Despite Industry Challenges, Pork Producers Join Together in Unity

Laughter and community welcomed U.S. pork producers and allied industry to the National Pork Industry Forum in Louisville, Ky. Although the topics discussed weren’t all fun and lighthearted, being united in purpose and back together in person was exactly what many pork producers and industry staff said they needed after the past two years.

Here’s what people had to say about 2022’s meeting.

“Although we could meet on Zoom to make a decision, it’s great to be back in person with the heart and soul of the industry – the people. When they come together, they get to meet each other, greet each other, argue with each other, debate with each other, honor each other. That's really the essence of the pork industry. And at Pork Forum, they get to make real contact, discussing real farmers, real food and real pork.” – Gordon Spronk, Chairman Emeritus of the Board for Pipestone Holdings LLC, and member of the National Pork Producers Council Board of Directors

Delegates gather for the National Pork Board session.

“Pork Forum is a great opportunity for me to talk to the producers leading our industry. It’s always good to hear what is on their mind through discussions over meals and in the hallways. There’s a lot of great work done in the delegate sessions, and I look forward to helping delegates understand where we are going in the area of sustainability and how we can move forward in the future and show our commitment to the future.” – Sara Crawford, vice president of sustainability at the National Pork Board

(l to r) Jess Campbell of Farm Credit Mid-America and Cheryl Day of Ohio Pork Council enjoy the networking Pork Forum provides.

“It’s encouraging to know you aren’t on an island on your farm. When you come to Pork Forum, you’re surrounded by people who have your back. I’m really taking away a call to action this year. People aren’t just listening; they are being asked to do things. After all, it needs to be us – pork producers – serving as the army that takes these tools our industry is developing and uses them for ammunition to protect our farms.” – Jan Archer, North Carolina pig farmer

(l to r) Kylee Deniz of Oklahoma Pork Council visits with Pam Zaabel, DVM, with the National Pork Board.

“I’ll be learning my way around this week, getting to meet leaders in the pork industry and pork producers who are passionate about the industry. I’m impressed by the number of people willing to take on leadership roles and be involved in its future. When we see the National Pork Board and National Pork Producers Council gather, I think it’s great to talk about the return on investment of Pork Checkoff dollars. There’s a lot of value being returned to the industry for their investment and that’s been impressive.” -Dusty Oedekoven, chief veterinarian at the National Pork Board

(l to r) Don Laut and Don Nikodim catch up for coffee in between sessions.

“There’s a lot of great discussion around the Pork Industry Visioning Task Force (PIVTF) and how our two national organizations with two separate purposes work together but stay in our lanes to really look ahead at critical issues on the horizon. An example of this is the recent Pork Sustainability Report released by the National Pork Board using Pork Checkoff funds. Now NPPC can take this information to legislators and regulators, and state associations can use this information, too, in their efforts with state officials. That’s how we leverage those dollars and use on particular audiences that benefits everyone.” – Lori Stevermer, Minnesota pig farmer and NPPC Board member

Delegates gather for the National Pork Producers Council session.

“The National Pork Board’s board of directors met earlier this week and approved a strategic investment related to Real Pork to take some supplemental dollars the board had already set aside and invest specifically in tackling issues and challenges people have with production. This initiative is designed to target audiences on the coasts where we have high populations of people and low populations of pigs, and many questions about how animals are raised. Our board wants to make an investment in identifying third-party researchers and finding more voices to step into the gap to talk about production.” – Jacque Matsen, senior vice president of communications at the National Pork Board

(l to r): Jill Appell, Joy Philippi and Barb Determan gather during a break to catch up at Pork Forum.

“I’m excited to be here serving the National Pork Board in a new capacity. It's great to see our boards and producer leadership meeting together because we have to coordinate and maximize every dollar we have in the industry between promotion and policy. We both exist for a reason there shouldn't be duplication, but that coordination is alive and well.” – Courtney Knupp, vice president of international market development at the National Pork Board

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