Chris Novak, CEO of the National Pork Board, announced plans for a new common industry audit platform for pork producers, packers and processors. Using the existing Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) program as the foundation, the year-long audit team is nearing the final stages of completion and the initial common audit framework. The program was unveiled during World Pork …
Ag Secretary Announces PEDv Action at WPX
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited World Pork Expo in his home state of Iowa Thursday to announce federal actions to help combat porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) and porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV). For one, Vilsack says there is now a Federal Order requiring the reporting of new detections of these viruses to its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) or …
15 Millon Rea$on$ Not to Give to HSUS
I don’t need 15 million reasons not to give money to HSUS. However, I saw the HumaneWatch.org ad in USA Today and was glad they could do it. Hope it helps. The pic here is a portion of that ad. If you want to support your local animal shelter donate your money directly to them. You’ll help a lot more …
BIVI Celebrates 20 Years of PRRS Solutions
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica (BIVI) celebrated 20 years of PRRS (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome) solutions during this year’s World Pork Expo. Reid Philips, DVM, technical manager for PRRS vaccines and BIVI outlined how far the swine industry has come in the last two decades in controlling the virus. Interestingly, Reid explained that in the 1980s when PRRS was first showing …
Panelist for USFRA Food Dialogues Chicago
One guess where I’ll be next week. The USFRA Food Dialogues in Chicago. That’s where. Here’s the latest information on the discussion next week. The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance® (USFRA®) today announce the list of panelists participating in the upcoming Food Dialogues: Chicago. Integrity in Food Marketing event, on June 10 at the InterContinental Hotel. Thirteen-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, …
New Holland Donation to Fisher House Foundation
New Holland, an AgWired sponsor, just presented another check to the Fisher House Foundation – $57,800! This check was presented on June 3 during a groundbreaking ceremony for the newest Fisher House, which will open on the grounds of the Milwaukee VA Medical Center. In the photo you can see Paul Wade, New Holland Construction Marketing Manager (center), Fisher House …
TOPIGS & Norsvin Announce Merger During WPX14
A major announcement was made during this year’s 2014 World Pork Expo: TOPIGS International and Norsvin International have merged into one company: Topigs Norsvin. The merger will create a global swine breeding company with annual revenues in excess of US $179 million. The newly merged company’s headquarters will be located in Vught, the Netherlands. TOPIGS Nederland, Varkens K.I. Nederland and …
Teach Your Children Well
Today Aunt Jeanette writes: I was looking forward to spending most of today outside. Our lawn, which is about the size of a football field, desperately needed mowing. There are always weeds to pull. I had flowers to plant. The tomato plants that froze a couple of weeks ago needed to be pulled and new ones planted in their places. …
Innovation Galore At World Pork Expo
Each year people from around the world come to World Pork Expo (WPX) and ask the question: what new things will I find there? So I asked Dr. Howard Hill, National Pork Producer Council (NPPC) president, veterinarian and Iowa pork producer, that question and his answer: a lot. A few highlights he mentioned included all the press conferences and seminars …
Verdicts in on the Co-existence of Organic & GMO Crops
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Can organic & GMO crops co-exist?” It’s clear everyone has their own opinion on this topic. And it’s important that farmers are able to voice their opinions and farm the way they see fit. Many pollers believe that organic and GMO crops can live harmoniously on the same or neighboring farms. But cross pollination …