Mega-Farming in the US (Iowa’s raising more pigs on fewer, bigger farms)

Mega-Farming in the US: Iowa’s raising more pigs on fewer, bigger farms
graph by Marina Bolotnikova and Kenny Torrella/Vox, slow reveal by Tina Ahlgren

(Slide deck includes notes and questions to elicit discourse)

Type of Graph: line graph

Visualization Source: Marina Bolotnikova and Kenny Torrella (2024) – “9 charts that show US factory farming is even bigger than you realize” Published online at Vox. Retrieved from: ‘https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/24079424/factory-farming-facts-meat-usda-agriculture-census’ [Online Resource]

Data Source: USDA

Potential Math Content: line graphs, scale, units, change over time, point of intersection, slope

Potential Content Connections: agriculture, farming, economy, diet

*There may be a number of students in your class that do not eat pork products for various reasons (vegetarians, vegans, for religious reasons). You can acknowledge that, and also that this graph is going to illuminate a growing phenomenon in the US. We will discuss the implications for all people, including those that don’t eat pork.

Sustainable Development Goal(s):
#12 – Responsible consumption and production