The last five years have been quite a tumultuous period for Eastern Iowa pig farmer Matt Gent. From a thriving market, Gent experienced the lows during COVID-19 shutdowns and is now grappling with California’s Proposition 12. A pig farmer like Gent’s journey reflects the challenges that the U.S. pork industry is currently going through.
Reminiscing on the booming market before the pandemic, Gent shared, “Anywhere from really good times in the pork industry, to COVID shutdowns (and) dealing with all of that, to things like (California’s) Prop 12 legislation, and now kind of a downturn in the pork industry.”
In 2023, U.S. pork producers incurred their highest losses in the last 25 years. The industry witnessed higher input costs, lower hog prices, and an oversupply as the average loss per hog came to $32. This financial setback led to the shutdown of Smithfield Foods’ Altoona ham boning facility, which left 314 workers jobless.
Now California’s Proposition 12 is a looming threat for pork producers. Upholding the animal welfare law, the U.S. Supreme Court has mandated significant changes for Iowa pork producers selling in California. According to Prop 12, pork sold in the state should come from sows with at least 24 square feet of space in their pens. This effectively bans the use of swine gestation crates. Compliance with Prop 12 requires reducing inventory or increasing investments substantially.
Gent noted, “Initially, when California passed Prop 12 (in 2018), there was an effect in the market, because we didn’t really know how it was going to affect Iowa producers.” He further added, “Since then, over the past year, there’s been enough production change to meet Prop 12 demand that it really truly doesn’t affect a producer that doesn’t want to” make major changes in operations to stay compliant with the law.
According to Gent, Iowa pork producers emphasize animal welfare as they believe a happy pig is a productive pig. Many producers use confined gestation to prevent fighting and maximize efficiency. Gent highlights, “The consumer thinks that a gestation crate, or a farrowing crate, or an antibiotic, or whatever it might be, is wrong for the pig.” He added “But it’s being done for reasons to protect the pig and make it happy and healthy.”
Regarding environmental issues, Iowa is facing scrutiny over manure management and water quality. Fertilizer and manure spills are raising concerns about agricultural water pollution that is related to high rates of cancer in California. Commenting on this, Gent shares, “We get checked on, audited yearly by the (Iowa Department of Natural Resources).”
The proposed Clean Water for Iowa Act intends to further regulate manure management to improve water quality. Advocates have argued that it would align with regulations for other industrial operators and provide transparency about polluting facilities. Gent believes that Iowa pork producers will support these initiatives, stressing the importance of education on sustainable farming practices.
Considering the recent outbreaks of bird flu and past incidents of swine flu, Biosecurity remains a priority. The Iowa hog industry has embraced biosecurity measures, including HEPA filters and mandatory showering for employees. Gent noted, “The facilities today are just unbelievably clean and safe,” but also grieved the difficulty in making consumers understand this.
Pig farmers like Gent envision both challenges and opportunities in the Iowa hog industry. Domestic demand for pork is expected to be a concern, despite exports remaining strong. Adapting to changing consumer preferences, Gent observes, “The consumer today wants everything so readily prepared (that) it can go in the air fryer, or whatever.” His statement necessitates a keen focus on product development.
As the Iowa pork industry grapples with economic challenges amidst regulatory demands, pig farmers like Gent are striving to balance tradition with modern techniques to meet market needs while staying true to their principles of animal welfare and environmental protection.
