Let’s Celebrate Some Wins in the Pork Industry
I’m excited to join the Farm Journal’s PORK team as the newest member of the Animal Agriculture Alliance staff. In this role, I will be responsible for working on topics such as crisis management and animal activist monitoring. I will also be working closely with restaurant/retail groups and supporting our Animal Ag Allies program, a great program to get involved in if you want to continue championing agriculture.
I live in North Carolina — a state filled with pigs. North Carolina currently ranks third nationally for the total number of hogs and pigs produced. With such an agriculturally dense state, issues with farm security and animal activism are common. That is one of the many reasons I am excited to see what my new role will offer pork producers not just in North Carolina, but across the U.S.
One of my passions is the topic of sustainability. At its core, sustainability is the concept of making more with less and conserving your resources. I believe that is something many farmers can relate to especially during challenging times. A more well-rounded definition of sustainability is, “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”
This is a promise to future generations that you will care for the land, air, water and livestock by producing safe and nutritious animal protein while balancing economic viability, social responsibility and environmental stewardship. However, sometimes farmers miss out on the opportunity of explaining to consumers how that is accomplished, and this is when misinformation can enter the marketplace.
As farmers, you are the people who are boots on the ground everyday ensuring these practices. For my first column with Farm Journal’s PORK, I would like to take the time to celebrate some wins within the pork community with the hope these facts can be shared with others.
The relative contribution of pork production to overall national greenhouse gas inventory is extremely small, less than 0.3% according to EPA. With that, the carbon footprint of pork has reduced 8% from 1960 to 2015, showing the industry’s commitment to sustainability. Along with environmental sustainability, pork has also made strides in efficiency. In 1959, it took eight pigs to produce 1,000 lb. of pork. Today, it takes only five pigs to produce that same amount. Pork is a great source of protein, with nine essential nutrients, and something you can feel confident about raising and providing for your plate and the plates of others.
More information on sustainability can be found here.
