WASHINGTON — The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) recently released an economic report on the significance of US pork producers to the nation’s agricultural and overall economy.

“This report underscores how the pork industry is an important pillar to the US economy and the positive ripple effect it has on many other important sectors in the American supply chain,” said Holly Cook, NPPC staff economist. “From farm to fork, the combined economic contribution from hog production and pork processing supports more than 600,000 American jobs and generates $178 billion of direct, indirect and induced sales that equate to $57 billion in value-added GDP.”

According to the report, farming and processing sectors are responsible for supporting over $35 billion in personal income.

The report said, in 2021, over 140 million hogs, worth $28 billion in gross cash receipts, were sold.

“It’s vital to share this economic snapshot as America’s pork producers continue to engage with regulators and policymakers, food companies and others to convey how our businesses directly and indirectly impact the larger economy,” said Terry Wolters, NPPC president and owner of Stoney Creek Farms in Pipestone, Minn. “As a producer, this analysis makes me proud to see the impact I have being part of the thriving US pork industry.”