Agronomic Conservations to Address Supply Chain Disruptions

Apr 13, 2022

Given current global challenges, lawmakers have proposed allowing select land currently enrolled or soon-to-be enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to be opened for crop production in the immediate future. In 2021, approximately 315,000 U.S. producers received CRP payments, accounting for roughly 22 million acres enrolled in the CRP program or 8.7% of U.S. cropland.

ASA, CSSA, and SSSA members and certified professionals drafted scientific and agronomic considerations that address a potential shift in land use out of conservation and into crop production. We recognize that these are not the only points to be considered and acknowledge the growing global food security challenges brought on by Russia’s invasion in Ukraine.

The following are the key takeaways from the report:

In most cases, converting CRP acres to crop production is resource intensive and may require more time and agronomic inputs than currently available prior to the 2022 growing season. Conversion may be more feasible for the 2022 winter growing season or 2023 spring growing season.
Crop yields tend to be below average the first year after CRP is converted to cropland. Combined with high input prices and low supply, producers may face economic challenges upon converting CRP to cropland at this time even though crop prices are also high.

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Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.