Impact
Environmental | Economic | Local | Global
Environmental Impact
Our pork producers are committed to sustainability and protecting the planet.
State officials annually inspect every hog farm in the state. N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) is the lead stewardship agency for the preservation and protection of North Carolina’s exceptional natural resources.
State Inspections
The North Carolina pork industry is one of the most highly regulated. Our producers must comply with environmental regulations at local, state, and federal levels.
Highly Regulated
NC producers have adopted innovative technology and practices to lower their negative impacts on the environment. They are doing more with less.
Innovation
Economic Impact
Pork is an economic powerhouse
North Carolina’s hog and pork processing industry continues to be an economic powerhouse, generating more than $11 billion in economic output for the state.
Pork production and processing categories directly contribute $7.1 billion in sales.
For every job in pork production, an estimated 2.2 additional jobs are created, meaning the industry supports more than 46,000 total jobs in North Carolina.
$11.2 billion
economic impact
46,000
full-time jobs
Local Impact
Pork has a long history in NC. We’re proud of that continuing legacy.
Through educational seminars, we provide pork producers with current information from animal scientists; veterinarians; researchers; and experts in waste management, food safety, animal health, and environmental sciences.
NCPC also provides scholarships to students wanting to further their education.
Impacting Education
Our producers are involved in their communities as firefighters, teachers, coaches, and so much more. Committed to contributing and bettering the communities where they live and work, their impact goes beyond producing protein.
What’s more, as an organization, NCPC works with producers and businesses to give back to local communities financially, and of course, through donating pork.
Impacting Community
Global Impact
Feeding our neighbors here at home and around the world
The vast majority of pork products produced in North Carolina stay right here in the United States.
But there is a growing demand for American pork around the world. That is a testament to the quality and safety of the food we produce. It also reflects an increasing appetite for pork, which is the world’s most popular meat.
Importers of U.S. Pork
Regardless of where we live, food brings us together. It’s an experience. And pork allows us to connect with others. From North Carolina barbecue to Japanese Tonkatsu, pork brings home a taste of the world that we can all enjoy.
Each year, North Carolina alone exports about $650 million worth of pork. In 2022, the top 5 countries to import US pork were Mexico, Japan, China, Canada, and South Korea.
Funding families, feeding nations
Pork exports allow our farm families to provide safe, nutritious protein to families across the state and around the world. It keeps agriculture and our rural economy here at home in NC strong and healthy.
The NC Pork Council strongly supports free trade agreements that will expand the market for U.S. pork exports by eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers. Exports raise the value of each hog sold and boost the bottom line of pork producers, and support nearly 10,000 local jobs.