From pork donations and contests to leadership and talent across the industry, here’s a round up of recent pork industry news!
9,000 Lbs. of Pork Donated Though Minnesota Pork Board Oink Outings Program
As part of the Oink Outings program this summer, Minnesota Pork Board attended community events throughout the Twin cities with the plan to donate a pound of ground pork to charity for every question a consumer asked during the events.
In partnership with Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America, a donation of 9,000 pounds of ground pork—enough to feed 36,000 people—will be given to Second Harvest Heartland, an organization working closely with a network of 388 food shelves and nearly 1,000 partner programs across Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
Farmland’s FFA Heartland Grant Programs Provides $20,000 to Agricultural and Community Projects
Announced at the National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, Ind. last week, Farmland honored the achievements of 20 FFA members with $1,000 each to fund their agricultural and community projects.
Farmland’s second-annual Honoring the Heartland Tour has come to a close after a 12-week food truck tour across the Midwest, serving over 7,500 meals to Heartland residents, $150,000 donated to FFA at the state and national levels and providing over 245,000 servings of protein to benefit Heartland neighborhoods.
In partnership with the National Pork Board and Luke Bryan’s Farm Tour, Farmland helped supply truckloads of protein to local food banks in Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Minnesota, bringing the product donation total for this year’s tour to an estimated 1 million servings of protein.
Pharmgate Animal Health Announces New Technical Services Veterinarian
With plans to work with veterinarians and production teams at swine operations and help create and execute swine health protocols, Pharmgate Animal Health announces Nicholas Lauterbach, DVM as the new technical services veterinarian.
Most recently serving as a senior veterinarian at Smithfield Hog Production, Lauterbach brings valuable knowledge of swine production medicine and will provide reliable support and recommendations to customers, says Chad Smith, DVM, Pharmgate vice president of global sales and marketing.
Iowa Pork Leadership Academy Applications Open
Developing leadership and communication skills, increasing understanding of state and national policy making and traveling the country to meet farmers from other states, the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) searches for the next class of Iowans to join the Iowa Pork Leadership Academy (IPLA).
The academy meets four times throughout the year with specific industry focus, with graduation to conclude the experience at the 2024 Iowa Pork Congress. Applications for the 2023 IPLA class are due Nov. 30. More information can be found at the IPPA website.
Iowa Chefs Heat Up Winefest’s Pork + Pinot Contest
A Winefest Des Moines event, presented by the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA), gave locals the opportunity to sample pork-centered cuisine complemented by a variety of pinot noirs.
With nearly 150 in attendance at the outdoor competition and social event at Rose Farm, in Norwalk, Iowa, Kelsey Sutter, IPPA’s marketing and programs director says, “We love showcasing pork’s versatility in front of young professionals from the Des Moines metro area. By changing up seasonings and cooking methods, the chefs did a great job of highlighting pork’s endless potential in the kitchen.”
Contestants were tasked to create a pork-focused dish that best reflects Iowa. Dominic Iannarelli, executive chef at Splash Seafood Bar & Grill in Des Moines, took home first-place honors with this BBQ Shotgun Shells, featuring manicotti stuffed with a sausage blend of pork belly and beef brisket, cheese and flavored with barbecue sauce and spices.
