A new study from the University of Arkansas confirms America’s pig farmers are producing a product that has become increasingly sustainable over the past five decades. It shows to produce a pound of pork in the U.S. farmers are using 76-percent less land, 25-percent less water and 7 percent less energy. National Pork Board President and Alcester, South Dakota producer Steve Rommereim says this results in a nearly 8-percent smaller carbon footprint.
He says the study confirms what producers have been doing to make good on their ongoing commitment of doing what is best for people, pigs and the planet. That is at the core of the industry’s We Care program.
National Pork Board CEO Bill Even says technology is at the heart of how pork producers are able to be more efficient now and how they hope to produce an even more sustainable product in the future.
They say consumers may be surprised at how much progress pork producers have made over the years. In fact, feed conversion started at 4.5 pounds of feed per pound of pork in 1960 and was at 2.8 in 2015, a 38-percent improvement. At the same time market hog weights went from 200 to 281 pounds.
