A total of 34,565 people attended World Pork Expo, sponsored by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). The 2007 figure topped 2006 by 10%.
Pork producers and exhibitors from around the country and 2,300 visitors from more than 50 nations gathered at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, IA. They sampled pork barbecue, visited the 1,000 trade show booths of the 450 exhibiting companies and attended educational seminars.
“This World Pork Expo was a huge success,” says NPPC President Jill Appell, a pork producer from Altona, IL.
Bruce Knight, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, spoke to NPPC Strategic Investment Program members at a lunch.
At a press conference, Knight told reporters about U.S. beef trade with South Korea, the USDA's effort to retool the national animal identification system, and how the agency is moving forward on reopening the U.S. border to older Canadian cattle.
There was a lot to be positive about in the pork industry the last week of October. I realize it is difficult to be optimistic when you are still losing $25 to $30/head. I also realize that positive news at this point could be as dangerous as it is welcome. But facts are facts, and we must recognize them.
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As I begin this week's column, I"m reminded of two different "flip side" statements that may help characterize the topic at hand. The first is the old Archie Campbell schtick - "That's good - no that’s bad," which I have used before. The second reflects President Truman's frustration with economists' incessant use of the qualifier - "on the other hand" - to introduce the contrary opinion on a given topic. President Truman once demanded in his usual colorful language: "Will someone please find me a *!&%$*?>
