Eating habits can vary a lot between different parts of the world. For instance, in many Asian countries, pork is a staple meat, while in Europe and the United States, beef tends to be the preferred choice. Interestingly, even though beef is popular, the U.S. is also one of the largest producers of pigs.

Pig farming in the United States has several advantages that have made it thrive. In many other countries, pig farming is still done on a smaller scale. For example, in places like our own, most farms are relatively small, with fewer than 50 pigs per farm. These operations are less technologically advanced, relying heavily on manual labor, which, in turn, raises the overall cost of raising pigs.

The situation in the U.S. is quite different. Pig farming there is done on a large scale, with some farms raising tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of pigs at once. This large-scale approach allows farmers to have better bargaining power when negotiating feed prices, significantly lowering their feed costs. It also helps reduce other expenses, including management, sales, and production costs, which makes pig farming much more efficient overall.

Another big factor in the success of American pig farming is soybeans. The U.S. is one of the world’s major producers of soybeans, which are an important source of high-quality feed for pigs. In other countries, including ours, the cost of producing soybeans is high due to climate limitations and expensive management. However, in the U.S., favorable climate conditions and large-scale agriculture keep soybean prices relatively low, giving American pig farmers an important edge in feeding their livestock affordably.

Labor costs are also managed effectively in large-scale farming. On these massive pig farms, each worker is able to manage around 3,000 pigs, which drastically reduces labor costs per pig compared to smaller operations that require more individual attention.

Thanks to these advantages, pig farming in the U.S. is extremely cost-effective. This efficiency gives American pork a significant competitive advantage in the global market, making it a major player in international exports.

Why Don’t Americans Prefer Pork?

Given the efficiency and large scale of pig farming in the U.S., you might wonder why pork isn’t as popular as beef or chicken on American dinner tables. The truth is, despite producing large quantities of pork, Americans just don’t have a strong preference for it. According to statistics, Americans consume around 100 million pigs per year, which sounds like a lot but isn’t as much when compared to their consumption of other meats.

One of the reasons Americans may not favor pork as much is linked to their cooking methods. The traditional American way of preparing pork often doesn’t bring out its best flavors, leading many people to favor beef, chicken, or even seafood instead. Additionally, there’s a cultural aspect to consider. Historically, pigs were considered invasive species in many parts of the U.S., and pork consumption never became a deep-rooted tradition like it has in other cultures.

As a result, domestic demand for pork has remained relatively low. In fact, the domestic market for pork in the U.S. has been largely stagnant for the last two decades, with no significant increase in consumption. While the U.S. excels at producing pork, much of what is produced ends up being exported, as there isn’t a large enough demand locally to match their production capabilities.

This combination of large-scale production, cost advantages, and a lack of strong domestic preference has created an interesting dynamic: the U.S. is a major pig producer, but most Americans would still choose a steak or a chicken breast over a pork chop any day.