Scott Van Deest learned early on when he went to work for Steve and Mary Langhorst at their 300-sow hog farm in Gaylord, MN, that he’d better be on top of his game if he wanted to stick around for long
As you welcome summer at your Memorial Day weekend barbecue this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) reminds you that no recipe, whether it is meant for the kitchen or the grill, can be a success without including food safety steps....More
Indiana Pork is partnering with Squealers Award Winning Barbeque for this summer's Barbeque Competition Tour. The 12 weekend tour spans the Midwest and features some of the finest barbecue chefs in the nation....More
On May 16, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) celebrated its 40th anniversary. The program activities and responsibilities of APHIS have grown and evolved since the agency’s birth in 1972. But the mission remains the same: serving the public by protecting the health and value of American agriculture and natural resources, according to Gregory Parham, DVM, APHIS administrator. In his blog he writes:...More
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) officers and staff met recently at the AASV office in Perry, IA, in an effort to improve communication and understanding between the two organizations. The meeting was prompted by a request from AVMA President René Carlson, DVM, in response to AASV concerns about AVMA actions and statements on swine and other production-animal issues....More
On June 6 and 7, the Pork Checkoff is sponsoring Producers Opportunity for Revenue and Knowledge (PORK) Academy at World Pork Expo at the Iowa State Fairground in Des Moines, IA. Expo continues through noon June 9.
PORK Academy is a series of seminars designed to provide information for pork producers about current industry challenges in a way that can be applied to their own operations. The seminars will cover a variety of topics such as herd health, pork exports, transport bedding, economic outlooks and the We Care initiative....More
An Advanced Swine Reproduction Seminar is being offered at two locations to help pork producers perform at a higher level of management for preparing the sow and farrowing space, knowing when/how to assist farrowing sows, managing sows to maximize feed intake and more....More
Eight business seminars will feature the latest in nutrition, herd health, manure management and price risk at World Pork Expo on Wednesday, June 6, and Thursday, June 7. A highlight of the free business-seminar luncheon at noon on both days will be speakers discussing weather and economic outlooks. Expo-goers will find these business seminars and luncheons in the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds....More
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its annual report on farm labor this week. According to the farm labor report, an increase in farm labor in the Corn Belt was largely driven by strong demand for livestock workers resulting from increased cattle and hog inventories....More
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announces five new appointments to the 15-Member National Pork Board. The appointees will each serve a three-year term.
The new appointees chosen to represent pork producers are: Craig Mensink, Preston, MN; and Carl Link, Fort Recovery, OH. The reappointed members of the board consist of: Brad Greenway, Mitchell, SD; Dale Norton, Bronson, MI; and Lisa Colby, Newburyport, MA....More
Developed in a collaboration between the National Pork Producers Council and National Hog Farmer, the new World Pork Expo mobile application (app) is available to help pork producers make the most of their visit to the show....More
