Animal Ag Bites 9/10

Carrie Muehling

Six dairy companies were recently selected to participate in the 2018 Land O’Lakes, Inc. Dairy Accelerator – a program supporting the dairy industry by providing tailored coursework and mentorship to dairy entrepreneurs. To qualify for consideration, each company was required to utilize dairy as a primary ingredient in their products. The International Production & Processing Expo is launching the seventh …

AgWired Animal, Animal Bites, Dairy, Pork, Pork Checkoff, Poultry, Poultry Expo

America’s Pig Farmer of the Year Announces Final Four

Carrie Muehling

The public will once again help to choose the 2018 America’s Pig Farmer of the Year. The National Pork Board honors a U.S. pig farmer each year who excels at raising pigs follow the We Care ethical principals and who is committed to sharing the farming story with the American public. “The four finalists demonstrate how pig farmers embrace the …

AgWired Animal, Pork, Pork Checkoff

Pork Checkoff Makes Big Pig Impression

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Pork Board is making a big impression with a new “virtual pig experience” – first debuted at World Pork Expo and on display last week at Ag Media Summit. “Our pig experience includes about 1100 pounds of a display and the pig head comes down and it gives you the Google “nap pod” experience,” said Kylee Deniz, NPB …

Ag Media Summit, AgWired Animal, Audio, Pork Checkoff

AAEA and LPC Presidents Pass the Gavel

Cindy Zimmerman

Ag Media Summit serves as the annual business meeting for both the Livestock Publications Council and AAEA the Ag Communicators Network, and where each transition to new presidents. Julie Deering, Issues Ink, served as president for AAEA the past twelve months during a pivotal time in the organization’s history. The name change to the Agricultural Communicators Network was instituted to …

AAEA, Ag Media Summit, Audio, Livestock, LPC, Pork Checkoff

USDA Quarterly Hogs & Pigs Report

Chuck Zimmerman

As of June 1, there were 73.5 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms, up three percent from June 2017, and up 1 percent from March 1, according to the USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report out Thursday. The National Pork Board provided commentators to discuss the report via teleconference. The call featured three distinguished agricultural economists and their reactions …

Animal Agriculture, Pork, Pork Checkoff, Swine, USDA

SMART Farmer Leon Sheets

Cindy Zimmerman

In this episode of the SMART Farmer podcast, we hear from America’s Pig Farmer of the Year, Leon Sheets, who raises 33,000 pigs a year in northeast Iowa along with his wife and son. SMART Farmer podcast listeners may remember that we interviewed last year’s Pig Farmer of the Year Brad Greenway from South Dakota, who also serves as chairman …

AgWired Animal, Audio, Pork, Pork Checkoff, USFRA

Pork Industry Honors Tom Baas with Award

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Pork Board last week awarded former Iowa State University animal science professor at Tom Baas the Distinguished Service Award during the National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City. The award is presented each year to recognize an industry leader’s lifelong contribution to the pork industry. “Tom has provided extraordinary leadership to the pork industry,” said National Pork Board …

AgWired Animal, Audio, Pork, Pork Checkoff

Meet the 2018 Pig Farmers of Tomorrow

Cindy Zimmerman

America’s Pig Farmer Leon Sheets had the pleasure of introducing the new Pig Farmers of Tomorrow at the National Pork Forum this week, appropriately on National Pig Day, March 1. Adam Krause from South Dakota and Emma Lasco and Christine Snowden, both from Iowa, have been named for the honor, which recognizes farm leaders, ages 18-29, who intend to make …

Audio, Pork, Pork Checkoff

Pork Forum Panel Focuses on Gene Editing

Cindy Zimmerman

The science of gene editing and its potential for the pork industry took center stage Wednesday at the opening session of the annual Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City. Journalist and author Michael Specter keynoted the session and moderated the panel on gene editing, which included University of Missouri animal scientist Kevin Wells, The Maschhoffs president Bradley Wolter, NPPC director …

AgWired Animal, Audio, Pork, Pork Checkoff

A Preview of 2018 National Pork Forum

Jamie Johansen

The 2018 National Pork Forum will take place February 28 – March 2, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event serves as the annual business meeting for the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). “The purpose of both organization’s delegate sessions is to really look at the key issues. Producers have the opportunity to discuss those …

Ag Groups, AgWired Animal, Livestock, NPPC, Pork, Pork Checkoff