Case Study: Family-Raised Hogs Are Sustainable
9/1/96
The Land Stewardship Project's (LSP) latest farm case study shows that sustainable hog production on a diversified operation can be profitable and good for the environment.
"An Agriculture That Makes Sense: Making Money on Hogs" focuses on the 50-sow hog enterprise of one Minnesota crop and livestock operation. In the analysis, the farm's production records are compared to the averages of the top performing hog operations as reported in a regional Minnesota Farm Business Management Program annual report.
The case study farm minimizes expenses through such production practices as outdoor farrowing and low cost housing. And instead of focusing on increasing productivity no matter what the environmental, social and economic cost, the farm family involved in the study emphasies profitability, according to LSP's Jodi Dansingburg, who conducted the case study with Doug Gunnick of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The result is a farming enterprise that produces hogs for about 13 cents per pound cheaper that the industry standard. As a result of the farm's lower production costs, its return over costs was more than three times that of the average top performing hog farms in 1988 and 1992. That makes hogs the 350-acre farm's most lucrative enterprise.
"This case study demonstrates that on a cost-of-production basis, diversified family-sized farms raising hogs in an environmentally sound way can yield healthy financial returns," said Dansingburg. "This kind of livestock production offers an excellent opportunity for beginning farmers hoping to make an entry into the business."
This is the second in LSP's "An Agriculture That Makes Sense" series.
For a copy of the eight-page "Making Money on Hogs," send $4 (That includes postage; Minnesota residents add 6.5 percent sales tax) to: LSP, 2200 4th St., White Bear Lake, MN 55110. There is a 10 percent discount for LSP members and bulk orders of 20 or more. For more information on bulk orders, call LSP at (612) 653-0618.
| Quick Links |
| |
| Tel: 651 653-0618 |
©Land Stewardship Project, 2001
back to the top
return to Press Releases index |
