I sat down with Cindy Cunningham of the National Pork Board and talked with her about the new campaign they’ve launched called #RealPigFarming. The campaign takes place on major social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and its aim is to educate the general public on the pork industry. “So those real pig farmers – from their barns, from their …
#RealPigFarming
Cindy is my model, wearing the #RealPigFarming t-shirt I got from another Cindy at Ag Media Summit. Sara conducted an interview for us which she’ll be sharing soon. I just thought I’d make sure you know about this now. Welcome to the Real Pig Farming Facebook page. This is a place for pig farmers, academics, youth, veterinarians and allied industry …
NPPC President Elect Arrested at Capitol
The president-elected of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) was arrested at the U.S. Capitol today with a 9-mm Ruger handgun in his bag. Ron Prestage, a veterinarian and part of family-owned Prestage Farms of South Carolina, was charged with carrying a pistol without a license. Reports indicate Prestage has a concealed carry permit in South Carolina but the charge …
How ARC Programs Control Swine Disease
Dr. Erin Johnson, DVM, technical manager, PRRS Solutions Team explained that the goal of the ARC program, is to voluntarily get a group of producers in an area to work together to better understand and control the spread of disease in their neighborhoods, townships and counties. To make the ARC effective, continued Johnson, the producers must develop processes to provide …
PEDV 101 From ISU’s Dr. Phillip Gauger
The talk of the 2014 World Pork Expo town: PEDV and the emergence that took the U.S. by storm. According to Dr Phillip Gauger, with Iowa State University, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, between April 28 – May 4, 2013 they had four separate ISU-VDL submissions – one from Indiana and three from Iowa – from farms with no relationship. He and …
Dr. Dane Goede’s PRRS Swine Health Update
During a media dinner hosted by Boehringer Ingelheim (BIVI), during the 2014 World Pork Expo, attendees had the opportunity to learn a lot about what the industry is coining the 20th anniversary of PRRS (Porcine Reproductive & Respiratory Syndrome). The dinner kicked off with Reid Phillips, DVM PRRS technical brand manager for BIVI who gave the group a quick 20 …
DOT Grants Livestock Haulers Exemption
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Transportation granted a one-year exemption for truck drivers hauling livestock and poultry from an hours-of-service rule that took effect last July 1. The regulation requires truck drivers to take a 30-minute rest break after eight hours of service, which for drivers transporting livestock and poultry includes the hours of service loading and unloading animals. …
COOL Update at World Pork Expo
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) provided an update on mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) during World Pork Expo this week. “We’re very concerned that if the current rule later this summer is ruled out of compliance by the WTO, the Canadians and Mexicans will then have a right to retaliate,” said NPPC Vice President John Weber of Iowa, …
Hog Swine-asty Theme at WPX
Uncle Pig-Sty and the whole Hogerson clan were happy, happy, happy at World Pork Expo as Automated Production Systems presented Hog Swine-asty for this year’s theme. You gotta admit that is clever and that’s a fact, Jack. Every year these folks have a different theme for their tender whole roast hog and it’s always a highlight for me. Despite being …
Industry Audit Platform Announced by NPB
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 …