Illinois
The Illinois Pork Industry
The Illinois pork industry adds significant value to the agricultural economy and is a major contributor to the overall Illinois economy. Although the size and structure of the Illinois pork industry has changed over time, current levels of production continue to support jobs and generate earnings in the state economy. In 2023, the sales generated from hog marketings and pork processing supported a total economic contribution of $2.2 billion in personal income, $3.5 billion in value added, and more than 32,690 jobs in the Illinois economy.
Total Economic Contribution
All direct, indirect, and induced economic activity supported by the Illinois Pork Industry.
32,690
jobs supported by the pork industry
$3.5B+
value added (GDP)
$2.2B+
personal income generated
Hog Farms and Production
There are about 5.5 million hogs in Illinois. The size of the Illinois hog herd has varied over time but has trended upward from 4.15 million head in 2000 to 5.50 million head in 2023. As of December 2023, Illinois farms accounted for 7.3% of the total U.S. hog inventory.
The number of Illinois hog farms has decreased in recent years. From 1997 to 2012, the number of farms raising hogs decreased from 7,385 to 2,045, and by 2022 farm numbers decreased more to 1,678.
Approximately 82% of Illinois hogs are on farms with 5,000 or more in inventory. 15 percent of Illinois’ hogs are on farms with 2,000 to 4,999 head, and three percent are on farms with less than 2,000 head.
Hog Production Costs and Returns
In 2023, hog sales (including market hogs, sows, and feeder pigs) totaled $11.9 billion. In addition to these farm-level effects, the pork industry supports other industries by purchasing inputs, supplies, and services. Based on long-run prices and aggregated production budgets for the Illinois pork industry, producing 10.86 million market hogs in Illinois generates over $1.57 billion in feed, labor, equipment, and other production-related expenditures.
Hog Production by the Numbers
1,678
number of farms with hogs
10.86M
hogs marketed annually
$11.9B
cash receipts from hog sales
Feed is the largest single expenditure category in pork production. With 10.86 million market hogs produced annually, feed costs for the Illinois industry exceed $807.7M. Other direct expenses, like energy and transportation, add $387.8M, employee compensation totals $168.2M, and facility-related expenses add $202.6M.
Jobs Supported by the Illinois Pork Industry
The direct, indirect, and induced activity generated by the Illinois pork industry in 2023 supported a total of 32,690 jobs and $2.24B in personal income. Illinois hog farms and pork processors directly employed 15,086 workers and paid $929.97 million in total wages. This includes 2,336 full-time-equivalent workers at the farm level and an estimated 12,362 employees in the hog slaughter and processing sectors.
The purchases of input supplies and services in the pork industry indirectly supported 9,516 jobs and $792.30 million in personal earnings for Illinois workers. Beyond this, the induced impacts stemming from employee spending included 8,088 additional jobs and $535.41 million in personal income earned. Many of these jobs were within the agriculture and manufacturing industries, as well as industries like trucking, finance, insurance, real estate, trade, and other service sectors.