For generations, pork producers have known that a successful operation requires a 365-day-a-year commitment to animal husbandry. But in Henry County, Illinois, a region with a rich heritage as a top swine-producing area, local producer Gary Asay is proving that the key to long-term success lies in managing another type of herd.
“I’m still raising livestock,” Gary says. “But my livestock is in the soil instead of above ground. I’m raising the livestock underneath the soil.”
By pairing modern swine production with conservation practices like no-till and cover crops, Gary has increased soil organic matter, reduced commercial fertilizer costs and nearly eliminated soil compaction—all while turning swine manure into one of his farm’s most valuable resources.
Pigs: Part of the Sustainability Solution
Gary’s journey began farming alongside his father, raising pigs in individual huts in outdoor hog pastures. It was labor-intensive work that required building fences and rotating pastures. When market demands shifted toward leaner pork, producers realized it was more difficult to raise leaner hogs outside. They started transitioning to modern buildings where they could raise pigs more efficiently.
Today, the two modern barns on the operation feature 8-foot-deep pits underneath them, which store a full year’s worth of manure until it is pumped out and applied in the fall. For Gary, the manure is not a waste product to be disposed of; it is the financial engine of his entire grain operation.
Click here to see more...