Pork Industry Economic Update at World Pork Expo

Joanna Schroeder

The economist to the pork industry Steve Meyer, with Paragon Economics, gave attendees at the 25 anniversary of the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa an economic update. wpx13-paragon-meyerDuring a question and answer session Meyer noted that the industry finally has prices back to profitable for the short run, the first time in nearly two years. However, he doesn’t believe this will last unless there is a very, very good corn crop, which he says looks doubtful at this point due to all the rain.

Meyer said with a good corn crop, somewhere in the 140 bushels per acre range, he thinks the industry could see prices in the low $80s next spring. If this is the case, then the industry is set up for a profitable 2014.

During the session, Meyer addressed the possible effects of exchange rates and feedstock costs to operations as well as the impact of last summer’s drought. But he noted that producers are still doing fairly well due to better risk management techniques over the past three-four years.

Listen to Steve Meyer’s remarks here: Pork Industry Economic Update

Visit the 2013 World Pork Expo photo album.

AgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by NOVUSAgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by boehringer-ingelheim
Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novus International, NPPC, Pork, World Pork Expo

How’s Your Hay Crop

Talia Goes

Before we get to our new Zimmpoll let’s look at the results of our latest one which asked the question, “What is MOST important when buying a tractor?” It looks like price, horsepower, and versatility win this battle.

Our poll results: Twenty-two percent said Price and Horsepower, seventeen percent said versatility, fifteen percent said Customer Service, nine percent said Accessories, six percent said Warranty and Comfort, four percent said Color, and two percent said Size. The bells and whistles don’t seem to be a huge impact on purchasing decisions.

Untitled

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “How good was your first cutting of hay?” Weather hasn’t exactly been predictable this spring. With a cold and wet spring season across much of the country how did it affect your hay crop? Has it bounced back from last year’s drought? Let us know.
ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

ZimmPoll

Improving Digestibility Can Reduce Feed Costs

Cindy Zimmerman

wpx13-novus-escobarApplying nutrient digestibility concepts and the use of certain enzymes can help hog producers reduce waste and lower feed costs.

Dr. Jeffrey Escobar of Novus International talked about that during a presentation at World Pork Expo this week, explaining the benefits of their feed additive Cibenza DP100. “It’s a heat-stable protease … that will digest proteins to release amino acids,” he explains. “So what Cibenza DP100 will do is help the enzymes already present in the pig and increase the digestibility of the proteins present in the feed with a net gain of more amino acids believed delivered to the animal.”

Listen to my interview with Jeffrey and/or watch a video of his presentation below: Interview with Novus' Jeffrey Escobar

2013 World Pork Expo photo album.

AgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by NOVUSAgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by boehringer-ingelheim
Audio, Feed, Novus International, World Pork Expo

Raven Makes Big Announcements at RIS

Jamie Johansen

ris-13-021_edited-1The 2013 Raven Innovation Summit wrapped up last night with an awards banquet honoring Raven Industries dealers from across the world. The two-day event consisted of the announcement of brand new innovative technologies, a trade show and educational break-out sessions where dealers got all their questions answered about the new product launches.

During the opening session general manager and vice president of Raven Industries, Matt Burkhart, had the privilege to finally make the hard work and years of research public. Raven is recognized as a leader in precision agriculture and has been introducing leading edge technology since 1978. Maybe the most coveted new product is the Viper 4, a fourth generation Viper loaded with simplicity, power and connection.

ris-13-013-editedListen to Matt’s complete product launch presentation here: Product Launch Announcement

I also got to sit down with Matt and he shared how the passion for Raven’s Applied Technology Division is helping farmers feed the world. Their mission to do this is surrounded by growing their core, expanding internationally and focusing on information management.

Listen to my interview with Matt here: Interview with Matt Burkhart

Check out photos from the event here: Raven Innovation Summit Photo Album

Audio, Precision Agriculture, Technology

Meet Kourtney Determan – Up & Coming Aggie

Joanna Schroeder

During the 25th Anniversary of World Pork Expo, I had the opportunity to meet one of the up and coming young women in agriculture – Kourtney Determan. She is an Iowa native wpx13-novus-dettermanwho grew up on a farm in Northwest Iowa as well as a recent graduate from Iowa State University with a degree in Ag Communications. In mid-May, she began her summer internship with Novus International where she is working with Dr. Karen Lehe to build out the company’s youth outreach program.

In her role she is helping educate youth across the country about both where our food comes from, as well as about the great jobs in the ag industry. She notes that many think the only job in ag is to be a farmer, but she is proof that there are hundreds of different opportunities to work in the industry.

Before summer is out, she will be bringing more interactivity to Novus’ FREE youth curriculum that includes a brochure as well as a game developed for iPad that demonstrates the diversity of the ag industry. The toolkit also includes videos, word searchers, and more. Having grown up in the age of social media, she notes that online is the best way to reach these kids.

Learn more about Kourtney’s work with the youth outreach program here: Meet Kourtney Determan - Up & Coming Aggie

Visit the 2013 World Pork Expo photo album.

AgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by NOVUSAgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by boehringer-ingelheim
Audio, Novus International, Pork, World Pork Expo

The New Holland Genesis T8 Series

Chuck Zimmerman

New Holland Genesis T8 SeriesA Genesis is going on at New Holland. Specifically, a Genesis T8 Series of tractors! Here’s one of the newest tractor in the New Holland line out in the field at New Holland headquarters in Pennsylvania.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the industry-changing GENESIS™ tractor, New Holland has built a machine to honor its legacy—the GENESIS™ T8 Series tractor. No matter what your agricultural demands include, you can rely upon the new GENESIS™ T8 series tractor to get things done—just as the original tractor did!

I got out in the field with this bad boy and visited with Gary Wojcik, Segment Marketing Manager for large horsepower tractors, to find out all about this new tractor. I’ll have video to share with you as soon as I get a chance to edit it together.

Listen to my interview with Gary here: Interview with Gary Wojcik

You can find a lot more photos of the new Genesis here: New Holland Genesis T8 Series Tractor Photo Album

Please feel free to download and share photos as always.

Agribusiness, Audio, New Holland, Tractor

NPPC Science & Technology Updates at WPX

Joanna Schroeder

This morning, Bill Luckey, pork producer from Columbus, Nebraska and National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) director gave an update during the second day of 2013 World Pork Expo on science and technology updates including antibiotics and animal welfare.

wpx13-nppc-luckeyIn terms of antibiotics, Luckey said NPPC has been actively involved in the Animal Drug User Act. It has moved all the way through Congress and has passed both the House and the Senate with no amendments. The Act provides funding for the timely review of the new animal drug applications for the veterinary products.

On the regulatory front Luckey said there are some issues going on with antibiotic availability and veterinary oversight. The industry is waiting for the FDA to finalize the guidance for 2013, which requests that animal health manufacturers voluntarily give up their growth hormone promotion labels for antibiotics for classes that are also used for human medicine.

Listen to Bill Luckey’s remarks here: NPPC Science & Technology Update

Visit the 2013 World Pork Expo photo album.

AgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by NOVUSAgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by boehringer-ingelheim
Audio, NPPC, Pork, Swine, World Pork Expo

Summer Pork Campaign

Cindy Zimmerman

wpx13-npb-novakAt World Pork Expo this week, National Pork Board officials unveiled a new summer campaign for consumers to encourage them to save with pork cuts, grill them like steak, and learn some new names for pork cuts.

“The current consumer campaign, Pork. Be inspired®, is moving product at the retail meat case and in restaurants,” says Chris Novak, National Pork Board CEO. “In the first quarter of this year, total pounds of pork sold at retail were up 9.9 percent over first quarter last year and total dollars in sales were up 4.7 percent. Average retail price was down due to higher supplies, but the increased volume more than offset the decrease in average price.”

wpx13-npb-prezTo further bolster consumer demand, a new summer marketing campaign was launched this week to communicate the current relative value of pork, educate consumers on the new pork cut names and reinforce proper pork cooking by talking about the ideal range of doneness.

In April, the National Pork Board rolled out new names for some traditional cuts of pork as a way to address the lack of consumer understanding of pork cuts and how to prepare them.

Based on extensive consumer research, the new cut names were selected to enhance value in the meat cuts and new simplified labels were developed to better explain proper cooking techniques.

“This does mean we’ll have to say goodbye to names like ‘pork butt’,” says Karen Richter, National Pork Board president and pork producer from Montgomery, Minn. “But we believe consumers will feel more confident in their ability to choose and prepare pork that provides great flavor and versatility at a budget-friendly price.”

The new porterhouse pork chop, ribeye pork chop and New York pork chop are featured in the summer marketing campaign being promoted through national radio and online advertising, food media spokespersons and social media engagement. As a part of the campaign, consumers will be able to tap into online coupons that have proven effective in driving visitor traffic to pork-focused consumer websites.

Listen to comments from Richter and Novak here: Pork Board New Campaign

2013 World Pork Expo photo album.

AgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by NOVUSAgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by boehringer-ingelheim
Audio, Pork, World Pork Expo

EPA Private Data Release Peeves Pork Producers

Cindy Zimmerman

The Environmental Protection Agency is now being accused of giving preference to liberal groups over conservatives when it comes to freedom of information act requests, specifically groups like the Sierra Club which received the personal information of thousands of livestock producers earlier this year. That EPA information release was a topic of discussion at World Pork Expo this week and National Pork Producers Council environmental counsel Michael Formica says they are still unhappy with the way the agency handled that situation.

wpx13-nppc-formica“We’re very upset, we remain very upset,” he said in an interview. “Unfortunately, the data is already out there, it’s been released.”

That data includes all kinds of personal information on thousands of producers in 37 states, including names, addresses, phone numbers, family members, property transfers and much more. While the organizations supposedly have “returned” the data sets to EPA, it is very likely that the groups who received it still have it and it could get into the hands of even more radical animal rights organizations like HSUS and the Animal Liberation Front.

Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa proposed an amendment to the senate farm bill to prohibit EPA from releasing personal data – and Formica says that was one of a handful of amendments brought up Tuesday when work on the farm bill ground fell apart. Even as the Senate voted today to end debate on the farm bill, clearing way for passage next week, Senate Ag Committee chair Debbie Stabenow says more amendment votes are possible post-cloture.

Listen to Formica’s comments here: Interview with NPPC environmental counsel Michael Formica

Visit the 2013 World Pork Expo photo album.

AgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by NOVUSAgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by boehringer-ingelheim
Audio, NPPC, World Pork Expo

And This Little Piggy Went to World Pork Expo

Joanna Schroeder

Trudys Piggie NailsRemember the nursery rhyme “This little pig went to market. This little pig went home….”? Well, this little pig went to World Pork Expo and had a great time. The coolest and most creative “piggies” at the 25th anniversary of World Pork Expo were found on Trudy’s nails in the Boehringer Ingelheim tent. Her nails support the pork industry in a fun and fabulous way.

Stop by their tent or their booth and while you’re there, learn how “easy” it is to vaccinate your pigs.

Visit the 2013 World Pork Expo photo album.

AgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by NOVUSAgWired coverage of the 2013 World Pork Expo is sponsored by boehringer-ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim, Pork, World Pork Expo