This year, odds are most pork products you buy at the grocery
store will not be made from hogs raised in Georgia.



According to a report released by the Georgia Agricultural
Statistics
Service, there are 100,000 fewer hogs on Georgia farms than one
year ago.



Steady Decline



Georgia was a leading pork-producing state. At one time,
there was a good chance the sausage, ham or
bacon
you bought came from hogs raised in Georgia. In 1997, about
750,000 hogs contributed
about $693 million to the state’s economy. Not anymore.



Now, only about 380,000 hogs or pigs can be found on Georgia
farms.
Fewer Georgia farmers are making a living growing pork.



John McKissick, an economist with the University of Georgia
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, says the
reason
is simple and has been happening for several years.



“(Georgia is) losing more and more production capacity
because
we don’t have markets,” McKissick said.



It appears that the decline in Georgia pork production will
continue.



“We’ve lost markets for hogs in the Southeast, and we
continue
to have concern for the ones remaining,” he said.



Most hogs grown in Georgia have to be shipped out of state to
be processed into consumer products. The shipment is an extra
cost to growers. Often, this extra cost is not worth the return
for the growers.



Overall, McKissick says, the U.S. pork industry rebounded
slightly
in 2000. Low feed cost, stronger demand and a moderate decrease
in supply improved profits for growers. However, the profits made
during 2000 will not offset the estimated $4.4 billion the
industry
lost between 1997 and 2000.



In 2000, consumer demand for pork, particularly bacon, was on the
rise. Bacon prices reached record levels during the first part
of 2000. The average price of a pound of bacon was about 17
percent
higher than in 1999.