Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Pork Industry
The Pennsylvania pork industry adds significant value to the agricultural economy and is a major contributor to the overall Pennsylvania economy. Although the size and structure of the Pennsylvania 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 $789.8 million in personal income, over $1.1 billion in value added, and more than 13,072 jobs in the Pennsylvania economy.
Total Economic Contribution
All direct, indirect, and induced economic activity supported by the Pennsylvania Pork Industry.
13,072
jobs supported by the pork industry
$1.1B+
value added (GDP)
$789M+
personal income generated
Hog Farms and Production
There are about 1.48 million hogs in Pennsylvania. The size of the Pennsylvania hog herd has varied over time but has trended upward from 1.03M head in 2000 to 1.03M head in 2023. As of December 2023, Pennsylvania farms accounted for 2% of the total U.S. hog inventory.
The number of Pennsylvania hog farms has decreased in recent years. From 1997 to 2012, the number of farms decreased from 4,359 to 3,097, and by 2022 Pennsylvania had 2,525 farms raising hogs.
Approximately 56% of Pennsylvania hogs are on farms with 5,000 or more in inventory. 32 percent of Pennsylvania’s hogs are on farms with 2,000 to 4,999 head, and 12 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 $3.868 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 Pennsylvania pork industry, producing over 2.01 million market hogs in Pennsylvania generates over $300.52 million in feed, labor, equipment, and other production-related expenditures.
Hog Production by the Numbers
2,525
number of farms with hogs
2.01M+
hogs marketed annually
$359M+
cash receipts from hog sales
Feed is the largest single expenditure category in pork production. With over 2.01M market hogs produced annually, feed costs for the Pennsylvania industry exceed $155.06M. Other direct expenses, like energy and transportation, add over $73.08M, employee compensation totals over $32.24M, and facility-related expenses add over $40.13M.
Jobs Supported by the Pennsylvania Pork Industry
The direct, indirect, and induced activity generated by the Pennsylvania pork industry in 2023 supported a total of 13,072 jobs and over $789.83 million in personal income. Pennsylvania hog farms and pork processors directly employed 7,498 workers and paid over $399.44 million in total wages. This includes 477 full-time-equivalent workers at the farm level and an estimated 6,941 employees in the hog slaughter and processing sectors.
The purchases of input supplies and services in the pork industry indirectly supported 2,628 jobs and over $204.11 million in personal earnings for Pennsylvania workers. Beyond this, the induced impacts stemming from employee spending included 2,946 additional jobs and over $186.29 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.