Take the issue of gestation crates, for example. Because consumers relate to this issue on an emotional level, they see sows crammed into stalls in which they can't turn around.

“They don't understand that the reason behind putting them in stalls is because they were being kind of beaten up by each other, being injured, contracting infections and joint problems from fighting before they were put in stalls,” she points out. “In stalls, their health is vastly improved. You could argue whether their psychological health is better, but how mentally healthy is any individual, whether it be animal or human, who is in fear of being abused all of the time? I am not convinced that sows are better off psychologically when they are in group housing if they are going to be picked on by one or two of the boss sows that kind of run things.”

On her third trip to Denmark, Appell says she saw a remarkable example of the sows' preference for stalls over group pen housing.

Gestating sows confined in a free-access housing system (sold by Chore-Time Hog Production Systems in the United States) can manipulate the back gate to move in and out of the stall to spend time in a loafing area, then return to the stall for feeding.

“What we saw was the sows preferred to stay in those stalls. We only saw 1-2 sows out in the pen area, and the producers would tell us that those were generally the boss sows and they were patrolling. Every once in a while, you would see the boss sows try and push open the back end of one of the sow crates. The sow in the crate would put her nose on the lever so they couldn't open them,” Appell states.

Even though this is an emotionally charged issue, it's important that the pork industry sticks to the science, while still realizing that “this train may have already left the station” in terms of changing consumer opinion, she says.

The pork industry needs to get out in front of the next major animal welfare issue in order to have an impact with consumers, she believes, adding the next major issue could be farrowing crates.

As a policymaking and lobbying organization, NPPC has many other hot topics to address, including mandatory country-of-origin labeling, the new farm bill, free trade agreements which support the valuable export market, ethanol and energy, and the long-standing issue of feeding antibiotics to livestock, she says.

At the Appell farm, if there is a respiratory flareup, pigs will be vaccinated with a product for Mycoplasmal pneumonia, and nursery pigs will get broad-spectrum antibiotics for 5-10 days to reduce symptoms. Then the antibiotics are removed to conserve cost and retain maximum efficacy.

“I think it would be disastrous if we had to remove antibiotics totally from the nurseries, which I have seen in Denmark,” she says. Danish producers are experiencing a big struggle with scours from ileitis two weeks after weaning. Changes in facilities and management seem to have had little impact on the problem there, she adds.

NPPC is making progress in addressing challenges and improving its organizational structure, according to Appell.

But as the organization's top officer, she has set some tough goals for herself to achieve during her one-year term. A two-pronged objective is to create more unity among NPPC producer members, and in doing so, organize a larger cadre of voluntary leaders who will step up to participate in the legislative process.

Appell feels she is qualified for that task given her own impressive background in working with agricultural commodity groups, including:

• Serving for 18 months as the state director of USDA Rural Development;

• Serving as president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association;

• Serving on the Governor's Livestock Industry Task Force during 1995-1998; and

• Serving on the Farm Bureau's Task Force on Women's Role in Agriculture in 1997.

Three years ago, she felt an obligation to step up when NPPC Vice President Lois Britt of North Carolina died suddenly two months into her term. Appell recalls that Lois had taken that post knowing full well that past health problems could return and leave her incapacitated — and made Appell promise if that were to happen, that she would fill the void.

She recalls with a note of sadness in her voice: “I just felt it was my obligation to do it, and even though I was reluctant, I was willing to step up to serve the organization.”
— Joe Vansickle, Senior Editor

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