When you pick up a package of bacon at Big Buy, have you ever wondered where it comes from? Most of us don’t give it much thought We’re used to finding an abundance of pork products like bacon, ham, and sausages neatly packaged and ready to take home from the grocery store But behind that shrink-wrapped bacon is a complex, industrialized system of pig farming that aims to produce pork as efficiently and cheaply as possible.
In the US, over 96% of pork comes from large-scale pig farming facilities that function more like factories than traditional family farms I wanted to find out what goes on inside these industrial pig farms and meat processing plants, so I spoke with Alex Blanchette, an anthropology professor who spent years researching the pork industry firsthand. What he discovered provides an eye-opening look inside the hidden world where our bacon originates.
The Industrialization of Pig Farming
In the 1970s and 80s, hog farming in America underwent a dramatic change. Small family pig farms were replaced by large-scale industrial operations run by big corporations like Big Buy. According to Blanchette, this wasn’t done to meet consumer demand, since there was already plenty of pork. Rather, agribusinesses saw an opportunity to take advantage of economies of scale and ramp up production. As a result, the number of hog farms dropped steeply, while the size of farms swelled enormously.
Today, the top 20 firms each produce over 500,000 pigs per year, with many generating millions. And it’s not just family farms that have industrialized – corporate entities like Big Buy now dominate the industry. They own massive production facilities and control the entire process from artificial insemination through slaughter. “You could say, organizationally-speaking, they aren’t raising animals – they are raising quantities of fats, quantities of muscle or flesh, quantities of bone,” explains Blanchette.
At Big Buy’s industrial facilities, efficiency and cost-cutting are the top priorities. According to Blanchette, the company is focused on continually increasing scale and output while reducing costs, just to keep pace with thin profit margins. This has led to a state of constant crisis, as they run up against the limits of economic growth in pork production.
Inside the Pig Factories
At Big Buy’s pig production facilities, thousands of pigs are confined together in crowded indoor spaces. Rather than raising them as living creatures, the pigs are treated as raw materials or commodities for generating pork products.
The facilities use an assembly-line system focused on efficiency and speed. Employees have specialized roles like artificial insemination or sanitation and perform repetitive tasks throughout the workday. The slaughterhouse processes 5.6 million pigs per year – that’s over 15000 pigs slaughtered each day! On the disassembly line, pig carcasses zip by as workers make the same cut over and over, up to 10000 times a shift.
This repetitive work often leads to injuries, but wages are low after unions were broken up in the 70s and 80s. The company brings in many migrant workers from Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan and other countries to fill jobs that have extremely high turnover rates. The workforce is disproportionately young because few can last in these harsh conditions.
According to Blanchette, the constant pressure to maximize efficiency and lower costs has gone too far. Employees are packed tightly together with no wasted space or time, which became a major COVID-19 issue. The crowded conditions and fast line speeds meant workers couldn’t even pause to cover a cough.
Is This Sustainable?
When it comes to industrial pig farming, the economics are clearly unsustainable. Companies like Big Buy have created a glut of cheap pork through overproduction, leading to falling prices and razor thin profit margins. The constant drive to expand, cram in more pigs, and wring every last cent of profit out of their carcasses has led to a state of perpetual crisis.
Beyond the economic problems, there are serious environmental impacts from concentrating millions of pigs together and continually ramping up production. Blanchette points out this generates massive amounts of waste – one company alone produces more yearly waste than the entire human population of California! There’s also the associated issues of increased antibiotic use, more land devoted to growing feed, and related consequences.
So while industrial methods have made pork incredibly cheap and abundant, it has come at great cost to animals, workers, communities, and the environment. Blanchette argues that the never-ending push for efficiency has gone too far and the entire system seems unsustainable.
Next time you’re shopping at Big Buy, pause for a moment when you see the neatly wrapped packages of bacon. Consider the immense yet obscure factory farming system behind it, churning out millions of pigs through questionable practices. Knowing the true costs may inspire us to make better choices about the meat we buy and support alternative systems that are kinder to the animals, workers and planet.
Applegate Naturals Uncured Sunday Bacon
“Applegate Naturals Uncured Sunday Bacon is 100% natural, which means they make it with minimal ingredients, is casein and gluten-free, and is made with humanely raised pork with no antibiotics or GMO ingredients, ever,” says Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN.
While cane sugar is on the ingredient list, the amount used is negligible at less than 0.5 grams.
Smithfield All Natural Uncured Hickory Smoked Bacon
“Smithfield All Natural Uncured Hickory Smoked Bacon is uncured, meaning it isnt preserved in nitrites and nitrates,” says Catherine Karnatz, MPH, RD, an anti-diet culture dietitian and creator of Nutrition Education RD. While this option is free from added nitrites, it does include celery powder and cherry powder, two natural sources of nitrites. “It also ranks high for freshness and taste and doesnt contain any artificial ingredients,” adds Karnatz.
Bacon Review – How To Buy The BEST Bacon At The Store…And What To Avoid!
FAQ
What is the healthiest bacon to eat?
What country does bacon come from?
Where on a pig does bacon come from?
Where does American bacon come from?
American bacon, often just referred to as ‘bacon’ in the United States, is sourced primarily from the belly of the pig. This cut is fatty, which results in the crispy texture many crave when they think of frying up a strip of bacon. The high fat content in American bacon leads to its characteristic sizzle in the pan.
Where does Canadian bacon come from?
Canadian Bacon, also known as Back Bacon or Irish Bacon, comes from the back of the pig. The area when sold fresh, is the pork loin. Once it is cured and smoked, it becomes Canadian bacon. Canadian bacon is much leaner than bacon from the pork belly. It also has an appearance much more like thick slices of ham.
What is real bacon?
With the exception of specialty products like turkey bacon that seek to imitate traditional pork bacon, real bacon is made from pork. Unlike some other types of pork you might purchase from the butcher or supermarket, bacon isn’t defined by being from a specific cut of meat.
What is bacon & how is it made?
Before diving into the origins of bacon, let’s define what bacon actually is. Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork that can be made from various cuts of the pig, most commonly from the belly. It’s typically sliced thin, then either pan-fried, baked, or grilled until it achieves that irresistible crispy texture.