Latest News From JoAnn Alumbaugh

Stress is a factor in most professions, but particularly for veterinarians and especially for those just beginning their careers. Here's what to look for, and what to do about it, as the profession responds.

Stress is a factor in most professions, but particularly for veterinarians and especially for those just beginning their careers. Here's what to look for, and what to do about it, as the profession responds.

Veterinary students at the U.S. Animal Health Association annual meeting are hearing a clear message: The profession needs young people, and those who enter the field have unlimited opportunities.

The faces, names, cultures and nationalities are different, but farmers around the world are concerned about many of the same issues.

For culinary chefs, Cochon 555 is one of the premier events held each year. The Grand Cochon brings together regional winners to compete for the grand prize in Chicago.

Earlier this week, we wrote about seven specific skills that would lead to financial success for swine veterinarians. Here are seven income drivers and how they relate to performance of swine veterinarians.

Newly discovered compounds could revitalize older drugs, making them more effective against resistant superbugs. Research at the University of Colorado in Boulder shows promise.

Only in Maine: A chef in the Pine Tree State is ‘treating’ her lobsters with marijuana to sedate them before they’re boiled alive. But state health inspectors aren’t so high on the program.

What’s good for the economy isn’t necessarily good for you as a small business owner. Here’s what low unemployment rates mean to you and some tips on how you can retain your top employees.

Students at Iowa State University will host the sixth annual Bacon Expo on Oct. 6, at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center, Ames, Iowa.

There is considerable upside potential for veterinary incomes, and most swine veterinarians could do better, according to studies. These same factors apply to producers too.

The flooding in North Carolina from Hurricane Florence breached multiple manure lagoons, with potentially devastating effects. Is it time to for pork producers to develop a better system?

The U.S. loses 3,000 to 4,000 sows a week to prolapses, says Jason Ross with Iowa State University, which is many more than the industry was losing 10 years ago. Here are possible causes and strategies to implement.

Animal diseases know no borders and can continually affect new areas. Risk is reduced through implementation of procedures designed to avoid the introduction and spread of pathogens in animal populations.

Are you a good leader? Put yourself in your employees’ shoes, and ask yourself that question. Here are tips for helping you become a better manager/leader.

Newport Labs and ARM&HAMMER are featured in this edition of Company News. Read what they have to offer.

Costco is starting with poultry, but could potentially expand this project to pork and beef. The food retailer’s entry into poultry production signals future changes across the meat sector.

Food production doesn’t have to be a victim of climate change. New research suggests that crop yields and the global food supply chain can be preserved by harnessing the critical partner in food supply – soil.

The University of North Carolina Health Care extends free access period to virtual care service for hurricane victims. Fees are being waived through September 23.

Nobody disputes that America faces serious challenges to its continuing prosperity, although everybody disagrees about how to respond. Maybe we should examine the origins of the problem.

The Maschhoffs want potential production partners to understand what’s involved before they enter into a contract agreement. They provide a comprehensive report that outlines the costs of constructing a hog building.

Respect, commitment and dedication provide staying power for the nation’s largest family-owned pork operation. Dave and Karen Maschhoff (left) and Ken and Julie Maschhoff (right), run The Maschhoffs, Inc.

If you’re working on non-monetary differentials for your employees (discussed last week), it would be wise to also look at monetary incentives, because one likely doesn’t exist without the other.

Pork exports represent 35% in volume and 32% in value. Broiler exports represent largest volume share, while beef exports comprise greatest value share.

Can the way you vote predict how likely one is to embrace, or reject, a vegetarian diet? Of course. But a Canadian researcher believes there’s an important insight captured in his data.

You might be scaring job candidates away before they even consider a job in your operation. Watch for these signs.

Cash-traded feeder pig reported volume was below average this past week, with 14,925 head reported. Cash feeder pig reported prices were $31.32, up $9.45 per head from last week.

A report from the North Carolina Pork Council (NCPC) on Saturday updated the public on how well pig farmers in the state planned and prepared for the predicted devastation from Hurricane Florence.

A recent nutritional study prompts media salivation over its conclusion: A low-protein diet could kill you sooner, rather than later. Here’s the dissenting opinion.

The activist community is highly skilled at demanding answers from those who don’t share their extremist views. In response, here’s some questions I’d like to suggest they need to answer.

Having motivated, engaged employees is about so much more than a nice paycheck. Researchers recently looked at the non-monetary benefits of work. You can learn a lot from their findings.

Unfortunately, we’re numb to the endless wrangling among federal agencies, Exhibit A being the alt-meat labeling battle. Too bad all those TV lawyers can’t intervene to solve the problem.

Rebecca Robbins, DVM, PhD, is the 2018 recipient of the Allen D. Leman Science in Practice award. Robbins is the senior production veterinarian for Seaboard Foods, a leading pork producer and processor.

John Crespi, an economics professor at Iowa State University, has been named the interim director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD).

Bob Dykhuis, president of the Michigan Pork Producers Association, tells readers what the pork industry really needs in the face of current challenges.

Veggie advocacy groups love to spotlight selected statistics showing how popular or effective their programming is. But go inside the numbers, and the data tend to be a lot less amazing.

I often come across posts from activist groups doing their best to undermine animal agriculture. The most frustrating thing is that I’m only seeing these posts because one of my friends has chosen to “share” them.

Scientists have already warned that climate change likely will impact the food we grow. But new research is showing that climate change is expected to accelerate rates of crop loss due to the activity of insects.

Classical Swine fever, more commonly known as hog cholera, has been identified on a farm in Japan. It has been 26 years since that country has had an outbreak of the devastating virus.

Research shows even having your smart phone out during a conversation can limit communication engagement. Make sure you’re having meaningful conversations with your employees.

Looking at hog sales in March 2019 using April 2019 futures, the weaner breakeven was $43.44, up $1.74 for the week. Feed costs were up $0.41 per head. These numbers are for the week ending Sept. 7.

As harvest approaches, Chad Hart, associate professor of economics at Iowa State University, urges farmers to watch their costs and be patient as they face a difficult market for corn and soybeans.

The plaintiffs trying overturn a Missouri law defining ‘meat’ and ‘poultry’ as derived from livestock face long odds in court — especially when their argument is applied to a different category.

If you think it can’t happen to you, think again. Joey Carter is a family farmer. He had hoped to leave his hog operation in Duplin County, N.C., to his sons, but that was before the Smithfield lawsuits.

James Allen Insurance now offers policies for African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease, to protect farmers if these diseases enter the U.S.

A recent study at the University of Illinois shows that gestating sows do not digest calcium or phosphorus as well as growing pigs.

To envision your ideal retirement, write down three or four paths, opportunities, roles or personal interests. This could include spending time with family, a side business, travel or mission work.

The National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council, along with other pork industry groups, urge pig farmers to ask questions of feed suppliers to help keep African Swine Fever out of the U.S.

An obscure explorer and self-promoter created controversy in the early days of vegetarianism, validating the Inuit people’s diet of meat and fish by eating nothing but meat for a whole year.

It’s been a great career, thanks to all of you, and I’m looking forward to staying in touch. Most importantly, I’m pleased to introduce our new editor for Farm Journal’s PORK.