Kansas
The Kansas Pork Industry
The Kansas pork industry adds significant value to the agricultural economy and is a major contributor to the overall Kansas economy. Although the size and structure of the Kansas 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 $388.13 million in personal income, $599.18 million in value added, and more than 7,196 jobs in the Kansas economy.
Total Economic Contribution
All direct, indirect, and induced economic activity supported by the Kansas Pork Industry.
7,196
jobs supported by the pork industry
$599M+
value added (GDP)
$388M+
personal income generated
Hog Farms and Production
There are about 1.99 million hogs in Kansas. The size of the Kansas hog herd has varied over time but has trended upward from 1.5 million head in 2000 to 1.99 million head in 2023. As of December 2023, Kansas farms accounted for 2.6% of the total U.S. hog inventory.
The number of Kansas hog farms has decreased slightly in recent years. From 1997 to 2012, the number of farms decreased from 3,005 to 1,010, and by 2022 Kansas had 907 farms raising hogs.
Approximately 88% of Kansas hogs are on farms with 5,000 or more in inventory. Nine percent of Kansas’s 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 $2.08 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 Kansas pork industry, producing 3.20 million market hogs in Kansas generates over $354.67 million in feed, labor, equipment, and other production-related expenditures.
Hog Production by the Numbers
907
number of farms with hogs
3.20M
hogs marketed annually
$557.8M
cash receipts from hog sales
Feed is the largest single expenditure category in pork production. With 3.20 million market hogs produced annually, feed costs for the Kansas industry exceed $186.51M. Other direct expenses, like energy and transportation, add over $84.99M, employee compensation totals $35.5M, and facility-related expenses add $47.7M.
Jobs Supported by the Kansas Pork Industry
The direct, indirect, and induced activity generated by the Kansas pork industry in 2023 supported a total of 7,196 jobs and $388.13M in personal income. Kansas hog farms and pork processors directly employed 4,238 workers and paid $203.09 million in total wages. This includes 722 full-time-equivalent workers at the farm level and an estimated 3,628 employees in the hog slaughter and processing sectors.
The purchases of input supplies and services in the pork industry indirectly supported 1,694 jobs and $117.68 million in personal earnings for Kansas workers. Beyond this, the induced impacts stemming from employee spending included 1,263 additional jobs and over $67.37 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.