Golden Bacon: The Big Money In Pork

by Elena T. Manager

Pork provides us with foods that are both yummy and a staple in many homes. Bacon is beloved by many, while pulled pork and pork ribs are bar-b-q favorites. While we all love pork, we rarely think about its economic effects in the United States Just how much do pork production and consumption affect the economy? How many people does it employ? Let’s look at these questions and more.

The United States has over 60,000 pork producers, such as Smithfield Foods, the largest producer of pork in the United States. Currently, there are around 70.7 million hogs in the United States. Every year these producers bring over 115 million hogs to market. For these farmers, these hogs provide over $20 billion in gross income. As you can see, pork adds to the livelihood of many American farmers.

Not only do the farmers benefit, but so do employees. The pork industry employs about 550,000 people in the United States. They provide jobs for meat processors, pork producers, farm hands, transportation experts, and more. The pork industry creates around $22.3 billion in personal income. This translates into an added $39 billion to the GDP, helping keep the economy strong.

The pork industry also helps to spur other industries such as transportation, grocery, kitchen supplies, and more. It is estimated that the pork industry creates $23.4 billion in gross output and spurs related purchases that total around $122 billion. This means that when people are buying their pork products, they purchase something to compliment it, such as purchasing eggs when purchasing bacon or bar-b-q sauce when purchasing ribs.

While the United States loves its pork, so do other countries. U.S. pork producers export 2.2 million metric tons of pork every single year. These exports make up around 26 percent of the total amount of pork raised in the United States. Exporting pork adds an additional $62 in value to every hog, and also creates 110,000 jobs related to exporting pork.

While you may already love a good sausage or some bacon with everything, these are some other reasons to appreciate the thriving pork industry and what it adds to the United States economy and culture. Not only do we all benefit from yummy pork products, but many people benefit from having jobs and businesses that are based on pork products. So, go enjoy some bacon and appreciate how you are adding to the economy.