Indiana
The Indiana Pork Industry
The Indiana pork industry adds significant value to the agricultural economy and is a major contributor to the overall Indiana economy. Although the size and structure of the Indiana pork industry has changed over time, current levels of production continue to support jobs and generate earnings in the state economy. In 2021, the sales generated from hog marketings and pork processing supported a total economic contribution of $1.08 billion in personal income, $1.76 billion in value added, and more than 21,044 jobs in the Indiana economy.
Total Economic Contribution
All direct, indirect, and induced economic activity supported by the Indiana Pork Industry.
21,044
jobs supported by the pork industry
$1.76B+
value added (GDP)
$1.08B+
personal income generated
Hog Farms and Production
There are about 4.35 million hogs in Indiana. The size of the Indiana hog herd has varied over time but has trended upward from 3.35 million head in 2000 to 4.35 million head in 2021. As of December 2021, Indiana farms accounted for 5.9% of the total U.S. hog inventory.
The number of Indiana hog farms has decreased slightly in recent years. From 1997 to 2012, the number of farms decreased from 6,809 to 2,757, and by 2017 Indiana had 2,570 farms raising hogs.
Approximately 69% of Indiana hogs are on farms with 5,000 or more in inventory. 23 percent of Indiana’s hogs are on farms with 2,000 to 4,999 head, and eight percent are on farms with less than 2,000 head.
Hog Production Costs and Returns
In 2021, hog sales (including market hogs, sows, and feeder pigs) totaled $1.57 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 Indiana pork industry, producing 7.74 million market hogs in Indiana generates over $959.72 million in feed, labor, equipment, and other production-related expenditures.
Hog Production by the Numbers
2,570
number of farms with hogs
7.74M
hogs marketed annually
$1.57B
cash receipts from hog sales
Feed is the largest single expenditure category in pork production. With 7.74 million market hogs produced annually, feed costs for the Indiana industry exceed $569.6M. Other direct expenses, like energy and transportation, add $201.108M, employee compensation totals $80.464M, and facility-related expenses add $108.5M.
Jobs Supported by the Indiana Pork Industry
The direct, indirect, and induced activity generated by the Indiana pork industry in 2021 supported a total of 21,044 jobs and $1.08B in personal income. Indiana hog farms and pork processors directly employed 7,878 workers and paid $372.9 million in total wages. This includes 1,358 full-time-equivalent workers at the farm level and an estimated 6,293 employees in the hog slaughter and processing sectors.
The purchases of input supplies and services in the pork industry indirectly supported 8,620 jobs and $480.7 million in personal earnings for Indiana workers. Beyond this, the induced impacts stemming from employee spending included 4,546 additional jobs and $224.67 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.