As a pork producer, Joe Dykhuis admits he likes to know where his money goes. That’s one of the reasons why he joined National Pork Board’s Courtney Knupp, vice president of international market development, on a trade mission to the United Kingdom. He wanted to see Pork Checkoff dollars at work.
Queen’s Palace aside, he says one of the most interesting things he saw on the trip were the National Pork Board’s partnerships in action.
“I was hugely impressed with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Services,” Dykhuis says. “Not only their interest in promoting all of agriculture, including U.S. pork, but how their staff really understood the issues we faced. They work hard to create an environment where we can make connections.”
He also was able to see firsthand how the U.S. Meat Export Federation puts U.S. pork producers’ money to work building collaborations and creating opportunities.
“They are really our boots on the ground, taking our message and promoting pork across the globe,” Dykhuis says. “It’s one thing to hear about all of those agencies and what they do in the alphabet soup of USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), (FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service), USMEF (U.S. Meat Export Federation), NPB (National Pork Board) and NPPC (National Pork Producers Council). But they’re real, and they’re actually out there doing things.”
Perhaps what struck him the most is the importance of pork producers saying “yes” to go and share their story and help with these efforts.
“It’s a great opportunity to engage, but you don’t have to travel to share your story,” he says. “Although if you get the opportunity to travel, there are some benefits to doing it. We can engage with the National Pork Board right here at home, too. There are multiple opportunities.”
As an educator, Iowa State University’s Dermot Hayes, says the benefit the industry gets from having young leaders such as Dykhuis travel is invaluable.
“When they eventually reach the top of the organization as a leader, they understand what’s going on all over the world. You can’t replace that with an in-class tutorial. That’s why you’ve got to get them out to see other countries, see their competitors and see their customers,” Hayes says.
Dykhuis says the experience was also encouraging, and who doesn’t need a little of that? His trip affirmed to him the U.S. is the best place in the world to raise pigs.
“We have a competitive advantage and if we are allowed to compete, we will be successful,” he says. “There are plenty of challenges, but we can compete.”
Read more about the National Pork Board’s work in the UK.
