Strategies to help producers control, eliminate infectious diseases like PRRS is at the forefront of researchers minds throughout the country. The 2016 North American PRRS Symposium brings all those like minded folks together to share their discoveries and theories with peers. Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI) again hosted a seminar during the event focused on building on the best practices … Read More
Pork Producers Working Together to Control PRRS
Dr. Erin Lowe is the Technical Manager for the Solutions Team at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. (BIVI) and has been a driving force behind the Area Regional Control (ARC) programs fight against the control of PRRS. The 2016 North American PRRS Symposium was held over the weekend in Chicago and Dr. Lowe took time to share how the ARC programs … Read More
Big Data in Swine Health – Measure, Model, Fix
When the term ‘big data’ is used in agriculture, we generally think crops. However, we are hearing it more and more in animal agriculture circles. “Big data and models: Are they really useful in disease management?” turned the conversation towards swine health at the 2016 North American PRRS Symposium as Dr. Jim Lowe, University of Illinois, took the stage during … Read More
Costa Rica Removes Barriers for U.S. Beef & Pork
This week’s audio report from the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) discusses the challenges that have made it difficult to ship chilled beef and pork to Costa Rica, a market of strong interest for U.S. meat exporters. In the report, USMEF Technical Services Manager Cheyenne McEndaffer explains the unusual technical requirement behind the difficulty: the product had to arrive in … Read More
Pig Farmers Pay-It-Forward with #HamsAcrossAmerica
This Giving Tuesday, the Pork Checkoff is encouraging pig farmers to pay-it-forward with a new holiday campaign called #HamsAcrossAmerica. This first-annual event encourages farmers and others involved in the pork industry to show their appreciation for friends, family and neighbors through the gift of ham – in the form of gifts or donations of ham or ham-based products. “For pig … Read More
Pork Board Discusses Industry Trends
The National Pork Board hosted a media teleconference this morning to address the current state of U.S. pork production, highlight current market trends, and define the impact these trends are having on America’s 60,000 pork producers. Speaking on the call were Jan Archer, National Pork Board president, Len Steiner, Steiner Consulting Group, Patrick Fleming, Director, Market Intelligence and Innovation for … Read More
Pork Checkoff Marketing Partners
The Pork Checkoff works to market and promote U.S. pork for producers nationwide. Checkoff dollars allow for the producer to do what they do best – raise pigs – and leave the marketing to the professionals. National Pork Board President, Jan Archer, took me through the role the board plays in the pork community using checkoff dollars to promote U.S. … Read More
State of U.S. Pork Industry
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) once again brought key spokespeople to Kansas City for NAFB’s Trade Talk. Beyond the election, there is no doubt the hottest topic discussed this year was trade. NPPC President, John Weber, said they were optimistic about the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and have invested a lot of time and resources into it. “We are … Read More
USMEF Bullish on TPP & Meat Exports
The U.S. Meat Export Federation’s (USMEF) latest stats are out on U.S. pork, beef and lamb. Thad Lively, Senior Vice President, USMEF, was onsite at NAFB’s Trade Talk to highlight those export numbers along with trade and the new presidential administration going forward. “The numbers are very encouraging. Beef exports are up 8%, pork exports are up 5%. That’s from … Read More
U.S. Pig Farmers Celebrate Antibiotic Stewardship
American pig farmers’ commitment to their animals, their customers and their communities matches with the goals of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) annual celebration, Get Smart About Antibiotics Week (Nov. 14-20). “The Get Smart About Antibiotics Week is a good time to reflect on our long history of accomplishments in the antibiotics area, such as using … Read More