No one would argue (especially not the men!) that women are the backbone of the agriculture industry and during a seminar at World Pork Expo sponsored by Novus International titled “Women in Agriculture” we heard from two world-class women making a difference in the swine industry.

Dr. Laura Greiner, who does research for Innovative Swine Solutions and Carthage Veterinary Service in Illinois, talked about some of the work they have been doing to help improve sow performance through nutrition. She noted that she has almost all female interns this summer and she is pleased to see more women going into the field of livestock research. “That seems to be the predominant trend in the universities that I visit,” Laura said. “Women are becoming more interested and they need positive role models.”

Listen to or download my interview with Laura here. Dr. Laura Greiner

On the production side, we heard from Kathy Chinn with Chinn Hog Farm in northeast Missouri. Kathy is a former Missouri state representative who is very active in the agriculture and pork industry on both the state and national level and a real positive voice and face for agriculture. It was very interesting to hear her talk about their family operation, which includes her two sons and her grandchildren, and how they faced the challenges of farming in their community and grown better because of it. She is a strong advocate of telling agriculture’s story and being involved on a community level – and she is really a neat, impressive and interesting lady.

Listen or download Kathy’s interview here. Kathy Chinn

World Pork Expo 09 Photo Album

AgWired coverage of World Pork Expo made possible by Novus International and Boehringer Ingelheim