Pork

Kentucky's Pork Industry

With more than 860,000 swine produced annually in Kentucky, pork is an important product for the state’s agriculture community. That importance is celebrated this month as Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles proclaims October as Pork Month in Kentucky.

“This month we celebrate our agriculture producers who work hard to raise pork, a healthy, lean meat,” Commissioner Quarles said. “Pork plays an important role in our state. But more than anything, we celebrate the farmers that put in the work to bring us this valuable, nutritious commodity.”

Pork is an important product to the national diet with the average American consuming about 50 pounds of pork per year. Packed with important nutrients and minerals, pork provides protein, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium.

Kentucky pork sales make up 2.5 percent of total cash receipts for Kentucky agriculture. The sale of market hogs and pigs brought Kentucky farmers $170.24 million in 2021, up 33.3 percent from the previous year.

Although the size and structure of the Kentucky pork industry have changed over time, increased levels of production have supported jobs and generated earnings in the state economy. The $170.24 million of gross cash receipts from hog markets in 2021 represent only a portion of the total economic activity supported by the industry. The largest single category of expenditure is feed. With 863,458 head produced annually, 8.1 million bushels of corn valued at $38.16 million and 53.5 thousand tons of soybean meal valued at $17.28 million are used in Kentucky.

Overall, an estimated $459.77 million of personal income and $646.18 million of the gross national product are supported by the Kentucky pork industry based on 2021 levels of production.

“The Kentucky Pork Producers Association is proud to work on behalf of the state’s 1,805 pork-producing farm families,” said Niki Ellis, executive director of the Kentucky Pork Producers Association. “Their dedication to their farms provides delicious, nutritious pork options for all consumers to enjoy. As we promote Pork Month, we invite all Kentuckians to celebrate by enjoying pork in your favorite dishes.”

You can also enjoy Kentucky pork at several statewide locations, Ellis said. All Cracker Barrel Restaurants, FiveStar gas stations, and all Dairy Queen restaurants in Kentucky and the surrounding region use Kentucky-grown pork for their sausage. The conscious choice these businesses are making to opt for Kentucky-grown pork is also benefiting Kentucky farmers.

“Raising my family in the Kentucky swine industry is so rewarding because we are able to appreciate the sources of food that not only feed our family and our community, but the state and the world,” said Sarah Jones of Red Hill Farms in Allen County. “The swine industry within Kentucky is very exciting. We have lots of different producers that are getting into a variety of niche markets and feeding their community while also expanding their production and employing more people within their area.”

At the same time, Jones said the younger generation is becoming more involved in the industry.

“We also have a growing amount of youth involvement within the industry. These kids are our future and we’re giving them the opportunity to learn about life, hard work, and responsibility. It’s important to have the next generation involved and learning about the swine industry,” she said.

With more than 1,800 swine operations across the commonwealth, Kentucky ranks 17th in the nation for total swine production. The number of swine operations has increased by more than 500 since 2017. That increase is largely due to individual farmers wanting to add swine to their operations during the pandemic. There has also been an uptick in the number of farms raising swine for shows, according to Ellis. Though they can be found throughout the state, most of Kentucky’s hogs are raised in western Kentucky, near the production of their primary food source of corn and soybeans.

At the end of 2021, Kentucky had approximately 435,000 total head of market hogs on feed, representing only a portion of the more than 860,000 hogs and pigs Kentucky farmers sold at market last year.

Source: Kentucky Pork Producers and Kentucky Department of Agriculture, October 2022.

About Pork Production

Pigs are raised on farms across Kentucky, with most farms being located in the western half of the Commonwealth. Since pigs are not able to sweat to keep cool like humans, many of those pigs are raised in temperature-controlled barns year-round. They also stay toasty warm in the winter. When pigs are raised outdoors, farmers use other means to keep their pigs comfortable such as mud holes and fluffy bedding. Most pigs are given a diet of corn and soybeans, but pigs are omnivores. That means they choose to eat both plant and animal foods. Some farmers feed their pigs leftover food from their farms or from restaurants. This is a good way to use food waste.

Farmers keep sows (female hogs) to give birth to and mother new pigs. A sow can have at least two litters of pigs per year, and each litter has 8-12 piglets. Many piglets are born in farrowing stalls. These keep the mother from accidentally crushing her babies; remember, she weighs hundreds of pounds, and the piglets weigh only a few pounds when they are born. Farrowing stalls also make it easy and safe for the farmer to feed the sow, check to see if the mother is healthy, and give medicine when it is needed. After three weeks, the pigs are weaned and can move to a solid food diet.

Kentucky farm families work to provide the best care for their pigs and ensure we have safe food to eat. Once the pigs weigh between 250 and 280 pounds, the farmer sells the pigs for processing. They will take them to one of Kentucky’s USDA-inspected meat processing plants that make pork available to eat through grocery stores and restaurants.

Pork is packed with important nutrients and minerals. It is an excellent source of protein, as well as thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, zinc, and potassium. These nutrients are important to our health.

Many cuts of pork are considered lean, which means they are low in fat. Pork is eaten by more people than any other meat in the world!

It is important to cook pork to the correct temperature. To check if your pork is done, try using a digital cooking thermometer. Most pork should be cooked to between 145 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Precooked ham can be reheated to 140 degrees or enjoyed cold. Many American’s favorite foods come from pork, such as ribs, bacon, chops, ham, hot dogs, and shoulder roasts (butt or picnic) often used for barbecue. After taking these popular cuts from the animal, the remaining meat is used for delicious sausage. It is likely you have enjoyed pork items at a barbecue or for breakfast.

Kentucky pork is actually used at Cracker Barrel and Dairy Queen restaurants across the United States thanks to the Kentucky-based sausage processor, Purnell’s “Old Folks” Sausage. This company is located in Simpsonville, Ky.

Pigs are also similar enough to humans that doctors can use their tissues and organs in surgeries. People regularly receive pig heart valves when their valves wear out. Pigs are incredibly valuable for human medicine.

Kentucky farmers work hard to raise healthy lean meat for consumers in our state and beyond. Pork plays an important role in our farming state.

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• Kentucky agriculture celebrates Pork Month in October (10/15)