The latest Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) states that there is an increase in the number of hogs and pigs in this country. As of December 1, there were 68.3 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms. The number is a 1 percent increase from December 2014, as well as a slight increase from the last report on September 1, 2015.

Iowa hog producers accounted for the largest inventory among the states, at 20.8 million head, while North Carolina and Minnesota produced the second and third largest inventories of 8.80 million and 7.95 million head, respectively.

To obtain an accurate measurement of the U.S. swine industry, NASS surveyed over 11,100 operators across the nation during the first half of December. Data were collected by mail, telephone and through face-to-face interviews. All surveyed producers were asked to report their hog and pig inventories as of December 1, 2015.

Another key finding in the report was that 62.3 million of the country’s 68.3 million hogs and pigs are market hogs, with six million being kept for breeding.

Between September and November 2015, 30.3 million pigs were weaned on U.S. farms, which is down 1 percent from the same time period one year earlier, but from September through November 2015, U.S. hog and pig producers weaned a record high average of 10.53 pigs per litter.

The report also highlighted projections for the coming farrowing season. The report finds that U.S. hog producers intend 2.84 million sows to farrow between December 2015 and February 2016, and expect to have 2.85 million sows farrow between March and May 2016.

The entire report may be read here.