2012 Master of the Pork Industry Craig Christensen
National Hog Farmer's Masters of the Pork Industry are professionals, entrepreneurs, and family-based men and women whose dedication and wisdom are sure to inspire young and old as they tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in an ever-changing, global pork industry. 2012 Master Craig Christensen is a pork producer, entrepreneur and restaurateur.
2012 Master of the Pork Industry Dianne Bettin
National Hog Farmer's Masters of the Pork Industry are professionals, entrepreneurs, and family-based men and women whose dedication and wisdom are sure to inspire young and old as they tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in an ever-changing, global pork industry. 2012 Master Dianne Bettin is an unwavering advocate for the pork industry.
2012 Master of the Pork Industry Steve Pollmann
National Hog Farmer's Masters of the Pork Industry are professionals, entrepreneurs, and family-based men and women whose dedication and wisdom are sure to inspire young and old as they tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in an ever-changing, global pork industry. 2012 Master Steve Pollmann went from a modest FFA pig project to managing one of the nation's largest hog enterprises.
New Digs, Old Files
A couple of months ago, word came down that we would be moving from the third floor to a smaller space on the sixth floor in the same office building. Being a bit of a pack rat, I was faced with the daunting task of paring down the contents of a cache of filing cabinets to a “more manageable” number. So, for the last month or so, I set aside a few hours each week to pore through pork industry files that dated back to the early 1970s.
Untangling the Iodine Value Riddle
Distiller's Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) has become the go-to ingredient to substitute for higher-priced corn in swine diets. Some packers have put producers on notice that the excessive iodine value levels in carcass fat that result from DDGS inclusion in the diets will be met with price penalties.
Keeping a Lid on Iodine Values
Iodine value pressure points have pushed producers and their nutritionists to learn more about iodine values, what affects them, and what can be done to meet packer restrictions.
A Pig is What it Eats
A recent press release announced that the ethanol industry had overtaken livestock as the largest consumer of the nation’s corn supply. The release, citing data from North American Risk Management Services, Inc., explained that ethanol production had nearly quadrupled between 2005 and 2011, now gobbling up 5.02 billion bushels, more than 40% of last year’s harvest. Corn use for livestock and poultry feed fell 22% during that period and now accounts for about 4.79 billion bushels of the 2011 crop.
Focusing on Pigs’ True Amino Acid Needs
A key determinant of amino acid requirements is whole-body protein deposition, which is very closely associated with lean tissue growth; these two measures are essentially interchangeable, according to Kees de Lange, swine nutritionist at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Environmental Stewards Nominations Due March 31
Each year National Hog Farmer magazine and Pork Checkoff join forces to recognize up to four top environmental stewards in the U.S. pork industry. Applications or nominations are due by March 31, 2012.
Life Reports
The prize is, from this day forward, your bank account will be credited with $86,400, every morning, for the rest of your life. But, as with most contests,
there are certain rules that must
be followed:
Rule #1 — Whatever you do not spend each day will be forfeited.
Rule #2 — You may not transfer these funds into another account — they must be spent within 24 hours.
How would you summarize the hog business in 2011?
That’s a wrap.” Three little words uttered by a movie director when the final scene is finished have a succinct message: we’ve done all we can with the time and resources at our disposal, it’s now time to move on.
Words of Wisdom
When an industry stalwart announces retirement, I sit up and take notice.
Such was the case when George Foxcroft, reproductive biologist at the University of Alberta, presented his keynote address at the Al Leman Swine Conference recently
