Freedom to Operate and Promotion Top Resolutions Passed by Iowa Pork Industry

From freedom to operate to pork product innovation, the Iowa Pork Producers Association’s annual meeting on Jan. 23 was full of exciting conversations and thoughtful discussions to help spur the largest pork-producing state forward. 

During the annual meeting, the delegates passed four resolutions:

• IPPA strongly encourages NPPC to expeditiously work towards a federal solution in the U.S. Congress to address and prevent state propositions and/or laws that restrict producers’ rights to operate freely.
   
• That IPPA and National Pork Board (NPB) invest time and checkoff funds to move pork products through the retail channel as quickly as possible and invest checkoff resources to initiate innovation and development of new pork products for consumers as quickly as possible.
   
• That IPPA continues to encourage the National Pork Board to further develop and test new food frequency questionnaires and dietary evaluation tools that clearly isolate pork, to better understand impacts of pork on nutrition and health outcomes.
   
• That IPPA encourages packers to include producer owner representatives and livestock hauler representatives in the process of setting any new delivery policy at plants, and that all parties improve communications and cooperate to improve unloading times at packing plants.
   

Gent Takes Over Leadership of IPPA
Washington County pig farmer Matt Gent is the new president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA). He took over the role during the organization’s annual meeting in Des Moines on January 23. Gent and his family own a farrow-to-finish swine enterprise called Prairie Pork near Wellman. They also grow corn and soybeans.

“I look forward to representing Iowa pork producers while addressing the challenges and opportunities we face in the upcoming year,” Gent said. “Each year brings new opportunities to share our story, to strengthen our domestic and international relationships, and to share our commitment to grow rural Iowa. “

Carroll County pig farmer Aaron Juergens was named IPPA president-elect. He manages more than 100,000 nursery and finishing pig spaces for Sunburst Valley Farms near Carroll, Iowa. 

Meanwhile, Bob Webb, from Carroll, Iowa, was named District 5 director. Webb is a senior finishing supervisor with Iowa Select Farms. He oversees nearly 200 farms and manages a team of 10 finishing supervisors. Chris Bellcock, from Norwalk, Iowa  was named District 6 director. Bellcock has served as the marketing and logistics director for Prestage Farms of Iowa for the past 16 years. He volunteers at the Iowa State Fair Pork Tent annually. 

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First Female Takes on Presidency of Iowa Pork Producers Association