The National Pork Board has announced the four finalists who are vying to be named the 2017 America’s Pig Farmer of the YearSM. The program honors a U.S. pig farmer each year who excels at raising pigs using the We CareSM ethical principles and is committed to sharing his or her farming story with the American public.
Illinois Pig Farmer Shares Perspective of Gene Editing on Animal Agriculture
Science and ethics experts took part in a first-of-its-kind conference on the role of gene editing. CRISPRcon – a summit named for the genome editing technique creating Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) – brought together a diverse set of panelists to discuss this emerging technology.
Food, Agriculture, Welfare and Sustainability Experts to Judge
In its ongoing effort to build consumer trust and foster greater transparency about U.S. pork production methods, the National Pork Board today announced its expert judging panel for the 2017 America’s Pig Farmer of the YearSM. The award, now in its third year, recognizes a pig farmer who best represents the ethical principles of U.S. pork production.
Pork Checkoff Announces #RealPigFarming Student Social Forces
The Pork Checkoff has selected 12 college students to represent the #RealPigFarming Student Social Forces team this year. Candidates were selected based on their involvement in the pork industry and their strong communication skills. The team will be active from July until December.
Registration Open for First Pig Welfare Symposium
The National Pork Board has announced that its first-ever Pig Welfare Symposium will take place Nov. 7-9, 2017, in Des Moines, Iowa. The forum is designed to help improve the well-being of pigs by disseminating recent research findings and recommendations, raising awareness of current and emerging issues and identifying potential solutions.
Repositioning Pork to Reach a Changing Audience
With the consumer market for pork and other protein sources changing rapidly, the Pork Checkoff is putting the finishing touches on a plan to capitalize on those changes by repositioning pork marketing, Terry O’Neel, president of the National Pork Board, told an audience at World Pork Expo Thursday. “The Pork Checkoff has embarked on a journey to determine how best to market pork today,” O’Neel, a pork producer from Friend, Neb., said. “The direction may be drastically different than we’ve seen in the last quarter century.”
Pork Checkoff Builds Momentum for Secure Pork Supply Plan
The National Pork Board, with major support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is creating a Secure Pork Supply plan to help America’s pig farmers respond quickly and successfully to a major threat, such as a foreign animal disease (FAD). The plan will enhance communication and coordination of all pork chain segments to help producers keep their farms operating and all related business activities functioning.
National Pork Board Elects New Officers
Terry O’Neel, a pork producer from Friend, Nebraska, was elected as president of the National Pork Board at the organization’s June board meeting in Des Moines, Iowa. The National Pork Board is comprised of 15 farmer-directors representing America’s pig farmers.
Pork Checkoff Publishes New PRRS Initiative Research Book
The National Pork Board’s new porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus research booklet is now available. The guide, PRRS Initiative Research, is the most comprehensive source of Checkoff-funded research available on the subject, spanning 20 years of results.
Pork Checkoff Announces Sponsored Activities at the 2017 World Pork Expo
The Pork Checkoff has an exciting lineup of Checkoff-sponsored events scheduled for World Pork Expo, June 7-9, 2017, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. World Pork Expo attendees can stop by the Varied Industries Building (booth No. 122) or the Pork Checkoff Hospitality Tent to learn more about Checkoff programs and initiatives.