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# GRAPHIC: Just 17 plants slaughtered 65% of U.S. hogs last year
- URL: https://www.investigatemidwest.org/graphic-just-17-plants-slaughtered-65-of-u-s-hogs-last-year/
- Published: 2021-12-08T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2021-12-08T12:00:00.000Z
- Description: In 2020, the majority of pork plants slaughtered relatively few pigs.
- Author: Madison McVan, Investigate Midwest
- Tags: Data Harvest, TP::Explainer, graphic of the week, pork production, USDA, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-06-18 04:56

Seventeen pork slaughter plants processed more than 3 million hogs in 2020, accounting for 65% of the nation’s pork production, according to a [U.S. Department of Agriculture working paper](https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/102784/ap-095.pdf?v=106.9&ref=investigatemidwest.org) published Dec. 2.

More than half of all federally inspected pork slaughter plants in the U.S. process fewer than 1,000 hogs annually, but these small plants accounted for only 0.1% of pork production in 2020.

The working paper analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on pork slaughter rates in the U.S. and found that the number of hogs slaughtered dropped in the first few months of the pandemic before recovering to match — and in some cases exceed — 2019 levels.

*Top image: Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue visits Triumph Foods pork processing facility April 28, 2017\. The facility houses 2,800 employees in St. Joseph, Mo. USDA photo by Preston Keres*