Utah
The Utah Pork Industry
The Utah pork industry adds significant value to the agricultural economy and is a major contributor to the overall Utah economy. Although the size and structure of the Utah 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 $121.90 million in personal income, over $195.04 million in value added, and more than 2,279 jobs in the Utah economy.
Total Economic Contribution
All direct, indirect, and induced economic activity supported by the Utah Pork Industry.
2,279
jobs supported by the pork industry
$195M+
value added (GDP)
$121M+
personal income generated
Hog Farms and Production
There are about 205,000 hogs in Utah. The size of the Utah hog herd has varied over time but has trended downward from 550K head in 2000 to 205K head in 2023. As of December 2023, Utah farms accounted for 0.3% of the total U.S. hog inventory.
The number of Utah hog farms has decreased slightly in recent years. From 1997 to 2012, the number of farms increased from 565 to 669, and by 2022 Utah had 626 farms raising hogs.
Approximately 97% of Utah hogs are on farms with 5,000 or more in inventory. One percent of Utah’s hogs are on farms with 2,000 to 4,999 head, and two 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 $721.35 million. 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 Utah pork industry, producing over 550K market hogs in Utah generates over $62.31 million in feed, labor, equipment, and other production-related expenditures.
Hog Production by the Numbers
626
number of farms with hogs
550K+
hogs marketed annually
$139M+
cash receipts from hog sales
Feed is the largest single expenditure category in pork production. With over 550K market hogs produced annually, feed costs for the Utah industry exceed $30.32M. Other direct expenses, like energy and transportation, add over $16.09M, employee compensation totals over $7.55M, and facility-related expenses add over $8.33M.
Jobs Supported by the Utah Pork Industry
The direct, indirect, and induced activity generated by the Utah pork industry in 2023 supported a total of 2,279 jobs and over $121.90 million in personal income. Utah hog farms and pork processors directly employed 1,319 workers and paid over $64.52 million in total wages. This includes 104 full-time-equivalent workers at the farm level and an estimated 1,198 employees in the hog slaughter and processing sectors.
The purchases of input supplies and services in the pork industry indirectly supported 497 jobs and over $32.75 million in personal earnings for Utah workers. Beyond this, the induced impacts stemming from employee spending included 463 additional jobs and over $24.64 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.