 percent of the state’s farmed pig population. In 2019, Iowa slaughtered almost 39 million pigs, which is almost a third of all pigs slaughtered nationwide during that year.
Iowa’s Dominance In Pork Production
Iowa’s dominance in pork production is not just limited to the sheer volume of pigs raised in the state. The pork industry is a major contributor to Iowa’s economy, with hog production contributing $13.1 billion to the state’s economy in 2015. The industry also provides one in nearly 10 working Iowans with a job tied to the pork industry. Exports of pork from Iowa totaled more than $2.1 billion in 2018, making it a significant player in the global pork market.
However, the concentration of pig farms in Iowa has also led to concerns about the economic impact on small, family-scale farms. The increasing dominance of large factory farms means hog farmers earn less per pound of pork than they did 40 years ago when the state had many more smaller farms. This is due to the big processors manipulating the market by flooding auctions with their own hogs to drive down the price, making it extremely difficult for farmers to get a fair price for their hogs.
Moreover, Iowa’s pig farms produce a significant amount of waste equivalent to nearly 84 million people, more than the population of California, Texas, and Illinois combined. While this manure can be useful fertilizer when spread on nearby crop fields, it is frequently mismanaged, filtering through soil to underground pipes that discharge directly into rivers. Over-application of manure can also lead to water pollution when rain and snowmelt sluice it into waterways.
Despite these concerns, Iowa remains at the forefront of pork production in the United States, with its top firms slaughtering nine out of 10 hogs raised in the state. The industry continues to play a significant role in Iowa’s economy and provides jobs for thousands of Iowans.
The Economic Impact Of Iowa’s Pork Industry
The pork industry in Iowa has a significant economic impact on the state’s economy. According to a study conducted for the Iowa Pork Producers Association, the pork industry generated $40.8 billion in sales, with pig production accounting for 34 percent of the total sales. In terms of personal income, the study estimates that the direct income to pork producers was $296.86 million, which is linked to an additional $1636.7 million of income throughout the Iowa economy, including the pork processing sector, for a total impact of $1.933 billion of personal income.
The study also shows that more than 147,000 jobs, both direct and indirect, are tied to the pork industry in Iowa. This is up about 6,000 from a similar study conducted in 2017. The size of pig farms in Iowa continues to increase, with 69 percent of Iowa’s hog inventory now on farms with 5,000 or more pigs. These modern and environmentally controlled facilities help producers raise healthy animals and make sure that they can do it in an economically robust way.
However, there are concerns about the impact of overproduction and corporate consolidation on small farmers and local economies. Iowa has lost nearly 90 percent of its hog farms from 1982 to 2017 due to rapid factory hog expansion, which drove out smaller, family-scale farms. The report finds that continued farm loss is a steady trend, with fully one third of Iowa’s remaining hog farms disappearing from 2007-2017. Since 1982, Iowa counties with the most hog factory farm development suffered declines across several economic indicators, including real median household income and total jobs. These counties also experienced significant population decline — twice the rate of Iowa’s rural counties overall.
Despite these concerns, Iowa’s pork production sector continues to be a vital part of the state’s ag economy and now ranks only behind corn production as Iowa’s most valuable commodity.
Sustainability Efforts In Iowa’s Pork Industry
Sustainability is a top priority for Iowa’s pork industry. The state’s pork producers have been at the forefront of sustainability efforts for decades, and they remain committed to continuous improvement in every area of pork production. The Iowa Pork Industry Center (IPIC) was established in 1994 as a coordinated effort of the colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University (ISU) to promote efficient pork production technologies in Iowa, maintain Iowa’s pork industry leadership, and strengthen rural development efforts.
One of the ways that Iowa’s pork industry is improving sustainability is through the use of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs). LCAs provide a holistic approach to analyzing the cumulative environmental impacts of different phases of swine production, including carbon emissions, land occupation, and water usage. IPIC has developed a fact sheet called “Sustainability in the Swine Industry: Understanding the Life Cycle Assessment” that looks at three LCAs that have been created for the US swine industry. The fact sheet is available as a free download from the ISU extension store.
In addition to LCAs, IPIC has also developed tools to help producers evaluate and estimate the impacts of different levels of efficiency on environmental emissions. The Wean-to-Finish Pork Sustainability Calculator is an Excel-based calculator that allows producers to understand how specific improvements in finishing can influence the environmental footprint of their barns. Producers can change production parameters such as mortality and feed efficiency and see the effect of those changes. The calculator provides changes in percentages and weight of carbon dioxide based on baseline and target values entered by the user. It offers insight into the level of greenhouse gas production at the individual barn level to enable continuous improvement.
New research shows that Iowa swine producers and others across the country are doing their part to work toward a sustainable future. A study released in 2020 shows that pig farms today are much more sustainable than those of the 1950s. The metrics most associated with sustainability are revealed from their 1959 baseline: A 35 percent decrease in carbon footprint, a 41 percent reduction in water usage, and a 78 percent drop in land needed to produce a pound of pork. According to Garth Boyd, Ph.D., an environmental researcher and former university professor who led the team that conducted this Pork Checkoff-funded study, “The pork industry has been very successful in significantly reducing its environmental impact and use of natural resources by nearly 50 percent across the board per 1,000 pounds of pork produced, which is quite an accomplishment.”
Sustainability means more to pork producers than just being good environmental stewards. Many of the gains in efficiency can be attributed to continuous improvements farmers have made over the years in both crop production and in the care they give their animals through better nutrition, health, and overall management. According to National Pork Board President Conley Nelson, “The new research validates what we as farmers have always believed: The production improvements we’ve made in our industry have improved the sustainability of today’s modern pork farms.” As an example of continuous improvement, participation in the Pork Quality Assurance Plus program has reached record levels. As of July 1, 2021, more than 16,755 sites representing 75.38 percent of the U.S. pig inventory have been independently assessed, and more than 55,500 individual producers are participating in PQA Plus. PQA Plus emphasizes ten good production practices that demonstrate farmers’ commitment to socially responsible pork production as well as food safety.
Challenges Faced By Iowa’s Pork Producers
Despite being the leading state for pork production, Iowa’s pork producers are facing several challenges. One of the major challenges is the loss of small, family-scale hog farms. From 1982 to 2017, Iowa lost almost 90 percent of its hog farms due to rapid factory hog expansion. This trend has continued, with one-third of Iowa’s remaining hog farms disappearing from 2007-2017. The loss of small farms has resulted in a decline in several economic indicators, including real median household income and total jobs, particularly in counties with the most hog factory farm development. These counties also experienced significant population decline, twice the rate of Iowa’s rural counties overall.
Overproduction and growing corporate consolidation have pushed down the real price of hogs. While farmers earn $2 less per pound of pork produced compared to 1982, the retail price fell only $1. Slaughterhouses, processors, and retailers capture the other $1, leading to financial struggles for small-scale farmers.
Moreover, hog producers are facing risks and uncertainties that have caused them to pull back on expansion plans despite relatively strong hog prices. The breeding herd has been declining since 2021, and hog producers intend to farrow fewer sows in the coming quarters. This trend is expected to keep pork supplies tight through at least the first half of 2023.
To address these challenges, there is a growing demand for rules that make it easier for small farmers to compete with large agricultural corporations. Additionally, there is support for legislation to ban factory farm expansion and corporate monopolies in the food system. Farmers like Ethan Vorhes and Nick Schutt are advocating for policies that support methods of farming that help farmers like them and families like theirs. There is also a need to reinvest in rural communities and support farmers doing the right thing rather than destructive factory farming systems that carve out communities.
Future Outlook For Iowa’s Pork Industry
The outlook for Iowa’s pork industry is optimistic, as the industry settles back into a more normal routine after the pandemic caused bottlenecks in meat processing. The pork industry has been a major contributor to Iowa’s economy, providing jobs to nearly one in ten working Iowans and generating billions of dollars in sales. However, the industry has undergone significant structural changes in recent years, with rapid factory hog expansion driving out smaller, family-scale farms. This has led to overproduction and growing corporate consolidation, pushing down the real price of hogs and making it difficult for small farmers to compete with larger agricultural corporations.
Despite these challenges, there are reasons to be hopeful about the future of Iowa’s pork industry. Pork sustainability has improved significantly over the years, with the use of natural resources per pound of pork produced reduced by nearly 76% since 1960. Additionally, there is growing public support for rules that make it easier for small farmers to compete with large agricultural corporations and for legislation to ban factory farm expansion and corporate monopolies in the food system.
Furthermore, the Iowa Pork Producers Association continues to invest in research and development to improve pig health and productivity. The association also works to promote pork as a healthy and nutritious food source and to expand export markets for Iowa-produced pork. As the global demand for protein continues to grow, Iowa’s pork industry is poised to continue playing a significant role in meeting that demand.