Pork update: Data shows value of Illinois livestock industry

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A new economic impact report shows there’s more to Illinois farms than just corn, soybeans and wheat along the highways.

The Dual Impact — Environmental Stewardship and Economic Value of the Illinois Livestock Industry report was released by the Illinois Pork Producers Association and Illinois Beef Association.

“Agriculture is one of Illinois’ largest industries. Livestock farms have often been operating in Illinois for generations, with communities building around them,” the report said.

“Livestock adds value to existing agriculture in our local communities and provides significant income and jobs in Illinois. The livestock industry, which includes raising livestock, processing meat and dairy, and producing animal feed, is an economic engine in Illinois.

“In 2024, the state’s livestock industry accounted for $7.8 billion in value added, 69,826 jobs, $27 billion in total sales and $4.9 billon in labor income.”

The report also looked at sustainability in both pork and beef production.

“For hog production, an industry-funded life cycle analysis of pork production between 1960 and 2015 demonstrated that pig farmers reduced their land, water and energy use by 75%, 25% and 7%, respectively, resulting in a nearly 8% smaller environmental footprint,” according to the report.

“Furthermore, data released by the EPA in April 2021 attributes only 10% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions to agriculture, of which the pork industry is responsible for about 0.4%.

“For beef production, from 1961 to 2021, the U.S. beef industry reduced the carbon footprint of beef by 42.76%. EPA data from 2022 also notes that raising beef accounts for just 2.3% of all U.S. GHG emissions.”

“We did the impact report on what the livestock means to Illinois. It’s really a good report, and I’m glad we were able to team up with the beef producers to do that,” said Cheryl Walsh, of Princeville, IPPA immediate past president.

The economic impact report helped bring to light the data that those in urban areas may not be aware of.

“We’re able to produce more with using less resources every day on the beef and pork side of it,” said Walsh in an interview during the Illinois State Fair’s Ag Day.

Walsh, a fourth-generation producer, operates Cowser Inc., which includes a sow farm, hay and a cow-calf operation. All the weaned pigs from the farm are sold directly to customers.

She also operates a sister company, Cowser Field and Feedlot, which grows corn and soybeans and helps produce some of the products that are fed to the sows.

Pork Update

“It’s been a great year for us producers. Production’s up. Profitability is up a little bit more. Some of our input costs are down a little bit more, and that’s just helped all of us in general,” Walsh said.

“The prices are within the profit margins. It’s a lot better than it was a few years ago. We’re not bleeding red. To do this you have to enjoy it. If you don’t enjoy it, there’s no way you can do it.”

From an IPPA policy standpoint, members hope for a new farm bill and strong exports and have continued concerns regarding Proposition 12 that forbids the sale of whole pork meat in California from hogs born of sows not housed in conformity with that state’s law.

Walsh said there are efforts to address Prop 12 in the new farm bill.

“We’re still kind of in the back-and-forth process of getting it written into the farm bill in different phases and things like that,” she said.

“U.S. Rep. GT Thompson serves as House Agriculture Committee chair. He is a huge advocate for the pork industry. He’s a very good advocate for us, and we have some other really good advocates that understand our reasoning behind why we need a fix on this, and then there’s some that are screaming ‘states rights’ and it’s OK. We just have to explain what’s going on to some of them and then they start to understand why we’re doing things the way we are and why things are the way they are.”

IPPA is also advocating for increased exports.

“Exports are extremely important to our industry and the cattle industry. A lot of the meat and other things that are exported to other countries are products that we wouldn’t use here,” Walsh said.

“One big thing for the pork industry is ham. A lot of hams get exported to Mexico. It is huge and there’s a huge potential there for us for even more, and it adds a lot of value to the animal with that export market.”