Six state pork organizations officially announced the formation and launch of the Southeast Pork Alliance, a producer-led regional partnership designed to strengthen the pork industry through collaboration, shared resources, advocacy and innovation.
The Southeast Pork Alliance brings together the following organizations:
- Kentucky Pork Producers Association
- Tennessee Pork Producers Association
- Mississippi Pork Producers Association
- Alabama Pork Producers
- Georgia Pork Producers Association
- Florida Pork Improvement Group
Though they will be united under the Southeast Pork Alliance, each participating organization will remain an independent state association with its own board of directors, governance/membership, and identity. Each state’s board of directors voted to adopt the alliance and become a founding member. The alliance will be governed by a joint council consisting of two representatives from each participating state, elected by their respective state boards, the alliance said in a release.
“I believe our greatest strength is each other. The Southeast Pork Alliance is about sharing resources, building relationships, and using our collective strengths to bring value back to the producers and state associations we serve while keeping our industry strong for the future,” says Katie Sherman, chairwoman of the Southeast Pork Alliance.
What is the Mission of the Southeast Pork Alliance?
The Southeast Pork Alliance brings together leaders, producers and partners to strengthen the pork industry through collaboration, education, advocacy and innovation. It exists to create meaningful impact today while building a stronger future for generations to come.
“The Southeast Pork Alliance will benefit Kentucky producers and producers across the Southeast by creating a united front. This coalition of states will allow us to protect our entire region from unfair and unrealistic practices that threaten our ability to provide the highest standards of animal care and husbandry. Not only will this Alliance help protect our freedom to operate; it will also help drive pork consumption across the region,” says Michael Williford, vice president of the Kentucky Pork Producers Association.
Southeast Pork Alliance Leadership
Chairwoman: Katie Sherman
Vice Chairman: Daniel Tubbs
Joint Council Members
Kentucky: Annie Tolle and Michael Williford
Tennessee: Katie Sherman and Dr. Seth Krantz
Mississippi: Sean Boe and Terry Emerson
Alabama: Daniel Tubbs and Sammie Lee Stone
Georgia: Robert Dove and Matt Anderson
Florida: Ricky Lyons and Kyle Mendes
What is the Value of Regional Collaboration?
The Southeast Pork Alliance wants to ensure that state associations remain strong and sustainable while expanding opportunities for producers throughout the region. Through shared staffing, coordinated programming and collaborative management support, the alliance will allow state organizations to continue thriving while increasing efficiency and capacity, the alliance explains.
The partnership also creates new opportunities to attract emerging leaders, expand grassroots’ involvement, and invest in the next generation of pork producers.
“The Southeast Pork Alliance isn’t about building a bigger organization — it’s about building a smarter one. By sharing the talent and expertise of our people across state lines, we’re maximizing human capital, eliminating unnecessary duplication, and delivering greater value to producers,” says Niki Ellis, executive director of the Kentucky Pork Producers Association.
Supplying Pork to a Rapidly Growing Region
The Southeast represents one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States. Population growth continues to outpace growth in pork production, creating both opportunities and challenges for the industry.
- Tennessee experienced one of the nation’s fastest population increases in 2025, with the Nashville metropolitan area growing at roughly twice the national average.
- Georgia has added more than 500,000 residents over the past five years.
- Florida continues to welcome an estimated 550 new residents each day.
While consumer demand continues to grow, the number of pork producers has remained the same or declined in many areas.
“The Southeast Pork Alliance aims to capitalize on this opportunity by promoting pork to a rapidly expanding consumer base while strengthening the industry’s voice throughout the region,” the alliance says. “As new residents bring diverse perspectives and changing expectations about food and agriculture, maintaining a strong producer presence will be critical to protecting the future of pork production and advancing sound agricultural policy.”
What is the Story Behind the Alliance?
The idea for the Southeast Pork Alliance began in 2022 through conversations with Tennessee producer Jimmy Tosh of Henry, Tenn. Those discussions focused on finding better ways to leverage producer checkoff investments and collaborate across state lines, the alliance says.
Meanwhile, the National Pork Board convened the Joint State Visioning Task Force in 2022 and 2023. The producer-led task force brought together representatives from across the U.S. to address a critical question: How do we make our state pork associations stronger? Among its key recommendations were encouraging greater collaboration between states, reducing duplication of efforts and elevating programs through strategic partnerships.
Those conversations and the task force’s recommendations spurred the Kentucky Pork Producers Association and the Tennessee Pork Producers Association to establish a strategic partnership that demonstrated the value of sharing staff expertise, programming and operational resources while allowing each state organization to maintain its own governance and identity. Building on that success, leaders from additional southern state pork associations joined the conversation, ultimately leading to the creation of the Southeast Pork Alliance.
Regional partnerships have proven successful throughout agriculture and are becoming increasingly common within the pork industry. In 2023, the Virginia Pork Council entered into a professional management agreement with the North Carolina Pork Council to provide administrative and financial support. The Southeast Pork Alliance builds upon that collaborative model while creating a producer-led organization focused specifically on advancing the interests of pork producers across the Southeast, the alliance explains.
“Right now, large metropolitan school districts like Nashville and Chicago restrict or deny pork on school menus,” Williford says. “It’s our job as producers and farmer leaders to share the story of our product and promote pork as a healthy, lean source of protein for all. Kentucky Pork Producers is strong on its own, but being part of the Southeast Pork Alliance makes us even stronger.”
