We all know that eating habits vary significantly across different countries. For example, we Asians prefer pork, while Europeans and Americans tend to enjoy beef more. The United States, however, raises a large number of pigs.

In fact, pig farming in the U.S. has its own advantages. We know that pig farming in our country primarily consists of small-scale operations, with most farms having less than 50 pigs, and the level of technology is not very advanced, relying mainly on manual labor, which increases the cost of raising pigs.

The U.S. has managed to achieve large-scale pig farming. Large-scale farming allows them to raise tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of pigs at the same time. This also gives them the bargaining power to negotiate feed prices with suppliers, thereby reducing feed costs. Large-scale pig farming also helps reduce management, sales, and production costs during the farming process.

Additionally, the U.S. is a major soybean-producing region. We know that soybeans are a high-quality feed, but the climate and management costs in our country make the production cost of soybeans relatively high. The large-scale agriculture in the U.S., along with favorable climate conditions, makes soybean prices lower. Lower soybean prices also provide them with an advantage in pig farming.

Moreover, labor costs are another factor. Since the U.S. operates large-scale pig farming, each worker can manage about 3,000 pigs.

Due to these advantages, pig farming in the U.S. is more cost-effective. As a result, American pigs have a significant competitive edge in the international market.

Why don’t Americans like to eat pork?

Although the U.S. excels in pig farming, they do not have a strong preference for pork. According to statistics, the U.S. consumes around 100 million pigs annually.

One reason why Americans don’t favor pork is that their cooking methods don’t bring out the delicious flavor of pork. Another reason is that pigs are considered invasive species, and there’s no tradition of eating pork locally. As a result, domestic demand for pork is not high. Moreover, the domestic market in the U.S. has become saturated, and the demand for pork has not increased in the last 20 years.