Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Pork Industry
The Wisconsin pork industry adds significant value to the agricultural economy and is a major contributor to the overall Wisconsin economy. Although the size and structure of the Wisconsin 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 $815.20 million in personal income, over $1.12 billion in value added, and more than 13,397 jobs in the Wisconsin economy.
Total Economic Contribution
All direct, indirect, and induced economic activity supported by the Wisconsin Pork Industry.
13,397
jobs supported by the pork industry
$1.127B+
value added (GDP)
$815.2M+
personal income generated
Hog Farms and Production
There are about 360,000 hogs in Wisconsin. The size of the Wisconsin hog herd has varied over time but has trended downward from 610K head in 2000 to 360K head in 2023. As of December 2023, Wisconsin farms accounted for 0.5% of the total U.S. hog inventory.
The number of Wisconsin hog farms has decreased slightly in recent years. From 1997 to 2012, the number of farms decreased from 3,974 to 2,270, and by 2022 Wisconsin had 2,025 farms raising hogs.
Approximately 58% of Wisconsin hogs are on farms with 5,000 or more in inventory. 14 percent of Wisconsin’s hogs are on farms with 2,000 to 4,999 head, and 28 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 $4.347 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 Wisconsin pork industry, producing about 971.430 market hogs in Wisconsin generates over $130.73 million in feed, labor, equipment, and other production-related expenditures.
Hog Production by the Numbers
2,025
number of farms with hogs
971K+
hogs marketed annually
$178.57M+
cash receipts from hog sales
Feed is the largest single expenditure category in pork production. With about 971,430 market hogs produced annually, feed costs for the Wisconsin industry exceed $67.15M. Other direct expenses, like energy and transportation, add over $31.58M, employee compensation totals over $14.00M, and facility-related expenses add over $17.99M.
Jobs Supported by the Wisconsin Pork Industry
The direct, indirect, and induced activity generated by the Wisconsin pork industry in 2023 supported a total of 13,397 jobs and over $815.2 million in personal income. Wisconsin hog farms and pork processors directly employed 7,325 workers and paid over $417.54 million in total wages. This includes 222 full-time-equivalent workers at the farm level and an estimated 7,065 employees in the hog slaughter and processing sectors.
The purchases of input supplies and services in the pork industry indirectly supported 3,063 jobs and over $225.97 million in personal earnings for Wisconsin workers. Beyond this, the induced impacts stemming from employee spending included 3,009 additional jobs and over $171.69 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.