For people who eat pork a lot and love all those specialties with this type of meat, the list of 10 states that produce the most pork in America can be very interesting. The reason is the existence of a wide range of recipes and habits concerning meat consumption across the United States. Unfortunately, in the last couple of decades, numerous associations which care about human health have fought for banning pork, claiming that pork is highly dangerous due to the high level of fat. A lot of research has shown that pork is dangerous to consume on daily basis, so other types of meat, like chicken or lamb, are recommended to use instead. But, before we start investigating who brought sheep to the US or which top chicken-producing states are, let’s stop for a moment and talk about pork.
Actually, pork has traditionally been a favorite type of meat in the US since the birth of the nation in the 16th century. The first settlers brought pork and their recipes to America and many of those recipes have survived numerous changes through the industrial development of the country. America produces between 175 and 200 pounds of pork every year and the states on the top of the list of 10 states that produce the most pork in America have an annual production of more than 20 million pigs. There are many recipes for tasty pork sausages traditionally served across the country and surely some of them are still kept in grandmothers’ drawers despite the time.
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As researchers have found, pork is not equally eaten in each of the American states. The statistics that has identified top 5 states in the number of sheep or lambs or the top chicken-producing states has also shown that the countries where beef, lamb or chicken are favorite types of meat are not great producers of pork. In addition to this, the list of 10 Largest Cattle Producing States in the US shows that the states which are the largest producers of cattle are not necessarily among the top pork-producing states. Pig producers are not on the top of the list of traditional exporters of meat and surely they are not on the list of larger exporters of meat in the US.
The reason for this might be bad name pork has got during the past decades, mostly due to its influence on human health. Pork is claimed to be the worst type of meat because of a high level of fat whose consumption has negative effects on the human body. Although it seems to be forgotten, it is very important to emphasize the fact that the pig, apart from the possible infection with trichinosis, does not suffer from any serious diseases and this is the only type of meat which can be marked with one of only two possible marks during veterinary inspections – acceptable and utility. The list of marks defining the quality of beef is far more complicated, so pork seems much healthier when you think of potentially dangerous meat taken from cows suffering from mad cow disease.
During the last couple of years, pork has been brought back on tables and in kitchens, mostly thanks to the efforts of pork producers associations. Many chefs are given support to invent new recipes with pork and there are more cooking TV shows in which meals with pork are made more often. Eating bacon for breakfast is very popular again and many doctors and nutritionists now claim that pig’s fat is actually healthy for our body and has more positive than negative effects on it. The pig has become a movie and a book character and children’s pet. Pork industry supports more than 500,000 jobs and adds $39 billion to the USA GDP.
The situation is almost the same when it comes to pork consumption around the world. Besides the countries where religion or cultural reasons forbid eating pork, many other countries have scored the growth in national income thanks to the pig production and pork export, and many of them are traditionally among the biggest consumers of pork. The world’s largest exporter of pork is China, followed by the European Union and the US, which proves that those who eat pork know how to produce it and then sell it on the world market.
Our list of states that produce the most pork in America is based on the data taken from the lists of the states which produce the most pigs and hogs in the US, although the information could be tricky because pigs and one of the final products made from them, pork, are definitely not the same. In spite of that, we created a list based on the assumption that pig producers would not trade in live pigs with other countries and that they would keep the production within the borders. This assumption can be justified by the fact that the companies which are the biggest pork producers are situated in the countries which are at the top of the list. The numbers given under the names of the states refer to the number of pigs and hogs produced in 2016 expressed in millions.
10. Kansas
Number of pigs and hogs – 1,920
A state known for Toto and The Wizard of Oz is a great lover of pork, according to the statistics. Apart from companies that produce pork, there are still traditional family farms where the best animals are produced and where you can still buy a live pig on your own. Their interest in pigs and pork is evident in the existence of special pork food chains and schools educating producers in pig nutrition and feeding. However, the country still does not have a serious industry, which would provide one of the top places on the list.
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9. Oklahoma
Number of pigs and hogs – 2,130
The situation in this state is very serious when it comes to pig production since pigs have their own traditional dedicated event here. You can come to this event, bring some of your own products and hear other people’s opinion about them, and finally see what other farmers produce on their farms. A lot of foundations give support to small farms in order to help them expand their business and increase the number of pigs they produce. But, pig production is not the only job at farms. Feral hogs also attract a lot of people’s attention here. Unfortunately, there is a big event at a particular time of the year when hunters go hunting for them, so numerous associations for animal protection object to it.
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8. Ohio
Number of pigs and hogs – 2,600
Even in the 19th century, Ohio was a big pig producer. There is a story saying that in some documents from 1835 this state was called “Porkopolis” due to a large number of pigs produced in this area. Currently, this state is not on the top of this list, but the fact that pig production has existed there for ages qualifies this state for a place on the list of the largest pork producers every year. A lot of companies which are considered to be among the largest producers and exporters of pork are situated in this state.
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7. Missouri
Number of pigs and hogs – 2,950
Missouri thta ranked 7th on our list of states that produce the most pork in America is another state where there are a lot of people who love hunting feral hogs, although there is a legislation which bans public hog-hunting and puts it under control. The state is a serious pig and pork producer. The aim is to produce biologically clean pork, without using poisons, hormones, and chemicals. Since pigs are the most payable product here, there are some special associations which help young farmers start and expand their business in pig production.
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6. Nebraska
Number of pigs and hogs – 3,350
Unfortunately, some farms in Nebraska, next on our list of states that produce the most pork in America have been seriously accused of animal abuse. PETA has announced that animals on these farms were kept in terrible conditions showing the photos of terrifying situations in which the farm animals, including the pigs, were found. After these accusations, the problem has been solved, but the bad reputation because of the scandal has left. Anyway, something very positive about this country is a serious ban of feral hog hunting.
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5. Indiana
Number of pigs and hogs – 3,700
Even though the numbers put Indiana in the middle of the list of 10 states that produce the most pork in America, this state is surely on the first place when it comes to the tradition of pig and pork production. Not only that people here love eating pork, but the state gives high support to the small farmers as well. They have kept the tradition of producing pigs on small farms where they provide them with the best care and food in order to get healthy meat of the highest quality. A wealth of recipes and customs related to pork consumption prove that people here know what good pork is.
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4. Illinois
Number of pigs and hogs – 5,100
We are continuing our list of states that produce the most pork in America with Illinois that has struggled with animal abuse, too, but the state resolved the problem with low prices of pork. As a result, a lot of serious problems have emerged for small farmers. They cannot keep step with the high costs due to low prices of pork, so many of them have had to cut the pig production in half. At the moment, some associations and foundations are trying to improve the situation and help farmers get on their feet again.
3. Minnesota
Number of pigs and hogs – 7,900
Have you ever seen a real pig zoo? If not, you need to go to Minnesota that ranked 3rd on our list of states that produce the most pork in America and see what that zoo looks like. The visitors are able to see how the pigs are fed, how they live and spend time in mud and water. However, those pigs which were not lucky enough to reach old age and die naturally are actually important for our list. The number of these puts Minnesota on the third place on the list.
2. North Carolina
Number of pigs and hogs – 8,700
After the hurricane ruined their farms and households, people in North Carolina, next on the list of states that produce the most pork in America have finally gotten back to business and continued with pig production. According to the numbers, they have been doing that very seriously, so they are on the second place on this list. Opposite to the above mentioned states that are on this list, they faced a law suit for soil and water pollution with pig feces and urine.
1. Iowa
Number of pigs and hogs – 20,100
The numbers show that Iowa is not only the biggest pork producer, but that its production is much higher than that of the second state on the list. The company with the highest pork production is situated in this state and it has kept the first place for quite a long time. All of these facts prove that Iowa deserves the first place on the list of 10 states that produce the most pork in America.
