Pig Farming Fuels Minnesota’s Economy And Helps The Environment

Minnesota is known for a lot of things from those outside the state; lakes, snow and cold weather among them. Residents of Minnesota know it for ice fishing, meat raffles and delicious food options. 

On the note of food, did you realize that Minnesota produces the second highest number of pigs raised and the value they bring? The Minnesota Department of Agriculture tweeted this week that pigs are big business, to the tune of around seven billion dollars in economic activity for our state. 

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The Minnesota Pork Producers Association says that there are more than 3,000 pig farms around Minnesota and in 2020, produced almost 17 million pigs.  

The Value of Pigs in Minnesota  

The Pork Producers data shows that in 2020, 7.28 billion dollars in economic activity was generated by those who raise pigs on the above-mentioned farms. Pork sales in 2020 were 2.2 billion dollars.  

The Added Value of Pig Farms in Minnesota 

In addition to the monies generated from raising pigs in Minnesota, over 44,000 jobs are created by the industry from trucking, construction, feed milling, accounting, and meat processing among others.  

There’s More Growing from Pigs Than Just Money 

The Pork Producers say that the nutrients in pig manure are used as natural fertilizers that are used in crop production around the state. Using this form of fertilizer reduces the amount of synthetic fertilizers that have to be used. 

That is good for everyone because the organic compounds in pig manure provide better yield advantages for corn than other fertilizers. Plus, the soil benefits from pig manure because it strengthens the soil and allows it to hold water better. 

So, for all the things we know Minnesota for, let’s add pig production to that list. The proven benefits are something that we can be proud of.