Illinois Pork Producers Association Seeks State Ambassador Intern
Applications for the Illinois Pork Producers Association State Ambassador Intern close Oct. 9. The intern serves as a representative of the association and the pork industry. The chosen individual will hold the title of State Ambassador for a full year and will work from the Springfield office during the summer of their term (May - August).
The main duties of the intern include managing the birthing center during the 2025 Illinois State Fair (Aug. 7-17), attending Summer Ag Institutes for teachers to present about pork, attend the annual youth leadership summer trip, and various other events throughout the summer. The internship is education and communication focused.
The 2025 Illinois Pork Ambassador will receive a $3,000 stipend that will be paid in $1,000 increments over a 3-month period (June-August). Upon successful completion of the internship, a $2,500 scholarship will be paid directly to the school. The intern must plan to be enrolled in either undergraduate or graduate school for at least the fall of 2025.
Qualifications:
- Must be an Illinois resident between the ages of 18 and 23
- Must have a strong background in pig husbandry.
- Must exhibit strong written and verbal communication, organization and leadership skills
- Must exhibit a genuine interest in the Illinois pork industry and be able to speak on behalf of it
- Recommended that he/she has attended Illinois Livestock Leadership Institute (Previously IPLI. Will get to attend on behalf of their internship)
- Must be a member (or become a member) of the Illinois Pork Producers Association
- Must have reliable transportation and be willing to travel to out-of-state training and functions
- May only serve one year
- In person interviews will be held Oct. 17-18 in Springfield
- Deadline to apply is Oct. 9, 2024
For more information, direct questions to Jennifer Tirey at jennifer@ilpork.com or 217-529-3100.
Hanlon Named Communications Manager for Iowa Pork Producers
Olivia Hanlon has joined the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) team as the new communications manager. She comes to IPPA from Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach, where she served for four years as an agricultural and natural resources specialist for the ISU Small Farms team and worked as the executive secretary for the Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association.
Hanlon grew up on a diversified livestock farm outside of Madrid, Iowa. She received her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business from Iowa State University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in business analytics.
“This feels like a great opportunity to merge my lifelong passion for agriculture with my professional experience,” Hanlon says. “From growing up on a farm and working at a swine finishing operation to studying agricultural business at Iowa State and my experience at ISU Extension, I’ve gained a well-rounded perspective on the agriculture industry. I’m eager to leverage this background to effectively promote and support the pork industry here in Iowa.”
Hanlon will be focusing on the Iowa Pork Producer magazine, news releases and website content, and preparing materials for the Iowa Pork Congress.
“Olivia brings an in-depth knowledge of Iowa agriculture, a strong work ethic, and a positive attitude to our team and will be a great addition to the Iowa Pork office,” says Kevin Hall, IPPA communications director. “Her wide set of skills will help elevate our communications department to new heights.”
2024 All-Around Skillathon Series Successful for Indiana Pork
Skillathons are a way for youth to test their skills and knowledge about the pork industry. The 2024 contest had 236 youth participants across the state and was completed at the Indiana State Fair. Content covered in skillathon events include identifying commonly used production tools, biosecurity plans, proper administration of medications and quality assurance, feed ingredient identification and nutrition, industry policy issues, meat cuts, and breed identification.
This year the series was broken into three age divisions, Juniors were ages 10 and under, Intermediate 11 to 14, and Seniors 15 to 21. There were five events in the series held in collaboration with jackpot shows in Tipton, Bloomington, Frankfort, and also at both barrow and gilt show weekends at the Indiana State Fair. The top three scores from these five participating events were cumulated to recognize the top 10 individuals in each age division.
The top five individuals in the Junior Division were 1st Audrey Millet, 2nd Avery Siple, 3rd Olivia Tucker, 4th Bryce Beck, and 5th Raelynn Hardy.
The top Intermediate Division winners were: 1st Connor Ortman, 2nd Sydney Lowdermilk, 3rd Landon Glunt, 4th Allison Liggett, and 5th Amity Batt.
Senior Division winners were 1st Tessa Ortman, 2nd Makayla Spray, 3rd Austin Orem, 4th Hailey Orem, and 5th Madison Millett. The top individuals were awarded a belt buckle sponsored by Cowpokes.
The top individuals from each age division and their families are invited to join Indiana Pork as guests at the 2025 Taste of Elegance in February.
