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About Swine
There are currently more than 60,000 pork producers across the US, producing pork in all scales and styles ranging from huge industrial-style farms to backyard homesteads. For centuries, pork has played a crucial role in the Western diet, where pigs are valued for their ability to adapt to multiple environments, capacity to grow quickly, and capability of producing large litters of offspring.
Swine Industry Insights • Types of Pig Farms
Swine Industry Insights
Annually, more than 115 million hogs are raised ready for market, and the income produced from modern piggery farming contributes $39 billion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
As well as managers and owners of pig farms, the industry supports an additional 550,000 people and provides jobs ranging from processors and producers, to transport, and retail businesses.
The pork produced by the industry isn’t just for the US market. The exports of pork and pork-related products amount to more than 2.2 million metric tons every year.
New York is home to more than 50,000 hogs on 1,700 operations. As with many livestock breeds and species, best practices for keeping hogs on any scale change constantly.
Cornell Cooperative Extension offers numerous resources and educational opportunities for all skill levels whether you are just getting started or have been farming for some time.
