NPB has released the latest Pork Cares Snapshot Report, which reports on-farm sustainability measurements from 2021 farm data.
Working in the agriculture industry, I often think about our role in the economy and the impact generated by the millions of people working day in and day out growing and raising food.
The industry is hard-working, persistent and consciously striving to better itself for the good of people, pigs and the planet. That’s no easy feat.
Sustainable Pork Supply Chain Collaboration
While the economic benefit is great, the agriculture industry’s top responsibility holds greater significance. We provide one of the necessities to sustain human life on this planet: food. And we cannot do it alone.
The process of getting food from the farm to the table requires the work of many. It’s not just the grocery stores and the farmers – it’s also the processors, distributors, transporters, retailers and suppliers.
Each entity in the supply chain has business goals of its own yet is unable to get food into the hands of hungry consumers without help from one another. We all want (and need) access to clean water, fresh air, healthy soil and nutrient-dense food.
Together, the pork industry is committed to doing its part in ensuring needs are met. We partner with members up and down the supply chain to benefit the entire agriculture industry and move forward in the right direction.
Pork Industry Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target
The pork industry set a goal to reduce GHG emissions 40% by 2030 – a goal that would not be possible without collaboration and partnerships with others who share the same values.
While agricultural practices have progressed to better care for natural resources, we’ve been making conscious efforts to quantify the influence these practices have on sustainability.
As part of this effort, the National Pork Board has released its latest Pork Cares Snapshot Report, which reports evidence-based measurements from 2021 farm data.
View Progress: 2021 Pork Cares Snapshot Report
I encourage you to view the report in full, but here are a few highlights:
- Manure Application & Savings
- Average cost savings from manure applied to 79,960 acres was estimated to be $135 per acre
- This is a total savings of $10.8 million
- In-Field Environmental Outcomes
- Overall farm net GHG emissions equaled -0.36 T CO2e/ac
- This is a great result because the negative number means the operations participating in the program are not only carbon neutral. Collectively, their operations are positive for the climate.
- In-Field Practice Comparison Impacts
(when compared to conventional practices)- Due to the conservation practices these farmers implement, they have taken the equivalent of 21,227 passenger cars off the road for a year
- That’s 118,270 tons of soil saved instead of being lost to erosion, which is the same as 7,392 dump trucks of soil
Producer Participation Is Vital to Success
The Pork Cares Snapshot Report reflects the pork industry as a whole and is created using data from Pork Cares Farm Impact Reports from producers. These reports help measure, document and share sustainable farm practices, and they reflect confirmed data from individual farms.
Results from the individual farm reports are anonymously combined into state and national reports to help share the pork industry’s sustainability story.
Producer participation is increasing: this latest snapshot report represents 2.4 million pigs, 188,545 acres from 3,184 fields on 208 farms.
Pork Producers: Click here to get started with a customized report for your farm.
Request a Pork Cares Farm Impact Report
Proving Pork Is Good for People, Pigs and the Planet
The data from this report brings more depth to decision-making. It provides more meaningful information for short- and long-term goals.
Through our We Care® initiative, we’re striving to earn the public’s trust by making this industry better for all concerned – animals, farmers, food industry partners and consumers worldwide. This enhanced confidence in the quality and sustainability of our products helps to demonstrate that pork is good for people, pigs and the planet.
As we wrap up National Ag Week from March 21 – March 27, let’s remember the shared values that unite us so we can continue growing a climate for tomorrow and ensure everyone has access to the resources they need to thrive.
