Alberta Pork AGM 2024

Dec 02, 2024

We had another productive and inciteful day at our Alberta Pork Annual General Meeting in Calgary with inciteful industry updates, announcements and presentations.

Thank you to all our speakers: Stephen Heckbert who presented a Canadian Pork Council Update, Todd Thurman for his presentation on Global Hog Industry Demographics and Brett Stuart for providing a Global Pork and Agriculture Market update.

We would also like to give a special thanks to the Honourable RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation who sent his virtual greetings and a sector update to our producers and industry partners.

Thank you to everyone who attended!

Alberta Pork’s Annual Report for 2024 is now available - It includes industry and advocacy updates, a year in review and looking ahead to our strategic plan.

Click here to see more...

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.