The 2007 Census of Agriculture on Hog and Pig Farming released this week provides a snapshot of differences in production between 2002 and 2007.
In 2007, U.S. sales of hogs and pigs totaled $18.1 billion, an increase of $5.7 billion, or 46%, from 2002.
That sales figure represented 6% of all agricultural products sold in the United States during 2007.
More than 50% of the total value of U.S. sales of hogs and pigs came from three states Iowa (+$1.75 billion), North Carolina (+$921 million) and Minnesota (+$742 million).
Duplin County in North Carolina recorded the largest single county sales of hogs and pigs during 2007, ringing up $724 million or 4% of the total U.S. value.
In 2007, there were 30,546 U.S. farm operations specializing in production of hogs and pigs.
Production costs of $15.5 billion in 2007 were $4.2 billion or 37% higher than they were in 2002. Average total production costs per farm increased more than $168,700 from 2002 to 2007, led by increases in expenses for fertilizer, lime and soil conditioners, up 64%, and gasoline, fuels and oil, up 63%.
The average hog farmer was 51 years old in 2007, up from 49 in 2002. Only about 52% of hog producers listed their primary occupation as farming, down from 65% in 2002.
Finishing operations comprised 38% of all hog farms, followed by farrow-to-finish operations at 29%.
For more information on the census report, go to
http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2007/Online_Highlights/Fact_Sheets/hogsandpigs.pdf.