Here’s a round-up of company news headlines in the pork industry from ARM & HAMMER, Zinpro Corporation and Farmer John.
ARM & HAMMER Adds Proven Food Safety Expertise to Its Swine Team
Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production announces the hiring of Greg Schafer as Food Safety Swine Account Manager, with responsibilities that include in-plant food safety interventions and solutions.
After receiving his B.S. degree in general agriculture from Southern Illinois University, Schafer has worked in the swine industry with a food safety focus for the past 33 years, including senior management roles as a plant manager and a complex manager, the company said in a release.
He joins the Integrated Food Production team of ARM & HAMMER where he will work alongside his colleagues in both live animal production and food production to deliver innovative solutions using our full portfolio of science-backed products and technologies for our customers.
Zinpro Joins with Southern University Law Center to Support Heirs’ Property Initiative
Zinpro Corporation announced its support of the Southern University Law Center (SULC) Heirs’ Property Initiative. Owning agricultural land is an important economic driver in many communities and is a key issue for Black and other minority farmers and producers. the company said in a release. According to USDA, Black agricultural land ownership has declined from 16 million acres to 4.7 million acres over the past century, with much of this loss attributed to legal issues caused by heirs’ property rights.
Heirs’ property is property legally passed to family members by inheritance, usually when someone dies without a will or estate planning. If the property remains in the original owner’s name, it creates complex legal issues for heirs. Heirs’ property is most predominant among African American landholders, according to USDA, and can be mitigated with legal support.
According to Marla Dickerson, SULC Heirs’ Property Initiative supervising attorney and associate vice chancellor of the Office of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives, wealth disparities often exist due to the lack of land and homeownership. The wealth gap is greater when death occurs and the proper legal tools cannot be leveraged to clear deeds or titles to land and other property.
SULC says the Heirs’ Property Initiative will feature monthly educational seminars and intake sessions regarding wills and preliminary succession information. It will also provide legal services and funding to aid in the completion of successions to ensure property is transferred properly. The initiative will utilize three in-house attorneys and nine student strategic fellows at SULC to conduct research and preparation of pleadings.
Farmer John Celebrates Year Three of California Commitment Tour
The Farmer John is embarking on year three of its California Commitment Tour to feed, celebrate and serve residents across the state, the company said in a release. Over the course of eight weeks this summer, Farmer John is making 3-4 stops per week with its food truck to deliver free grab-and-go lunches to Californians and essential businesses and donating much-needed protein to local food banks.
On July 25, the brand made a pit stop at Alameda County Community Food Bank in Northern California to recognize the organization’s positive impact and commitment to serving the local community by donating 150,000 servings of protein to aid in local hunger relief.
“Generous contributions like the donation we received from Farmer John are incredibly important for organizations like ours,” Michael Altfest, director of community engagement at Alameda County Community Food Bank, said in a release. “Protein items are among the most requested at our distributions, but are also among the most expensive for us to procure. This donation is greatly appreciated and goes a long way in helping us meet the need in our community.”
As an extension of this year’s tour, Farmer John is also introducing the California Kindness Project – a program designed to support committed California non-profits who are making an impact in their local areas. Through the California Kindness Project, Farmer John will provide $100,000 in financial support via grants, ranging from $3,000 to $25,000 each, to eligible California nonprofit organizations through an open application process ending September 5.* To submit an application or to learn more about eligibility, guidelines, and the selection process, organizations can visit CAKindnessProject.com.
More from Farm Journal’s PORK:
Don’t Miss the Bright Spots in the U.S. Pork Industry Benchmarking Data
Mortality Continues to Challenge Pork Producers
The Swientist Craze: Why Kids Are Lining Up to Learn About Swine Biosecurity
