It’s World Pork Expo eve (that’s a holiday, right?), and we’re here in Des Moines, Iowa to keep you up-to-date on all the news from event.

This evening as producers, industry leaders and media converge on Central Iowa in anticipation of the next three days of information, I caught up with Cindy Cunningham, Assistant Vice President of Communications with the National Pork Board (aka, Pork Checkoff spokesperson), and she reminds everyone to also get some great food and have some fun at this year’s World Pork Expo.

“The Pork Checkoff this year is sponsoring a hospitality tent, and we’d love to have all of our producers stop by and try some bacon ice cream and some maple-glazed bacon doughnuts.”

She adds they are also offering some important information and education in the form of the PORK Academy … Producers Opportunity for Revenue and Knowledge.

“PORK Academy is really a seminar session that covers everything from manure management to nutrition [to marketing and economics]. It’s really designed so pork producers can get this information, take it home and put it into practice in their own operations.”

Cunningham says they are also celebrating the success of the Pork Quality Assurance Program, with nearly 50,000 producers certified in their education levels and practices in animal care, food safety and providing consumers with a safe, wholesome food supply.

Finally, she wants people to have some fun.

Come out and have some fun with us at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. And if you can’t be here, follow coverage here on Agwired.com and our Twitter accounts @jdavisreporter, @jmschroeder, and later this week, @farmpodcaster … hashtag #WPX10. You can also check out the event in our World Pork Expo 2010 Photo Album.

Hear more of my conversation with Cindy in the player below.

AgWired coverage of the World Pork Expo 2010 is sponsored by: