Missouri
The Missouri Pork Industry
The Missouri pork industry adds significant value to the agricultural economy and is a major contributor to the overall Missouri economy. Although the size and structure of the Missouri 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 over $1.404 billion in personal income, over $2.209 billion in value added, and more than 23,579 jobs in the Missouri economy.
Total Economic Contribution
All direct, indirect, and induced economic activity supported by the Missouri Pork Industry.
23,579
jobs supported by the pork industry
$2.2B+
value added (GDP)
$1.4B+
personal income generated
Hog Farms and Production
There are about 3.15M hogs in Missouri. The size of the Missouri hog herd has varied over time but has trended upward from 2.9M head in 2000 to 3.15M head in 2023. As of December 2023, Missouri farms accounted for 4.2% of the total U.S. hog inventory.
The number of Missouri hog farms has increased in recent years. From 1997 to 2012, the number of farms raising hogs decreased from 5,593 to 2,128, but by 2022 farm numbers increased to 2,244.
Approximately 73% of Missouri hogs are on farms with 5,000 or more in inventory. 24 percent of Missouri’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 $8.31 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 Missouri pork industry, producing over 8.16 million market hogs in Missouri generates over $1.10 billion in feed, labor, equipment, and other production-related expenditures.
Hog Production by the Numbers
2,244
number of farms with hogs
8.16M+
hogs marketed annually
$1.38B+
cash receipts from hog sales
Feed is the largest single expenditure category in pork production. With over 8.16M market hogs produced annually, feed costs for the Missouri industry exceed $564.55M. Other direct expenses, like energy and transportation, add over $271M, employee compensation totals over $119.3M, and facility-related expenses add over $145M.
Jobs Supported by the Missouri Pork Industry
The direct, indirect, and induced activity generated by the Missouri pork industry in 2023 supported a total of 23,579 jobs and over $1.404B in personal income. Missouri hog farms and pork processors directly employed 10,278 workers and paid over $649.18 million in total wages. This includes 1,684 full-time-equivalent workers at the farm level and an estimated 8,313 employees in the hog slaughter and processing sectors.
The purchases of input supplies and services in the pork industry indirectly supported 8,092 jobs and over $467.36 million in personal earnings for Missouri workers. Beyond this, the induced impacts stemming from employee spending included 5,209 additional jobs and over $288.03 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.