The pig is big in these parts. Both Missouri and Kansas rank among the nation’s top 10 pork-producing states, annually putting more than 2 million pounds of bacon, ham, chops, and other cuts on grocers’ shelves and consumers’ tables.

On the eve of a new, daylong Kansas City festival, Knife and Pork, that spotlights sustainability in the industry and the region’s vital role in it, four craft butchers from across the country – Rob Levitt of Chicago, Chris Eley of Indianapolis, and Jerry Traczyk and Jonny Hunter of Madison, Wis. – participate in a round-table discussion of sustainable pork production. A reception prior to the program offers locally prepared pork dishes.