How the Pigs Got Lean
Consumer demand has changed
Thanks largely to pork producers, today's hogs are raised leaner, meeting the demand for quality pork with less fat.
Hogs and hog production have evolved to meet growing - and changing - demands for pork. With a declining need for many products once made from fat hogs, today's leaner hogs better meet the needs of Americans. In 1937 much of a hog went toward producing lard. Today, lean meat replaces much of that fat. By combining healthier feeding and enhanced breeding practices, today's pork producer delivers leaner, healthier pork.
Today six of the most common cuts of pork are 16% leaner and have 27% less saturated fat than 15 years ago.