The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced its continued effort to modernize inspection systems through science-based approaches to food safety. USDA is proposing to amend the federal meat inspection regulations to establish a new voluntary inspection system for market hog slaughter establishments called the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System (NSIS), while also requiring additional pathogen sampling for all … Read More
Pig Farmers Pay It Forward in #HamsAcrossAmerica
The National Pork Board, the Iowa Pork Producers Association, Smithfield Foods, Inc. and PrairieFresh® Premium Pork joined forces to support the second annual #HamsAcrossAmerica campaign in Central Iowa. The organizations hosted a kickoff event, on Giving Tuesday, to serve clients of the Central Iowa Shelter and Services and provided a nearly 70,000-pound pork donation to the Food Bank of Iowa, … Read More
Livestock Haulers Get Waiver From ELDs Regulation
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has granted drivers who haul livestock a 90-day waiver from a regulation that could have negative effects on animal well-being. Livestock groups say this is good news. National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) requested on behalf of the U.S. pork industry and other livestock sectors a waiver from a requirement that certain drivers install Electronic … Read More
Nebraska Farmer Named America’s Pig Farmer of the Year
Leslie McCuiston, a pig farmer from Columbus, Nebraska, has been named the 2017 America’s Pig Farmer of the Year. According to the National Pork Board, the award recognizes a pig farmer who excels at raising pigs using the We Care ethical principles and who connects with today’s consumers about how pork is produced. McCuiston received the highest combined score from … Read More
Pork Checkoff’s Asian Trade Mission Offers Insight
Three National Pork Board officers and two members of the senior leadership team have returned from an Asian trade mission centered around elevating U.S. pork as the global protein of choice. The team representing the Pork Checkoff toured Japan and China from Sept. 5–16, visiting with pork processors, distributors and retailers, as well as importers and traders. “Pork is the … Read More
NPPC Seeks Waiver From ELD Mandate
The National Pork Producers Council (NNP) have asked for a waiver and exemption for livestock haulers from U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations that could have negative effects on animal well-being. The petition was sent on behalf of the U.S. pork industry and other livestock sectors, requesting the waiver and exemption because of concerns about the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) … Read More
U.S. Pork Gains Access to Argentine Market
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) applauds the Trump administration for negotiating U.S. pork access to the Argentine market. Argentina was among several countries with non-science based barriers to U.S. pork imports. “U.S. pork producers are the most competitive in the world and we have long sought the opportunity to provide affordable, high-quality pork in Argentina,” said NPPC President Ken … Read More
Livestock Groups Push for FMD Vaccine Bank
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) joined more than 100 other agricultural groups and industry leaders in calling for Congress to establish and fully fund a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine bank as part of the 2018 Farm Bill. The letter said: “An outbreak of FMD will have a devastating effect on all … Read More
Remembering ‘The Pork Economist’ Glen Grimes
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) reports the passing of University of Missouri Professor Glenn Grimes on July 2, 2017. Agricultural economy was Grimes’ claim to fame and he served in pork industry for many years. We last spoke with Glenn in 2008 at the World Pork Expo. There he provided views on the 2008 state of the industry and … Read More
Quarterly Hogs & Pigs Report
The Pork Checkoff hosted the USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report on Thursday, June 29, 2017. This quarterly teleconference featured three agricultural economists and their reactions to the report. Panelists included: Dr. Lee Schulz, Extension Livestock Economist, Iowa State University Dr. Scott Brown, Assistant Extension Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia Joe Kerns, President, Kerns & Associates, Ames, IA Reports seemed to … Read More