In total, hogs are a source of nearly 40 drugs and pharmaceuticals. Hogs are used in the making of medicines to help the adrenal glands, the blood, the brain, the gall bladder, the heart, the intestines, the liver, the ovaries, the skin, the stomach, the thyroid gland, the pineal gland, the pituatary gland and the pancreas gland. Hogs also make a very significant contribution to the world of industrial and consumer products. Hog by-products are sources of chemicals used in the manufacturing of a wide range of products which cannot be made elsewhere. And of course, pigskin is used as a high quality leather for clothing, shoes, handbags, sporting goods, upholstery and so on.
Pork is much leaner and is a better quality product than it was in the past.
The industry itself is also changing for pork. The environmental aspect of how hogs are raised is causing a big change in the way animal wastes are being handled. Projects are already underway to change the way waste is handled and to improve the odor or smell of the farm. Hogs are big business for all of North Carolina, but most of the farms are in the eastern part of the state. Although there are farms around the state, most of them are east of Raleigh.