PORKtober

3 Messages Pork Industry Leaders Want You to Hear in PORKtober

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 19:03:10 GMT

Although National Pork Month may not show up on everyone’s calendar, we think this special month deserves a little extra attention. Fall leaves and pumpkin spice lattes are delightful, but they don’t even begin to compare to bacon in our book.

Although October, aka “Pork Month,” used to be the time of year when hogs were traditionally marketed, this month has now become a time to celebrate and show pork producers how much we appreciate the important role they play in feeding the world.

As we celebrate the taste of pork, let’s remember the many people who have invested in making this industry better over the years. From the people advancing technology on pig farms across the country to the people providing amazing individual care to each and every pig, the hard work, time and energy that go into this industry are noticed and appreciated.

“Our advocacy works. Producer voices are being heard. This year alone, our engagement was critical in securing a favorable tax package, funding for the Swine Health Improvement Plan (SHIP), and vital protections against foreign animal diseases, among other wins for our industry. These successes prove that when we speak up, we can shape our own future. But the work is never done, and if we aren’t telling our own story, someone else will. National Pork Producers Council is a conduit for the collective voice of the pork industry. Let’s build on this momentum and together continue to be our own best advocates. Our legacy depends on it.” — Bryan Humphreys, National Pork Producers Council, CEO

“The one thing pork producers need to hear right now is that demand for U.S. pork around the globe is very strong, particularly for cuts that are undervalued in the U.S. We were just in Guatemala for our Latin American Product Showcase, bringing U.S. exporters together with buyers from 18 countries across Central and South America and the Caribbean, and those buyers were asking about U.S. pork loins and hams, as well as jowls and other variety meats. And robust pork sales around the world are being fueled by strong market access in countries like Mexico which has already purchased more than $1.5 billion in U.S. pork this year, as well as Central America, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Korea, all key free trade agreement partner regions.” — Dan Halstrom, United States Meat Export Federation, president and CEO

“National Pork Month is a perfect opportunity to recognize the resilience of our state pork associations and the producers they represent. NPB is committed to helping states and producers anticipate and adapt to continuous change in order to elevate pork’s position, presence and consumer appeal. This is how we can build trust and add value for U.S. pork worldwide. Thank you for your ongoing support of your Pork Checkoff.” — Brett Kaysen, National Pork Board, senior vice president of producer and state engagement

7 Pork Stories You Don't Want to Miss This Month

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 17:25:11 GMT

ICYMI, we had a busy month highlighting important stories about the pork industry and having a little fun, too! With harvest in full swing, we know you are busy and put together this round-up of seven stories #PORKtober you don’t want to miss.

The Pork Podcast with guest Jesse Heimer

(Lori Hays)

1. We Need to Foster Alignment Within All Segments of the U.S. Pork Industry
Missouri pork producer Jesse Heimer joins The Pork Podcast to discuss people, pigs and purpose, and how the showpig and commercial segments can work together to make the pork industry viable for generations to come.

How to Decide Which Tech to Invest in Next

(Lori Hays)

2. Purposeful Purchases: How to Decide Which Technology to Invest in Next
Purchasing technology is a major investment for any pork operation. From robotic power washers to cameras, there’s a lot to consider when it comes time to making purchases for your barn.

Judge Kyndal Reitzenstein congratulates my daughter at Rhe Exposition.

(Legacy Livestock Imaging)

3. I’ll Never Regret Giving Them the Stock Show Life
It’s often in the moments you least expect, that someone is watching and learning from what you’re doing. As a mom of three, I think about that a lot.

The PORK Podcast - Episode 2 Guest Bryan Humphreys

(Lori Hays)

4. Don’t Back Down From the Hard Stuff in the Pork Industry
With a healthy dose of optimism and realism, Bryan Humphreys, National Pork Producers Council CEO, shares how the organization is tackling the farm bill, Prop 12, dietary guidelines, the Clean Water Act and more.

Developing technology solutions that are cost effective and create tangible value is a challenging but worthwhile endeavor, says Caleb Shull of The Maschhoffs.

(iStock/Lori Hays)

5. How to Use Real-Time Data Better in Growing Pig Operations
While technologies such as electronic reporting systems, sensors, cameras and microphones offer exciting potential, they carry significant risk to production systems.

Episode 3 of The PORK Podcast

(Lori Hays)

6. Out-of-the-Box Promotion Garners National Attention for Pork and Iowa State Football
Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon. You may have heard the phrase and seen the videos. On the third episode of The PORK Podcast, hosted by Farm Journal’s PORK editor, Jennifer Shike, you’ll hear a little more about how a play on words and a viral photo turned into a successful campaign promoting the Iowa pork industry.

The relationship between pork and soy is symbiotic, where the nutrient cycle directly affects the efficiency and sustainability of both crop and livestock production.

(National Pork Board and the Pork Checkoff)

7. Pork and Soy Team Up for a Sustainable Future
The stakes are higher than ever, and the transparency required to maintain consumer trust means the industry and producers alike must be aligned on environmental goals.

Your Next Read: USDA Reports First H5N1 Detection in Swine

How an Iowa Family is Passing on the Farm from One Generation to the Next

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:06:46 GMT

Before he went to kindergarten, Joel Huber was already the topic of conversation among farmers in Wellman, Iowa. To say he was born to be a farmer is an understatement.

“I’ll always remember Joel as the 5-year-old who could work his way around anything. One time his dad put a governor on their snowmobile to try to slow Joel down. It wasn’t long before Joel figured out how to take off the governor so he could go fast,” says Steve Bohr, a former neighbor and long-time family friend who runs an estate planning business in Lisbon, Iowa. “That type of hands-on work is what agriculture is all about.”

Joel will be the first to tell you he’s a lucky man. From the time he could walk, he knew farming was what he wanted to do. Although he assumed he’d end up at an ag school, he took advantage of an opportunity to play football at Central College and majored in environmental science. He says it opened his mind to new ideas and perspectives. After college, his parents, John and Shirleen, insisted he find real-world experience off the farm before coming back to the family row crop and hog operation in Washington County, Iowa.

“I’m glad I did that,” Joel says. “I spent a couple years as an elevator manager with ADM and a couple years as a maintenance manager at Pella Windows. I learned a lot from both experiences and was able to bring back valuable ideas on employee management to our farm.”

Generation by Generation
Today, Joel is living out his dream on the family farm alongside his wife, Laura; his sister, Jolisa and her husband, Derek; and his parents.

“I knew what to expect from the farm when my wife and I came back,” Joel says. “But farming is unique. My old jobs didn’t demand 24/7 attention. Initially, I wanted to focus more on row crops and less on hogs. As I got into the farm, I figured out for our operation, hogs are a steadier source of income, so we ended up focusing on both.”

From the start, John handed off specific responsibilities for Joel to take over and ‘own.’ Joel’s willingness to be trained and to learn from others helped make the transition easier.

Pigs in the Huber family’s barn.

(Iowa Pork Producers Association)

“Of course, my dad and I don’t see eye to eye on everything,” Joel says. “I wanted to do things differently in some areas, and I was fortunate dad let me. He turned over the employees and new technology. It was my job to make them work. I thought that was a good way to start the succession process.”

Although it wasn’t easy to give up the final say on some things, his dad believed that sharing leadership opportunities was an important step in the process.

“Dad still owns a few pigs and his land,” Joel explains. “My sister and I rent it 50/50 from him. My brother, Jacob, is not interested in the work of the farm, but he is supportive. I think we have a solid succession plan and know where things will transition as mom and dad move on.”

A Proactive Approach
However, that plan just didn’t happen. When John and Shirleen reached out to Steve Bohr with Farm Financial Strategies about 15 years ago to begin the conversation about transitioning the family farm to the next generation, Bohr admits he was impressed with their timing.

“John and Shirleen were very proactive in getting the kids involved in ownership as part of the process,” Bohr says. “Having the foresight to develop a plan and then actually facilitating it while the kids have the opportunity to grow into the situation is paramount. That’s been key to the Huber family’s success.”

One of the challenges when turning over the farm to the next generation is there’s a bit of a misunderstanding of what succession planning is … and what it isn’t.

Succession planning is not estate planning, Bohr explains. These are two very different things that often get lumped together. He defines succession planning as how a family transitions a lifetime of meaningful work in a way that cash flows in this world.

“There’s a financial part of succession planning, and there’s an emotional part. The combination of the two make it really challenging,” Bohr says.

Although Joel’s parents still have some entities and ownership, they’ve turned management and control over to their children while they are in their prime years (35 to 50 years old), he adds.

“To me, that is succession planning. That’s what we need to do to give people the opportunity to achieve business success,” Bohr says.

John and Shirleen’s entities are backed with shareholder agreements and operator agreements that limit what outsiders can do.

“Whether it’s a divorce, bankruptcy, a creditor, or if one of them just retires or dies, a shock to the system will not cause that family grief. Right now, they have enough problems in the pork industry without a shock to the system creating an additional earthquake in their world,” Bohr says. “To John and Shirleen’s credit, they’ve gotten out of the way for the most part to let Joel and Jolisa take it to the moon or run it into the ground.”

The Huber family’s farm

(Iowa Pork Producers Association)

However, it’s hard to step aside and hand over control. All too often, parents hold on to everything until they die, but Bohr says that’s detrimental to a good succession plan if they want the farm to continue.

“It’s a balancing act to get that next generation going. Arrogantly, we think we’re the best and our kids don’t do it as well as we will,” he points out. “The fear of something bad happening keeps us from transitioning, from doing what we really probably should.”

Why You Need a Succession Plan on the Farm
The future of agriculture hangs on the individual family’s ability or inability to have a good succession plan, Bohr believes.

Today, 33% to 35% of all land is owned by people ages 75 and older. Meanwhile, 66% is owned by people who are 65 years old. If those people hold on to all that property until they die (and they’re living longer), Bohr wonders what agriculture will look like when this huge amount of wealth transfers at values that are not cash-flowable?

“One of our biggest nemeses, ironically, is one of our best tools – basis step-up. That concept in agriculture runs the risk of gutting us,” he says. “It often takes people 50 years to build an estate. Then, when they die, they expect the next generation to buy it out in nine months. That same asset that took somebody 50 years to build now doesn’t cash flow because of what’s going on in the subsidization of the land market. We’re building ourselves an enormous problem that is unsustainable for the next generation to be able to take it over.”

That’s why families need to begin planning early to put the next generation in a position to be able to compete and afford to grow, buy assets and make a living.

“We’re failing miserably at that right now,” Bohr says. “Farming is a tough business, physically, mentally and financially. You don’t want the reward at the end to be upset by a lack of thought or a lack of planning.”

Where Should You Start?
In addition to helping navigate everyone’s feelings about the process, Joel says having an advisor’s insight has been very important in understanding regulations, estate taxes and more.

“As with everything there is a cost, but his expertise is worth it,” Joel says. “There are so many rules and regulations, and the estate tax exemptions are a moving target. Having someone who knows what’s going on and how to best help you is invaluable.”

Advisors can help answer the big questions such as how can we plan to best protect the farm? How do we pass it on to the next generation?”

Joel and Laura Huber at their farm near Wellman, Iowa.

(Iowa Pork Producers Association)

Bohr recommends starting the process by building a strong team. In a perfect world, he encourages producers to interview three different consultants, three different attorneys and three different accountants to find the right people for the team.

Don’t Overlook This Part
Developing a succession plan takes time and hard work. So, don’t waste that by failing to communicate it with your family, Bohr advises. His company offers a family meeting for every family, and only 60% of the families take them up on it. The other 40% don’t want to rock the boat.

“If we know there’s an issue, we may as well deal with it,” he says. “It’s like driving a combine. If you start hearing a noise, you don’t hammer down and think it’s going to go away. It’s going to get worse, and eventually it’s going to break.”

He admires how the Huber family has involved all three kids in various capacities in the process.

“Everyone knows their role,” Bohr says. “They may not always agree, but they’re on the same page and their plans align with their goals.”

They also keep talking. An initial plan has been established, but it’s re-evaluated and reviewed as the operation and their lives change.

“To be honest with you, the Huber’s plan wasn’t ‘done’ 15 years ago when we first sat down to talk. It’s always evolving,” Bohr says.

He reminds producers nobody has a crystal ball to know what the future holds. That’s why he encourages people to plan with an exit strategy in mind.

“Most people plan, thinking of it in terms of getting into it,” Bohr says. “I believe we’ve got to think about how we’re going to get out of it.”

How do you know if you’ve made the right succession plan? He says time will tell.

“Everybody’s goals are different. There is no one right plan,” Bohr says. “Aligning your goals with an action plan, whether you’re taking action now, later or a little of both, creates harmony — and that’s a successful succession plan.”

Your Next Read: Where Will the Next-Gen Swine Farm Managers Come From?

The Votes Are In: Meet the Winners of Our Farm-Themed Costume Contest

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 23:26:09 GMT

What do farmers, tractors, corn, veterinarians and combines have in common? They are the clever costumes that rose to the top in the Farm Journal’s PORK Farm-Themed Costume Contest.

After a panel of three costume experts (aka Farm Journal friends Amy Mills, Taylor Leach and Cheyenne Kramer) narrowed down the 20 contest entries to a top 5, those entries were shared on social media for the final vote. The top two will receive gift cards from Farm Journal’s PORK.

“It wasn’t easy to select a winner for this contest. Each costume showcased next-level creativity and many were clearly a labor of love for the whole family. It’s great to see the next generation getting excited about life on the farm,” judge Cheyenne Kramer says.

The top five winners are as follows:

The Farmer and Cow

(Kim Hall)

1st place: Farmer and Cow
“This little farmer and his trusty cow are ready to take on chores and candy-collecting alike,” says Judge Taylor Leach. “That trusty tractor is sure to put on a few hours on Halloween night!”

The adorable farmer and cow entry submitted by Rebecca Fields of Midland, Mich., won the most votes in the contest. The photo was taken of Logan, 4, and Lillian, 8 months, earlier this month, Fields says.

“My son loves all things farming, and he wanted to be a farmer for Halloween. Making his baby sister a cow seemed like the perfect addition for the farm theme,” Fields says. “He loves to watch the farm equipment in the field, so I thought having him sit on the John Deere tractor with the corn field in the background was so fitting. Getting to haul around his sister in the trailer was just an added bonus!”

John Deere Tractor and Corn

(Dallas Klauser)

2nd place: John Deere Tractor and Corn
“A tractor and an ear of corn go hand-in-hand in farming,” says judge Amy Mills. “And these adorable costumes and kids remind us that the best memories are made together—whether on a farm or at Halloween!”

This popular entry was submitted by Dallas Klauser of Liberty, Ill., featuring her kids Chisum (left) and Hayzen from Halloween 2023.

“Chisum asked to be a combine for Halloween, and I always try to do family theme costumes,” Klauser said regarding her inspiration for the costume combo.

Case IH combine

(Kristen Farney)

3rd place: Case IH Combine
“It’s obvious the amount of work and attention to detail that went into this costume during a season that’s already so busy for farm families,” says judge Cheyenne Kramer of this year’s third-place winner. “It will definitely be one this family talks about for years to come with fond memories.”

This creative entry of Oliver, 4, was submitted by Kristen Farney of Philo, Ill. She took the photo in early October.

“Oliver is obsessed with any and everything farming. My family farms locally and most of our machinery is Case IH. So when we asked Oli what he wanted to be for Halloween this year he said he wanted to be a red Case IH combine with a bean head and so my husband took some materials we had laying around and made Oli’s dreams come true,” Farney says. “We have since added lights to the front to guide his way through his night harvests! And if you are around Oli when he has it on, you will hear the sounds of a combine.”

John Deere Tractor

(Maddie Stierwalt)

4th place: John Deere Tractor
“What great imagination and creativity this costume shows. Plus the scene captures the heart of childhood on the farm, where simple joys and endless adventures come to life with the beautiful evening sky,” Mills says of the fourth place winner.

Henry, 3, is excited to take this replica of his Pappy’s John Deere 4440 out on Halloween night.

“Henry loves tractors and helping on the farm,” says his mom Maddie Stierwalt who created his eye-catching costume.

Veterinarian and Vet-in-Training

(Beth Hege)

5th place: Veterinarian and Vet-in-Training
“Dressed for the job he dreams of! This kid is stepping into big boots,” Leach says of the fifth-place winner. “A future vet in the making? We think so!”

Veterinarian Jake Hege and his son, Owen, dressed up together as veterinarians a few years ago, says Beth Hege of Rensselaer, Ind., who took the photo 10 years ago.

“Owen always wanted to dress like his dad at that age. When we asked him that year what he wanted to be for Halloween, he said, ‘a cow doctor like dad.’ I fortunately found some green coveralls online and he added the sleeve that evening for an accessory,” Hege says.

Your Next Read: The Best Halloween Costumes Tie Back to the Farm

What 4 Food Influencers Really Think About Pork

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:44:38 GMT

Flavor. Versatility. Convenience. The experts agree that pork wins on so many fronts when it comes time to prep your next meal.

As PORKtober wraps up, here’s a look back at four food influencers who proudly cook with pork and encourage others to do the same with enticing and delicious recipes featuring this versatile protein. From Pulled Pork Chili to Crispy Pork Belly Tacos and Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder to Better Than Gas Station Breakfast Pizza, these recipes are sure to please!

Pulled Pork Chili

(This Farm Girl Cooks)

This Farm Girl Cooks: How a Farm Wife is Changing Lives Through Food
Deanne Frieders has always considered herself an introvert. So, if you would have told her she’d be a familiar face and influence in households across the country someday, she would have laughed at you.

However, in her late 30’s, she married her husband and left her corporate job so they could build their family of six on the farm in Waterman, Ill. Her new role included helping drop off meals, uncovering a passion that’s led her to start up “This Farm Girl Cooks.”

“Little did I know my role change would help hundreds of thousands answer the question, ‘What’s for dinner?’” she says.

She created a tribe of farm wives to connect with and life has never been the same. Read more and check out her recipe for Pulled Pork Chili.

Crispy Pork Belly Tacos

(Marco Antonio Sanchez)

Sizzlin’ Hot Crispy Pork Tacos by Woodfire + Whiskey Bring Out Pork’s Amazing Flavor
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Marco Antonio Sanchez decided he needed something to do with the extra time on his hands. For this Turlock, Calif., native, who has a passion for breakdancing, it was an opportunity to cook more.

Not only does he love to cook for people, but he enjoys pairing foods, especially pork, with whiskey – hence the name of his account, Woodfire + Whiskey.

“Pork belly is my favorite protein. I mean come on, its bacon,” Sanchez says. “Pork is so flavorful in its many forms, but my absolute favorite is crispy pork skin. When a whole hog is roasted over an open fire and then crisped up at the end, it’s just magic. I love that glassy red crispy pork skin fresh out of the smoker, too.”

One of the reasons why pork is such a great protein to cook with is its flavor, he points out. Read more and check out his recipe for Crispy Pork Belly Tacos.

Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

(Jenny Goycochea-Marker)

Here’s Why So Much Food Star Says Pork is Her Favorite Protein
Former professional chef Jenny Goycochea-Marker spent 10 years in San Diego, Calif., running her own kitchens. But when she moved to San Antonio, Texas, seven years ago, she was looking for a new pace.

“I was at the point where I didn’t want to keep up with the hustle and bustle of kitchen life, but I still wanted food and cooking to be a large part of my life. I started a website to share my favorite recipes and since then it’s morphed into a successful business that I’m proud to call my full-time job,” Goycochea-Marker says.

“So Much Food” provides her with an opportunity to share her love for food with others in an even bigger way than before. She loves how food brings people together. Read more and check out her recipe for Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder.

Better Than Gas Station Breakfast Pizza

(Jenna Siegel Meteer)

Siegel Meteer Reveals Her Better Than Gas Station Breakfast Pizza
Farming is tough. For Jenna Siegel Meteer of Bement, Ill., creating her own cookbook was a little way she could help farm families thrive during planting and harvest and stock show families survive state fair season.

“Farming is emotionally and mentally draining,” Siegel Meteer says. “There is so much stress when it is go-time. To me, being able to showcase recipes specifically designed for this amount of chaos, is one way to release a burden from those trying to feed their families delicious meals with minimal time. We were also a sports family, and this cookbook has been designed for those on-the-go families, too.”

She admits the cookbook idea started from a place of service. Read more and check out her recipe for Better Than Gas Station Breakfast Pizza .

Your Next Read: Out-of-the-Box Promotion Garners National Attention for Pork and Iowa State Football

Out-of-the-Box Promotion Garners National Attention for Pork and Iowa State Football

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 16:19:08 GMT

Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon. You may have heard the phrase and seen the videos. On the third episode of The PORK Podcast, hosted by Farm Journal’s PORK editor, Jennifer Shike, you’ll hear a little more about how a play on words and a viral photo turned into a successful campaign promoting the Iowa pork industry.

Iowa State University (ISU) linebacker Caleb Bacon and Iowa Pork Producers Association’s Communications Director Kevin Hall joined Shike to discuss football, all things pork and how the industry used this opportunity to promote pork while giving back to local communities through pork donations.

Bacon, who hails from rural Lake Mills, Iowa, says he always wanted to play for Iowa State and walked on to the team and played as a linebacker in 2023. Unfortunately he was injured at the beginning of the 2024 season, but is on the mend and continues to serve as a team leader.

“It’s definitely different leading when you’re injured, but it’s still just being there for your teammates, not treating it any different than if you’re playing right now,” Bacon says. “They respect the leaders. You give them respect back and it all meshes together.”

Working with the players has been a great experience, Hall says.

“They’ve been great ambassadors for the pork industry, as well as great ambassadors for Iowa State University, and really the whole state of Iowa,” he shares.

Producers have been pleased with the campaign as it’s been a fun and out-of-the-box way to bring pork to the minds of consumers.

“It’s been a joy to see the ‘Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon’ campaign go viral and touch people across our state and country,” Trish Cook, a pig farmer from Winthrop, Iowa, told Shike before the podcast. “It has put smiles on producers’ faces to see such a creative way to showcase our products.”

A partnership with Hy-Vee grocery stores has also been an added element to this year’s campaign, Hall notes.

“This year we’re going to be able to track it better and get some results back from Hy-Vee on how much pork they are able to sell during this fall tailgating season,” Hall says.

One of Bacon’s favorite parts of the campaign has been the creativity of joining with his teammates to make the videos. He also enjoyed being able to visit his hometown to present $1,000 worth of pork to the local food bank.

“To see some of the people at the food bank light up, it was really cool,” he says. “That $1,000 definitely made an impact.”

Tune into the latest podcast on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast channels, including iTunes , Spotify , etc.

Your Next Read: Don’t Back Down From Hard Stuff In Pork Industry

The Future of the Food Supply Chain Depends On Your Choices Today

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 22:20:44 GMT

The future of food depends on sustainable farming — and pork and soybean producers are leading the charge to protect both the planet and the supply chain.

When the word “sustainability” comes to mind, many think of practices that maintain resources and ensure the future of production agriculture. Today, the sustainability stakes are higher than ever.

Lucas Lentsch, CEO of the United Soybean Board, says sustainability is more than just a buzzword.

“It’s something farmers believe in. It’s about ensuring multiple generations can continue farming while maintaining public trust,” he explains.

This commitment is woven into farming operations in numerous ways, including nutrient management, crop rotation and resource stewardship. But why does this matter? The food system is interconnected, and the choices made on farms today will determine the health of the land and the security of the food supply.

The sustainability stakes are higher than ever.

(National Pork Board and the Pork Checkoff)

In 2018, the pork and soybean commodity organizations recognized their interdependence. Corn and soy provide feed for pigs, and in turn, pigs help maintain soil health through the nutrients their manure provides.

“ 60% of the cost and impact of sustainability in pork production comes from the feed the hogs consume ,” says Bill Even, CEO of the National Pork Board.

The relationship between these sectors is symbiotic, where the nutrient cycle directly affects the efficiency and sustainability of both crop and livestock production.

“You take livestock nutrients, put them on the land to grow corn and soybeans, which becomes feed for the pigs, and out pops a ham,” Even explains.

This cycle, while often overlooked by the broader public, is a key reason why on-farm sustainability matters so much. It’s not just about individual farm practices — it’s about sustaining an entire food system that millions rely on daily. Farmers have always focused on sustainability, even if it went by other names such as conservation or stewardship.

“It’s doing the right thing when nobody’s looking because you know it’s the right thing to do,” Lentsch says.

As consumer demands for sustainability have grown, particularly in the food supply chain, farmers are stepping up to meet those expectations. Restaurants and retailers now seek sustainably produced pork and soybeans, pushing producers to share their progress transparently.

A farmer spreads feed on a mat for a new group of pigs.

(National Pork Board and the Pork Checkoff)

“They know as a brand they have to do their part,” Lentsch says. “It’s all integrated from the farm gate through to the consumer’s grocery experience.”

To back up these claims, the National Pork Board has developed the Pork Cares Farm Impact Report , a third-party verified, personalized report that is also aggregated for state and national pork associations. This transparency is essential for maintaining consumer trust and showing that pork producers are aligned with larger environmental goals.

While the cost of implementing sustainability practices can be a concern for farmers, Even points out these practices can actually boost a farm’s credibility and market competitiveness. Programs such as USDA’s “ Farmers for Soil Health ” initiative are helping to make sustainability more accessible. The program is an initiative backed by National Pork Board, United Soybean Board and National Corn Growers Association through the USDA Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities. It aims to double the number of corn and soybean acres using cover crops by 2030, which will significantly improve soil health and farm resilience in the long run.

Both the National Pork Board and United Soybean Board are farmer-led organizations, ensuring that decisions about sustainability are made by those who understand the industry’s challenges firsthand. These efforts aren’t just about environmental responsibility — they’re about ensuring the future of farming in an increasingly competitive and resource-constrained world.

“Would you miss us if we were gone?” Lentsch asks. “The entire food chain would miss what farmers do, whether it’s raising pork, poultry or the commodities that feed them. It’s all part of an integrated society.”

His point is clear: Sustainability isn’t just important for farmers — it’s critical for the future of the entire food supply chain, and ultimately, for all consumers.

Your Next Read: Don’t Back Down From the Hard Stuff in the Pork Industry

Siegel Meteer Reveals Her Better Than Gas Station Breakfast Pizza

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 21:33:31 GMT

Farming is tough. For Jenna Siegel Meteer of Bement, Ill., creating her own cookbook was a little way she could help farm families thrive during planting and harvest and stock show families survive state fair season.

“Farming is emotionally and mentally draining,” Siegel Meteer says. “There is so much stress when it is go-time. To me, being able to showcase recipes specifically designed for this amount of chaos, is one way to release a burden from those trying to feed their families delicious meals with minimal time. We were also a sports family, and this cookbook has been designed for those on-the-go families, too.”

She admits the cookbook idea started from a place of service.

“How many farm wives, sports moms, and busy people out there need new ideas for meals that don’t require hours of prep? I know a lot of them!” she laughs. “I wanted to give the tools my mom and grandmothers taught me to those who didn’t have the same background I did. All of the recipes include ‘tips and tricks’ that can help readers make things in advance, freeze, use a slow cooker, etc.”

Her cookbook, “ Moments Together: Recipes For Those Who Can’t Always Gather Around A Table, But Cherish Every Memory Shared With Loved Ones ,” was released last March.

Growing up in central Ohio, Siegel Meteer was very involved in both production and junior livestock. Today, she raises seedstock Hereford cattle with her husband Chance and plans to get a sow herd started in the future, too.

When she wasn’t in the barn, she loved spending time in the kitchen learning from several women who helped her discover a love for cooking.

“My mom is a wonderful cook and baker, and always included my sister and I in the kitchen. My Grandma Siegel and I used to make ‘cooking show’ home videos. My mom’s mom and my stepdad’s mom are also great cooks and inspired me to continue to improve,” she says. “I had amazing women to look up to in the kitchen and in being excellent wives and matriarchs, too.”

She also grew up with a freezer full of pork and beef. Today pork continues to be a staple in her meal planning.

“Pork really does dominate breakfast, but for us as a family, pork is a dinner staple. Lean ground pork is a frequent flyer in our household, as are boneless chops and other cuts. For us, pork is a lean, healthy, nutrient-rich protein that never disappoints on flavor and is crucial for our busy and health-conscious lifestyle,” Siegel Meteer says.

Pork’s versatility is a bonus, she adds. Pork can work in almost any recipe that calls for different protein sources. She loves to find new ways to use traditional cuts.

“Whether I’m slow cooking, oven roasting, pan frying, you name it, there really is a cut for all lifestyles and time restraints,” Siegel Meteer says.

Better Than Gas Station Breakfast Pizza
By Jenna Siegel Meteer

Pork dominates breakfast. Siegel Meteer wanted to share a different twist on a Midwest favorite.

“If you know, you know!” Siegel Meteer says. “My husband and I love to have this after church on Sundays. This recipe is so yummy.”

In her mind, the crust is worth the effort.

“I know some readers will see the homemade crust element and be nervous it will be difficult,” she says. “I promise you it is fall-over easy! I also love that leftovers keep well, and you more than likely will have some extra sausage and bacon to use in other recipes throughout the week.”

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. active dry yeast
1 c. warm water
1 lb. sage breakfast sausage, ground
1 lb. bacon
3 eggs
2 c. shredded Colby jack cheese
4 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
¼ c. milk
1 T. olive oil
½ T. butter

Directions:
1. Start by prepping the crust. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, salt, garlic powder and yeast. Slowly stir in the warm water until a sticky dough forms. Cover with a towel and sit on the counter to rise for one hour.

2. While the dough is rising, cook ground sausage. Once browned and cooked through, drain on a paper towel and set aside.

3. Cook the bacon to your desired level of crispness. Drain, chop up and set aside.

4. Scramble eggs in the ½ T. of butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

5. Once all your meat and eggs are prepped, see how much time is left on your dough. I like to wait until I have about 15 minutes left on the timer to prep the ‘sauce.’ Once you are down to the last 15 minutes of rise time, preheat oven to 500 degrees.

6. In a nonstick pot, add Velveeta cubes and milk. Turn heat on medium-low, and slow consistently until a smooth, creamy sauce forms.

7. Once your dough has risen for the full hour, assemble the pizza. Using a 10- to 12-inch cast iron pan, brush the entire pan with the olive oil. Once greased, drop the dough into the cast iron pan and use your fingers to spread it to the edges. I suggest adding a little oil to your fingers to discourage sticking.

8. Once your dough is spread evenly, add the cheese sauce to the top. Evenly spread to the edges of the pizza dough. Next, add 1 c. of shredded Colby jack cheese. Follow the cheese with the scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon. I normally end up using about half of both meats.

9. Top with the second cup of Colby jack cheese. Bake for 20 minutes at 500 degrees.

10. Once baked, allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before enjoying.

Your Next #PORKtober Read: Here’s Why So Much Food Star Says Pork is Her Favorite Protein

Don't Back Down From the Hard Stuff in the Pork Industry

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:33:16 GMT

On the second episode of The PORK Podcast, host Jennifer Shike welcomes Bryan Humphreys, CEO of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), to share the story behind the story.

Humphreys grew up on an Iowa pig farm, but he knew as one of three boys, returning to the farm would not be an option. He graduated from Iowa State with a degree in political science, and worked on several local and national campaigns, before finding his way to the policy side with NPPC and Ohio Pork Council. He began his current role at NPPC in December 2021.

“It has been 100 miles an hour ever since, but it’s been a fun ride so far,” he says of being CEO.

One thing he’s learned: There’s never a shortage of issues and opportunities for the U.S. pork industry.

“I don’t know that we can do a podcast or a discussion or an interview of any kind in 2024 and not talk about the impact of the farm bill,” he says. “That is a big issue for us, not only because of all of our asks included in there around disease prevention and preparedness, but also obviously the solution to Proposition 12 and the continuation of a patchwork of legislative and regulatory hurdles for producers if we don’t find a solution.”

Humphreys is quick to mention NPPC isn’t afraid to tackle the big issues affecting the pork industry.

“NPPC doesn’t get involved in something when it’s sunshine and rainbows and everything is going swimmingly,” Humphreys points out. “We get involved when it’s tough. And with that, you have to have a certain amount of optimism that, yeah, it’s tough, but we’re going to get through it.”

While Humphreys admits there are big issues facing the industry, there have been some big wins lately too, including being present at United Nations discussions regarding antibiotic use in livestock production. By having a seat at the table, NPPC made clear the detrimental impact of a UN resolution to decrease antibiotic use in livestock by 30% to 33%.

“At the end of that conversation, the UN General Assembly came out and said, ‘We want to work with the industry to continue to work on antibiotic stewardship and ensure that farms are continuing to work with their veterinarians through a VCPR,’ and those are things we’re already doing,” he says.

Other topics of note on the second episode of the PORK podcast include how NPPC:

Engages with producers to understand their on-farm challenges and priorities.
Maintains strong relationships with legislators, regulators and other stakeholders to stay informed and advocate for the industry.
Develops the next generation of industry leaders through the NPPC/Pork Board Immersion Program.

To hear more of the conversation, The PORK Podcast is available to watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite podcast channels — iTunes , Spotify .

Your Next Read: We Need to Foster Alignment Within All Segments of the U.S. Pork Industry

Here’s Why So Much Food Star Says Pork is Her Favorite Protein

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 13:40:59 GMT

Former professional chef Jenny Goycochea-Marker spent 10 years in San Diego, Calif., running her own kitchens. But when she moved to San Antonio, Texas, seven years ago, she was looking for a new pace.

“I was at the point where I didn’t want to keep up with the hustle and bustle of kitchen life, but I still wanted food and cooking to be a large part of my life. I started a website to share my favorite recipes and since then it’s morphed into a successful business that I’m proud to call my full-time job,” Goycochea-Marker says.

“ So Much Food ” provides her with an opportunity to share her love for food with others in an even bigger way than before.

“My family has always been big into cooking,” she says. “I’ve been passionate about it since I was a kid.”

She loves how food brings people together.

“I get a lot of joy from sharing food with people--whether that was cooking for others in a restaurant, or hosting friends in my home. Creating recipes that people make memories around with their friends and family is the ultimate privilege,” Goycochea-Marker says.

Why Pork?
Without a doubt, she says pork is her favorite protein.

“It’s so versatile! Every single cut is amazing, and it has the unique ability to absorb flavor in ways that beef just can’t at times,” Goycochea-Marker explains.

Plus, it’s really forgiving to work with, she adds.

“Especially if you’re working with shoulder or butt--it’s flexible and it’s really hard to overcook but just about always turns out delicious. I also love leaner pork, like tenderloin, for meal prep. It’s a great source of protein with minimal fat,” Goycochea-Marker says.

In addition to being a “huge foodie” who loves to try out new bars and restaurants around town and when she and her husband travel, Goycochea-Marker loves spending time with their four rescue dogs, playing pickleball and being active.

“I used to play roller derby, but I still find time to skate for fun--it’s one of my favorite activities,” she says.

Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
By Jenny Goycochea-Marker, So Much Food

“Braising recipes are just my absolute favorite (so much so that I wrote a book about it!). I love cozy recipes that feature tender meat that I can serve over a mountain of mashed potatoes,” Goycochea-Marker says. “Pork shoulder is cooked low and slow in the oven in a mixture of fresh apple cider, dijon, onion and rosemary for the ultimate savory broth. Towards the end of cooking, we throw in some apples and onions and it’s the perfect pairing.”

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours, 45 min.
Serves: 6-8 people

Ingredients:
4-5 lb. pork shoulder roast or Boston butt roast*
2 T. neutral oil
2 c. fresh apple cider* (not apple cider vinegar)
2 c. chicken stock or broth
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. dehydrated minced onion
1 head of garlic, top sliced off opposite of the root end
3 rosemary sprigs
4 thyme sprigs
1 red onion, cut into thick slices
2 firm and slightly tart apples*, peeled and cut into wedges
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat an oven to 325 F.

2. Start by trimming the pork of excess fat, if there are large fat caps. Cut the pork into 4 large pieces, or leave it whole if it’s bone-in.

3. Pat the pork pieces dry with a paper towel and season liberally all over with kosher salt and pepper.

4. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, arrange the pork in a single layer. Sear for 4-5 minutes per side until the pork is deeply browned. Repeat on all sides. Depending on the size of your Dutch oven, you may need to do this in batches.

5. While the pork is searing, whisk together the cider, stock or broth, Dijon and dehydrated minced onion together and set aside. Use kitchen twine to tie the rosemary and thyme together in a small bundle.

6. Once the pork is browned all over, pour in the braising liquid. Arrange the herbs and garlic head in the pot with the pork, cover and place in the oven.

7. Braise for 3 hours or so (start checking at 2 and a half hours for boneless), flipping the pork halfway through. Once the pork is just shy of fork tender, remove the pork from the oven and arrange the onions and apples around the pork. Cover and return to the oven for another 30-45 minutes. The pork should be very tender at this point.

8. Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest in the braising liquid for 30 minutes before serving. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the husk into the broth or onto the pork. Season braising liquid to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the juices spooned over the pork, apples, and onions.

Notes:
*If you notice that your pork is especially fatty, consider trimming some excess fat before searing.
*The best apples are firm, slightly-tart apples like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Gala, etc.
Please know that apple cider is NOT the same as apple cider vinegar–do not use vinegar in place of apple cider for this recipe.

Your Next Read: Sizzlin’ Hot Crispy Pork Tacos by Woodfire + Whiskey Bring Out Pork’s Amazing Flavor

We Need to Foster Alignment Within All Segments of the U.S. Pork Industry

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:59:28 GMT

Having grown up showing and raising pigs, Jesse Heimer of Taylor, Mo., has a passion for helping people find opportunities in the pork industry. On the first episode of The PORK Podcast he joins host, Jennifer Shike, to share a little about his journey and the opportunities he sees for future generations to remain involved in raising pigs.

When Heimer graduated from college in 2003, he says no one in his close circle supported him staying in the swine industry. As a kid, he had a passion for raising and showing pigs, but was encouraged to exit as quickly as possible and find a different career.

So he did. He sold all his sows and left the industry for three years. But he returned in 2006. What brought him back?

“The simple answer is I missed pigs,” he says. “The production side of it — the actual pig farming if you will — is still the part that I’m really in love with on a daily basis.”

Beyond that Heimer is devoted to helping the next generation along the way.

“I saw the growth and the excitement around showing pigs,” he says. “There’s no shortage of enthusiasm in people who want to show pigs, raise pigs and be involved in the show pig business. I saw an opportunity there to get back involved.”

In addition to raising pigs, Heimer has stepped into leadership roles and serves on the National Pork Board’s board of directors. He also went through the Pork Leadership Institute, which is a joint effort of National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board to cultivate leaders.

“It gave me an opportunity to see several different facets of our industry, both on the NPPC side, the policy side and the checkoff side, whether it’s research, promotion or education,” he says.

Furthermore, a trip to Europe and an opportunity to learn about African swine fever (ASF) and its effects on pork production opened his eyes even wider to challenges the industry faces now. He says learning about ASF and spending time with other leaders in the swine industry helped him realize the show pig industry lacked representation.

“It was very obvious that if we, as show pig breeders, exhibitors, producers, whatever title you want to give us, wanted to be at the table for discussion about the U.S. pork industry — if we wanted to be part of that conversation as a whole — somebody had to get involved and step up and lean into that conversation,” he says.

Tune in to watch the conversation between Shike and Heimer as they discuss a variety of topics from fostering greater alignment within all segments of the pork industry to how conversations with consumers can help shape the demand for pork.

Your next read: Pork Export Demand ‘Back on Track’

Who Wants to Hear A Good Story? Tune In for the Inaugural PORK Podcast

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 19:28:15 GMT

One of my favorite things to do when I was little was sit in my Grandma Ruth’s gold, 1970s-style, plush rocking chair. We’d rock around in circles as she’d tell me story after story. Looking back, I can’t believe I took every story she told me as truth. Honestly it wasn’t until after she passed away in 2018 that I began to find out some of her stories were stretched just a little bit.

But, oh did she know how to tell a good story.

That’s where my passion for storytelling began. I’ve thought about my grandma a lot as I’ve spent time talking to young journalists about writing since I started in this role at Farm Journal’s PORK.

No, Grandma Ruth wasn’t a writer. But she was a supreme storyteller who knew just how to weave all the details together in a way that made you feel like you were there. She knew just what would make my eyes grow big as I literally sat on the edge of her lap hoping the story would last just a little longer.

I think that’s why I’m stepping out and trying a new thing with The PORK Podcast. Our first episode drops on Friday, Oct. 11. You can find it anywhere podcasts or found or watch on Farm Journal’s YouTube channel .

Sometimes the stories need to last a little longer.

My goal is to tell the story behind the story in everything I do. But sometimes the stories extend past the space allowed. This podcast will give me the opportunity to bring some of these stories of our industry to life in a different way. You’ll be able to hear from real people about their real life in almost real time.

We’re going to have fun with this, but we’ll make sure you take away a few important things, too.

Knowing who to start the podcast with wasn’t easy. But I decided to start where my passion lies: connecting the next generation to the opportunity in the swine industry. My article, “ Don’t Say the S-Word ,” caught a lot of steam this summer so I decided to go back to where my career kicked off and visit with Jesse Heimer.

It’s a little uncanny how our paths have continued to cross since we first met in 1998 when I was a National Swine Registry intern and he was involved in the first steering committee to help form the National Junior Swine Association (NJSA). In 2000, I was hired to start up NJSA and he became the organization’s first president. A lot’s happened in both of our lives since then. I couldn’t be more excited to share our conversation about the momentum and synergy we are seeing right now in the U.S. pork industry.

I encourage you to go follow The PORK Podcast as I weave together stories that reflect the passion, determination and innovation of the U.S. pork industry.

Your Next Read: Don’t Say the S-Word

5 Things I Can't Wait to See in a Pig Barn

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 21:28:27 GMT

Five pork industry experts weigh in on what technologies they want to see in a barn someday.

“I am most excited about technologies that can help train and improve caretaker quality. We have a shortage of labor in our industry and challenges with retention, leading in some cases to limited institutional knowledge on-farm. Some emerging technologies can identify sick pig symptoms that an inexperienced or overworked caretaker might overlook, or narrow down which sows are most likely to be in heat so the worker only has to check a percentage of the herd. These kinds of tech not only make the caretaker jobs easier, they offer a form of on-the-job training to help new workers get up to speed more quickly.”
–Suzanne Leonard, assistant professor and Extension specialist at North Carolina State University

“Technologies that can identify sick pigs both at the population and individual pig level.”
–Caleb Shull, director of research and innovation for The Maschhoffs

“Although I don’t know that it exists now, I fully expect ‘smart mortality management’ to emerge. Not only is this more in line with enhanced biosecurity, but it will also help cut down on manual labor to remove deads such as a rail system that can be used to hoist a dead pig versus anyone having to lift/drag it.”
–Benny Mote, swine Extension specialist and associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

“I’m excited about adding artificial intelligence to lactation feeding so we can tailor a sow’s diet to her needs. We tell customers to maximize feed intake, because we win either way — heavier litter weight and increased sow backfat to re-breed quicker. However, there are some inefficient sows who we shouldn’t give maximum feed to because they aren’t going to convert it. This type of technology will save us money because before now, we couldn’t tell who was inefficient.”
–Brian Strobel, USA business development coordinator for Gestal/Jyga Technologies

“The technologies that excite me most have a return on investment whether that’s in throughput or labor savings (that could even be biosecurity).”
–Shaun McGinn, chief operating officer with Carthage System Professional Swine Management LLC

Your Next Read: Purposeful Purchases: How to Decide Which Technology to Invest in Next

Purposeful Purchases: How to Decide Which Technology to Invest in Next

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 20:20:42 GMT

Purchasing technology is a major investment for any pork operation. From robotic power washers to cameras, there’s a lot to consider when it comes time to making purchases for your barn. That’s why Shaun McGinn, chief operating officer at Carthage System Professional Swine Management LLC, says to begin with the end in mind.

“What do you want to live with?” McGinn asks. “Pig flow, pig counter, bin technology, tag readers and cameras all have costs.”

Of course, nobody wants to invest in technology that won’t result in a financial gain.

“Ultimately, you want to earn a return on every technology component you add to the barn,” says Caleb Shull, director of research and innovation for The Maschhoffs.

The return on the technology investment depends on several factors:

Who is providing the labor (barn owner, third party, owner of pigs)?
Who owns the barn and is paying for the technology (owner of pigs or contract grower)?
How does the technology improve profitability (reduction in mortality, reduction in labor)?

Prioritize Your Problems
When it comes to making the tough purchasing decisions, Suzanne Leonard, assistant professor and Extension specialist at North Carolina State University, recommends producers start by prioritizing.

“Decide what problem you would like to tackle first. Maybe it is high prewean mortality, low nursery feed efficiency or a job task that you dislike performing. Determine how much value you place on solving, or reducing, the problem to decide how much money you’re willing to invest in a technology to address it,” she says.

Then, evaluate the technologies. Compare what the technology claims to do versus what it actually measures or records, and evaluate how closely those two are related, she suggests.

“Be sure you are comfortable with the lifespan of the technology, level of customer and technical support, and regular maintenance that needs to be performed. Reach out to third-party evaluators, such as other producers with the technology and universities, to learn of their firsthand experiences with the tech,” Leonard says.

Focus on the End Goal
It’s also valuable to determine who will be using the technology. Will your team accept and readily use it? If so, how will you evaluate if it is successful or not in your system?

For Brian Strobel, USA business development coordinator for Gestal/Jyga Technologies, technology should replace mundane, daily activities such as feeding.

“To me, the end game is having the data to prove our daily animal care (according to our expected eating and drinking patterns) in case anyone ever questions our care,” Strobel says. “Technology allows us to have the data to prove it. For our red-list animals (those who don’t eat as we expect), it is up to the farm to give those animals personal care, which we call ‘managing by exception.’”

Regardless of what technology you add to the barn, some jobs are best handled by people, Strobel adds.

“I don’t want to automate day one piglet care, because I want a person making decisions on each piglet’s care and getting them to a teat,” he says. “I wish we could automate moving sows down the aisle, but that remains manual for opening doors, gates and moving them along if they stop.”

Be Realistic
No matter how good the technology is, some level of maintenance, updates or occasional user interaction will always be needed, Leonard points out.

“Be realistic about what technology can do and its limitations. Give yourself time to adjust to the new system before evaluating its true value,” she says.

Find out the lifespan of the technology, Shull recommends.

“Producers need to know what opportunity there is for improvement with the technology,” he says. “For example, don’t implement a mortality reduction technology in a barn with 1% mortality.”

Don’t Get Left Behind
As technologies in the barn continue to grow and improve, Strobel says it’s important to be open-minded.

“The main thing is to decide we’re burning our bridges and not going back. This is 2024 — everyone has a smartphone. We didn’t have these 20 years ago. We need to adapt in order to be sustainable,” Strobel says. “The same is true about vehicles. Most of us aren’t driving 1980s vehicles. We trust the technology in the newer vehicles. We should all be open to knowing what’s current to make us better.”

Your Next Read: 5 Things I Can’t Wait to See in a Pig Barn

Sizzlin’ Hot Crispy Pork Tacos by Woodfire + Whiskey Bring Out Pork’s Amazing Flavor

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 16:22:57 GMT

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Marco Antonio Sanchez decided he needed something to do with the extra time on his hands. For this Turlock, Calif., native, who has a passion for breakdancing, it was an opportunity to cook more.

Not only does he love to cook for people, but he enjoys pairing foods, especially pork, with whiskey – hence the name of his account, Woodfire + Whiskey .

“Pork belly is my favorite protein. I mean come on, its bacon,” Sanchez says. “Pork is so flavorful in its many forms, but my absolute favorite is crispy pork skin. When a whole hog is roasted over an open fire and then crisped up at the end, it’s just magic. I love that glassy red crispy pork skin fresh out of the smoker, too.”

One of the reasons why pork is such a great protein to cook with is its flavor, he points out.

“Cooking with pork fat is incredible. You get flavor and so many textures. I tell people that the star of pork is that crispy skin. You can create an experience on textures with pork going from soft tender to crispy,” Sanchez says.

He also appreciates how pork pairs so well with pineapple and shares a recipe below that ties his favorites into one delicious dish.

“Pork and pineapple are a match made in heaven. Add in some smoke and you just have a winner,” he says.

He offers aspiring cooks this tip: “Go eat some crispy pork belly with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt and thank me later.”

Marco Antonio Sanchez of Woodfire + Whiskey

(Woodfire + Whiskey)

Crispy Pork Belly Tacos
By Marco Antonio Sanchez of Woodfire + Whiskey

“This is my wife and I’s favorite way to eat pork – crispy pork belly tacos. This recipe turned out great. It was sweet, savory and incredibly satisfying,” Sanchez explains.

Ingredients:
1.5lb pork belly
Chipotles in adobo
Honey
Lime
Favorite sweet seasoning (I use Knottywood BBQ Knotty Rub)
Corn or flour tortillas
Purple onion
Pineapple
Cilantro
Salt and Pepper
Olive oil
Jalapeños
Bear Mountain Hot Sauce Sweet Ginger Thai
Cotija Cheese
Mexican Crema

Instructions:
1. Begin by placing your pork belly on a wire rack and leaving it uncovered in the fridge overnight. This step helps dry out the skin, leading to a crispier texture. The next day, remove the pork belly from the fridge and score the meat side, making sure not to cut through to the skin.

2. When ready to cook, mix together chipotles, lime and honey, and spread this mixture on the meat side of the pork belly. Season the meat side again. Then, place the pork belly meat-side down on foil, creating a foil box around it while leaving the skin exposed. Lightly rub olive oil over the dry skin and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Place the pork belly in a smoker at 225°F until the internal temperature reaches 185°F to 190°F.

3. Once done, remove the pork belly from both the smoker and foil, place it on a wire rack, and transfer it to a 500°F oven to crisp the skin. This should take about 20-30 minutes. Monitor it closely to avoid burning the skin. As soon as it starts to crisp, keep a close eye on it. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes.

4. While the pork belly is smoking, slice your pineapple and place it on the smoker as well, for about 60 to 90 minutes. Be careful not to let it dry out. Once smoked, chop the pineapple along with onion, jalapeño and cilantro. Mix everything together with lime juice and season with salt to taste.

5. To assemble your tacos, warm some toasted corn tortillas, add the chopped pork belly, smoked pineapple salsa, hot sauce, crema and a sprinkle of Cotija cheese. Enjoy!

@woodfireandwhiskey Taco everyday right? Crispy pork belly is the real MVP when the munchies hit. That crunch, that flavor—straight fire. Throw it in a taco, and boom, cravings crushed. Trust me, you’ll be back for seconds. #PorkBellyTacos #Munchies #BBQVibes ♬ Way down We Go - KALEO

Go follow Woodfire + Whiskey on TikTok.
Watch Marco on YouTube.

Your Next Read: This Farm Girl Cooks: How a Farm Wife is Changing Lives Through Food

Search is On for the Best Farm-Themed Costumes

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 14:25:40 GMT

Halloween is the perfect opportunity for parents to squish their adorable children into itchy, feathery, sequin-filled works of art in an attempt to capture that perfect moment and share it on their social media feeds.

Maybe it’s because I’m a farm kid at heart, but I think the best costume ideas come straight from the farm.

To celebrate #PORKtober, we’re searching for submissions for our Best Farm-Themed Costume Contest. Look back through your Halloween photos and share your favorite costume ideas that connect to the farm.

Send your photos representing the cutest, scariest, funniest, most unique farm-themed costumes for Halloween to jshike@farmjournal.com by Oct. 15.

The top entries will be posted on the Farm Journal’s PORK Facebook page for voting between Oct. 21-Oct. 28, with the winner announced in the Halloween (Oct. 31) edition of our newsletters. The winning costume will win a $100 gift card and second place will win a $50 gift card.

Your Next Read: Down on the Farm: Halloween Costumes You Won’t Forget

How to Use Real-Time Data Better in Growing Pig Operations

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 20:05:55 GMT

By Caleb Shull, director of research and innovation for The Maschhoffs

Technology adoption within the U.S. swine industry continues to advance, admittedly, at a slower pace than some would have predicted a few years ago. While technologies such as electronic reporting systems, sensors, cameras and microphones offer exciting potential, they also carry significant risk to production systems. One simple transformation that technology has enabled is the migration from lagging weekly metrics to daily or real-time data capture. Even that subtle of a change can cause disruption if not managed and supported properly.

Here are three tips to help you better use real-time data in growing pig operations.

1. Find a Reliable Data Capture Platform
The first key to success of migrating from weekly reporting to the daily capture of electronic barn records is the reliability of the data capture platform. Connectivity can be a major constraint, as conventional barns have metal siding and are typically located in areas with poor cell service. Even sending small amounts of data to off-site storage systems can be a challenge at times. For these scenarios, the ability to store data on the device until connectivity is restored becomes critical. It only takes a few times of people not being able to log onto a device or people losing data they entered to create significant frustration. Many metrics, such as daily mortalities, require manual entry into devices, and the loss of trust or backing from caretakers destroys the value of a data capture platform.

2. Promote a Cultural Change Among Employees
The second key to success is promoting a behavioral, and in some cases, cultural, switch in the people using the platform. These platforms produce new data points that production leads might not know how to best utilize. Thus, standard procedures for the use of this information are required to achieve maximum benefit. Viewing and using these records daily to plan schedules and identify the high priority sites to visit becomes critical to creating value from the technology platform. Just knowing about issues doesn’t create value. In some cases (e.g., low temperature in young pigs), immediate reactions to these data feeds are necessary. It is important these new tools are incorporated into team meetings and become part of the culture of how a team operates.

3. Focus on the Right Leading Indicators
A third key to adopting daily or real-time data capture systems is focusing on the right leading indicators. Ultimately, these indicators should be focused on areas where action can be taken to improve performance. An example of looking for the right leading indicators was a project looking at age of a pig, water consumption, environment in the barn, cough detection and injectable treatments administered as leading indicators of mortality. As part of his doctoral program at the University of Missouri, Caleb Grohmann modeled the impact of these parameters on the ability of various models to forecast increases in mortality.

*Relative gain is the relative contribution of variable i to predictions from an XGBoost tree-based model, calculated as Relative Gain i=Gi/∑G, where Gi is the gain from a single variable and ∑G is the sum of the gain from all variables.

(Caleb Shull, The Maschhoffs)

As noted in the chart above, each of these variables included in a tree-based model contributed different amounts to the prediction accuracy of mortality three days in the future in the nursery period (zero to 6 weeks post placement). These results, along with the body of work in that project, provide hope that we can predict mortality events but also suggest that it is likely going to take multiple leading indicators. We must continue to look for leading indicators that can identify actionable problems before they lead to serious issues in our production environment.

There are many reasons to be bullish on continued technology adoption. Developing technology solutions that are cost effective and create tangible value is a challenging but worthwhile endeavor.

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This Farm Girl Cooks: How a Farm Wife is Changing Lives Through Food

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 13:42:53 GMT

Deanne Frieders has always considered herself an introvert. So, if you would have told her she’d be a familiar face and influence in households across the country someday, she would have laughed at you.

However, in her late 30’s, she married her husband and left her corporate job so they could build their family of six on the farm in Waterman, Ill. Her new role included helping drop off meals, uncovering a passion that’s led her to start up “ This Farm Girl Cooks .”

“Little did I know my role change would help hundreds of thousands answer the question, ‘What’s for dinner?’” she says.

She created a tribe of farm wives to connect with and life has never been the same, she shares on her popular website.

“When I realized I can help others sort through the ins and outs of farm life, it really caused me to step outside of my comfort zone. Bringing people together with food as a common theme is so meaningful and important to me,” Frieders says.

Inviting the World into Her Farmhouse Kitchen
She won’t argue that it’s hard to feed a family every day, especially when you’re juggling a career or managing working at home with your family.

“I started sharing some of my field meals on my personal Facebook. People began asking me for ideas and recipes, which I hadn’t documented. I started to note them and now, here I am today!” Frieders laughs.

One of the first lessons she learned was what a field meal was and a what a field meal was not.

“A field meal is something that can easily be served without a table to eat at and without a knife,” Frieders says. “Many times, they’re handheld foods that can be eaten with one hand.”

Her favorite field meal is a good stir-fry where everything is in one bowl – protein, veggies and grain – and doesn’t have to be served piping hot.

“We work long hours on the farm, especially during our fall harvest. A balanced field meal nurtures us mind, body and soul,” Frieders says. “It’s important that we keep alert and healthy while dealing with all the heavy equipment operating.”

That’s where pork fits in so well as a healthy and nutritious protein.

Why Pork?
“We love eating pork in our family. My grandparents were hog farmers, but I never paid much attention to it as a little girl other than look at the pigs occasionally. While we don’t raise pork on our farm (we have a few beef cattle), I think I bring some outside perspective to pork,” she says. “I ask the questions consumers are thinking because I don’t know it all. And as a family, it helps to make a balanced diet for our busy lifestyles.”

As a cook, she loves how versatile pork is to cook with as it can take on so many flavor profiles from Italian to Tex-Mex to Asian. It’s also really good by itself, without adding other flavor profiles, she points out.

“It cooks quickly, it’s tender and juicy (use the 145°F rule when making pork chops and you’ll thank me!), and there are many different cuts,” Frieders says.

To help us kick off #PORKtober, Frieders is sharing her popular recipe for Pulled Pork Chili below.

“My pulled pork chili is full of flavor without being heavy,” she says. “And if I’m being honest, a sprinkling of cheddar cheese on top makes everything better.”

PULLED PORK CHILI
By This Farm Girl Cooks

“One of my all-time favorite chili recipes is pulled pork chili. The pork is cooked low and slow until it’s fall-apart tender, then it’s shredded into bite-sized pieces and added to the chili. This Instant Pot recipe also works great in a slow cooker (leave out oil) for 7 to 8 hours,” says Deanne Frieders of This Farm Girl Cooks.

Ingredients:
• 2½ – 3 lb. boneless pork loin roast
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• ½ red onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 cup black coffee
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles (undrained)
• 15 oz. can dark kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• 5 oz. can Great Northern beans (drained and rinsed)

Prepare the Pork:
Trim excess fat from the pork roast and cut it into four pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Sauté Spices:
In the Instant Pot, select “sauté” and heat olive oil. Add red onion, cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until the onion softens and spices are fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Deglaze:
Add coffee and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift any bits stuck on the surface. (This is called deglazing.) Cancel “sauté” to stop cooking.

Cook:
Add diced tomatoes, beans and pork to the pot. Stir to combine. Secure the lid, set the valve to “seal,” and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.

Finish:
After cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining pressure. Shred the pork and stir. Let it cool slightly before serving with your favorite toppings.

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PORKtober is Here: It's Time to Share Your Story

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 21:13:36 GMT

Pumpkin spice, bonfires, chili, fall foliage and Pork Month. Who’s excited for the best time of the year? PORKtober is here!

There’s no doubt that October is the perfect month to celebrate our favorite food – pork. But do you know how it first started? Years ago, October marked the time of year when hogs were traditionally marketed. Today, it serves as an opportunity to celebrate and show pork producers how much we appreciate the important role they play in feeding the world.

It’s also a great time to promote pork and the plethora of nutritional qualities, including amino acids, vitamins and protein, that pork offers. Decades of progress have resulted in the United States producing a safer, leaner and more nutritious product than ever before.

In addition to our practices becoming more efficient over the years, the expectations of consumers have increased, too. Pork producers are being called to demonstrate responsible business practices in a wide variety of areas from animal well being to sustainable stewardship.

Here at Farm Journal’s PORK, watch for #PORKtober in the PORK Daily e-newsletter, on social media and in the October issue of the magazine. Join us as we celebrate pork and thank pork producers for their hard work. Stay tuned for some exciting news, too!

Here are four ways you can join in on the fun on social media this month.

1. Share your story.
Face-to-face conversations will always be one of the greatest ways to share your story. But if that isn’t possible, consider how social media can help play a role. Use #PORKtober and have fun celebrating pork month with photos of pigs in your barn or showing how you use animal husbandry skills to care for your animals.

2. Use facts to enhance the conversation.
When people learn the facts about pork production, they become more confident that pork producers are committed to doing the right thing. Sprinkle in facts about 20% of the time about the how and the what of what you do.

3. Let them know you care.
People want to know that you care about things that they also care about. It’s OK to talk about how you do your job, but always base the conversation around the “why.” Confidence – values and ethics one holds and that can be shared with others – is three to five times more important than competence, facts or science alone when it comes to growing trust.

4. Get social.
If you haven’t joined us on social media, tune into Farm Journal’s PORK on Facebook and Twitter for our #PORKtober posts. Then, go share these bits of inspiration and fun with your friends.

Tell us:
What’s your favorite part of PORKtober? Let us know at editors@farmjournal.com.

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