Ohio
The Ohio Pork Industry
The Ohio pork industry adds significant value to the agricultural economy and is a major contributor to the overall Ohio economy. Although the size and structure of the Ohio 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 $918.8 million in personal income, over $1.4 billion in value added, and more than 16,165 jobs in the Ohio economy.
Total Economic Contribution
All direct, indirect, and induced economic activity supported by the Ohio Pork Industry.
16,165
jobs supported by the pork industry
$1.46B+
value added (GDP)
$918M+
personal income generated
Hog Farms and Production
There are about 2.65 million hogs in Ohio. The size of the Ohio hog herd has varied over time but has trended upward from 1.49M head in 2000 to 2.65M head in 2023. As of December 2023, Ohio farms accounted for 3.5% of the total U.S. hog inventory.
The number of Ohio hog farms has decreased slightly in recent years. From 1997 to 2012, the number of farms decreased from 6,637 to 3,494, and by 2022 Ohio had 3,238ย farms raising hogs.
Approximately 50% of Ohio hogs are on farms with 5,000 or more in inventory. 42 percent of Ohio’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 2023, hog sales (including market hogs, sows, and feeder pigs) totaled $5.098 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 Ohio pork industry, producing over 4.92 million market hogs in Ohio generates over $782 million in feed, labor, equipment, and other production-related expenditures.
Hog Production by the Numbers
3,238
number of farms with hogs
4.92M+
hogs marketed annually
$919.12M+
cash receipts from hog sales
Feed is the largest single expenditure category in pork production. With over 4.92M market hogs produced annually, feed costs for the Ohio industry exceed $416.62M. Other direct expenses, like energy and transportation, add over $185.09M, employee compensation totals over $77.32M, and facility-related expenses add over $102.96M.
Jobs Supported by the Ohio Pork Industry
The direct, indirect, and induced activity generated by the Ohio pork industry in 2023 supported a total of 16,165 jobs and over $918,83 million in personal income. Ohio hog farms and pork processors directly employed 7,431 workers and paid over $409.40 million in total wages. This includes 1,145 full-time-equivalent workers at the farm level and an estimated 6,096 employees in the hog slaughter and processing sectors.
The purchases of input supplies and services in the pork industry indirectly supported 5,061 jobs and over $306.23 million in personal earnings for Ohio workers. Beyond this, the induced impacts stemming from employee spending included 3,672 additional jobs and over $203.20 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.