Indiana to further pork industry potential

Two recent reports released by the Indiana Department of Agriculture -- The Changing U.S. Pork Industry and Doubling Hog Production -- revealed that Indiana will begin to take advantage of its resources to meet the newly discovered demand for pork products, mainly by doubling current hog production. \nAccording to the Changing U.S. Pork Industry report, the structure of the hog industry has become more efficient because there are fewer hog farms in the United States but each farm raises more hogs. The report showed that consumption of pork has grown steadily since 1960, and that export possibilities have grown every year since 1990.\nThe proposal to double hog production is part of an effort to compete with Canada and Brazil, two other major exporters of hog products. According to the report, about 96 percent of hog production takes place outside of the United States. \nThe pork industry has a large market in Costa Rica, Guatemala and other areas of Central America, where representatives from the pork industry and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture visited in early January to explore the demand for pork products. \nGov. Mitch Daniels created the Indiana State Department of Agriculture in April 2005, and its main focus is economic development, said Deborah Abbott, assistant director of communications and outreach for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.\nAbbott said that there are "key opportunities" for Indiana's pork industry because Indiana has a large packing capacity, a large food supply for the hogs and is within 24 hours of major markets on the east coast. \nAbbott said Indiana residents shouldn't be concerned about environmental issues surrounding the proposals. Most farmers in Indiana respect natural resources because those resources give them a living, she said. It is not in their best interest to damage the environment because they want to pass their land and resources on to future generations. \nNoah Cooper, a campaign coordinator for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, argued that Indiana residents should be concerned not only because of the cruelty to animals, but also because of the natural resources that are used to feed the animals. He said that each hog must consume 2,500 gallons of water and eat the equivalent of 20 plates of pasta before the animal is slaughtered. \nDoubling hog production would also contribute to deforestation, he said, as farmers must find land on which to raise hogs. Cooper said that for each meal that consists of a pork product, Indiana must set aside 55 square feet of its land. \nCooper also said that the animals are separated from their mothers when they are less than one month old, and they "go insane in tiny crates," called gestation crates. \n"Most people don't understand what these farms are like," Cooper said. "This is not 'old McDonald's farm.'"\nThe Changing U.S. Pork Industry report said that one of the plan's goals is to change the public's perception of hog farming, saying that environmental complaints are "fueled by sophisticated public interest groups adept at using the media to promote fear among local residents and consumers regarding the safety and long-term sustainability of modern livestock production systems." \nAbbott said that doubling pork production is only half of the economic strategy. The Changing U.S. Pork Industry report proposed that Indiana research new techniques that will make hog production less detrimental to the environment, including ways to reduce or eliminate odors and the threat of air pollution. \n"The heritage of the state is very agricultural," Abbott said. "Re-energizing agriculture is the key to Indiana's economy"