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Joe Vansickle

Senior Editor
Email jvansickle@nationalhogfarmer.com

Joe, a native of Indiana, is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He worked on daily newspapers in Albert Lea, MN and Fairmont, MN, before joining the staff of National Hog Farmer in 1977. Joe specializes in animal health issues, federal regulations, environmental concerns, food safety and writing about the swine veterinary community. Joe has won several writing awards from the Livestock Publications Council. In 2002, he earned the Master Writer Program Award from the American Agricultural Editors’ Association.

Articles by Joe Vansickle
USDA Authorizes Pseudorabies Buyout
In a move to help bolster hog prices and accelerate cleanup of the pseudorabies virus (PRV), USDA has announced a buyout program for the nation's remaining
Severe Price Crunch Calls For Quick Action
The late December announcement of assistance to pork producers by Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman was termed a 'positive first step.'It will provide
Low Prices Give New Meaning To Managing Risk
Raising hogs this past year gave new meaning to managing risk and what it will take to survive.For their part, lenders at a risk management seminar in
Wean-To-Finish Building Boom Sparks Evolution
In the last few years, wean-to-finish buildings have been sprouting up throughout the Midwest at a record pace.Almost as fast as those buildings were
Prospective Serology Could Save Your Herd
Routine herd serological testing to prevent herd health wrecks has been little more than a pipe dream for many veterinarians.But a new producer attitude
New Large Pen Deisgn For Wean-To-Finish Systems
It took the harsh Minnesota winter of 1996-97 to convince Lynn Becker that something had to be done about the poor performance in the family corporation's
States On Track To Clean Up PRV
Except for a few "hot spots" in a trio of states, the national pseudorabies (PRV) eradication program is progressing fairly well. It's still on target
Swine Flu: A Bug For All Seasons
Swine influenza virus (SIV) used to be just a mild, seasonal problem. Basically it struck finishing hogs in the fall and spring. They'd develop a barking,
'98 Elections - More Bad News
Dave Luers feels like he has been hit from both sides.On top of hog prices that are the lowest in 26 years, he is now faced with new environmental regulations
Mycoplasma Displaces PRRS
Ranking the big three in Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex (PRDC) has been easy: PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome), mycoplasmal pneumonia
PRRS Challenge Getting Tougher
The ever-changing PRRS virus keeps producers and researchers off balance in their efforts to control it.In the past several years, control schemes have
Emerging E. Coli Hits Weaners
For years there have been K88, 987P, F41 and K99 in the group of E. colis that mainly affects pigs before weaning. Add to that list F18, the newest E.
Sow Feeding Key To Reducing Lightweight Pigs
The key to reducing the number of lightweight pigs at weaning is to increase average weaning weights.That may sound like a no-brainer. But according to
Is Your Hog Barn Fit To Remodel?
When deciding whether to remodel or raze that hog barn and build new, first have it checked out."Before you spend thousands on remodeling, invest maybe
Cup Waterer Doesn't 'Runneth Over'
It was only one trial comparing two types of hog waterers. But it made a believer out of Iowa pork producer Kirk Nelson.A few years ago, the Aurelia,

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