High on the hog: the impact of pork on sustainability and healthy diets

With fall underway, the Animal Agriculture Alliance is continuing to engage with a variety of stakeholders about the contributions of farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, suppliers, processors, and everyone in the animal agriculture community. This month we’ve kicked off our College Aggies Online program and attended the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry & Eggs (US-RSPE) Poultry Welfare and Sustainability Summit, and we’re looking forward to meeting with dietitians, researchers, policymakers, health care providers, and industry leaders at next month’s Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE).

These engagements give us an important opportunity to showcase how farmers, processors, and other supply chain partners lead the way in sustainability, producing nutrient-dense animal-source foods while implementing the highest standards for animal care and environmental stewardship.

Last month, I highlighted some examples of U.S. dairy’s leadership, and this month I want to shine a spotlight on the pork community, which continues to make great strides in sustainable practices and social responsibility. Behind every pig farm are families and employees dedicated to protecting the environment, upholding the highest standards of animal care, and producing safe, nutritious pork.

U.S. pig farmers are constantly innovating to reduce their environmental footprint, focusing on conservation, water and air quality, and resource management. Between 1960 and 2015, the pork community has reduced water use by 25%, energy use by 7%, carbon emissions by 8%, and land use by an impressive 76%.

Today’s pork isn’t just better for the planet—it’s better for us too! Compared to two decades ago, pork is 16% leaner and contains 27% less saturated fat, while continuing to provide nine essential nutrients.

A cornerstone of this progress is the pork community’s unwavering commitment to animal care. The National Pork Board’s Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) program ensures farmers and their employees provide top-quality care for their animals. With over 71,000 farmers and employees PQA Plus certified, representing 85% of the U.S. pig population, these caretakers are ensuring barns are designed for pig comfort, veterinarians regularly monitor animal health, and herd management plans are in place to protect animal well-being.

Learn more about how U.S. pig farmers are leading sustainable agriculture and supporting balanced diets in our Sustainability Impact Report, as well as through resources from the National Pork Board. If you’ll be at FNCE this year, stop by our booth (#1228) and National Pork Board’s booth (#1119) to learn more and chat in person!

Please join the Alliance online (Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook) and learn about animal ag-wide continuous improvement by following our partners in The Protein PACT for the People, Animals & Climate of Tomorrow (LinkedIn Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).