Enhancing Conservation Practices and Supporting Emerging Markets for Outdoor Hog Production in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern San Joaquin Valley

An increasing number of direct‐market oriented producers are adding hogs to their farms and ranches, in many cases, relying on outdoor or grass‐based systems. Additionally, given the reproductive capacity, opportunities to vary market age and weight, and relatively short time from birth to market, hogs are an agricultural commodity that has proven viable for many beginning farmers and ranchers. Within the Project Area, limited agency and institutional expertise exists to provide technical assistance and education on best practices in outdoor, small‐scale and niche hog
production – hereafter referred to as niche. In particular, NRCS Conservation Practices for this form of hog production have not historically been implemented in this region, resulting in limited support with conservation planning and application of Farm Bill programs.
The objective of this project is to facilitate the transfer of innovative and economically viable natural resource management systems for niche hog production from experts in other states to producers and agricultural professionals within the Project Area.