Sustainability

When You Know Better, You Do Better: A Pig Farmer’s Approach to Sustainability

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:25:15 GMT

If you want your freedom to operate, you must be willing to do the hard things every day to make that happen, says seventh-generation pig farmer Maddie Hokanson.

“We need to have hard conversations and be willing to set aside our own really strong opinions,” Hokanson says. “We’re passionate in agriculture. We’re passionate in the pork industry. That is wonderful, but we can’t let that be our blind spot that stops us from getting where we want to be in the long run.”

That’s why Hokanson joined National Pork Board chief sustainability officer Jamie Burr to have some of those hard conversations at the Conference of Parties (COP) in Brazil. Each year, about 200 countries convene at COP to develop global climate policy. https://unfccc.int/cop30

Some of the attendees are anti-ag, others are anti-meat, and this year, one was a U.S. pig farmer. For all their differences, the perspectives gathered at this event provide a window into what the world thinks, Burr says.

Time to Play Offense

Burr and Hokanson set out for Brazil with a goal to play offense and not defense.

“There’s never been a baseball team win the World Series by playing defense alone,” Burr says. “It’s so important we stand in that batter’s box and play offense. I know that’s very nerve-wracking to have all eyes on you. But to win the game, we’re going to have to be in that position. We’re going to have to continue to share our story and we need to do it with our own data.”

Hokanson says the opportunity to tell her story and have conversations with people opposed to animal agriculture is why she said yes.

(National Pork Board and the Pork Checkoff)

“We all want to have a sustainable, healthy world to live in together,” she says. “Eighty percent of the things we talked about at COP are things we all agree on. It’s all those extra pieces on the periphery that seem to be what get focused on instead of the things we agree on.”

Whether farmers are there or not, conversations take place at COP about livestock production practices and things we do on our farms, Hokanson explains.

“If we’re not willing to be there and share our story, then we’re being left out of the equation,” she says. “As new practices and new commitments are put into place by other countries, I believe COP allows us to change the narrative from livestock agriculture being part of the problem to livestock agriculture being part of the solution.”

Show Me the Data

The on-farm sustainability reports are a great way to show that, she says. One of the key messages she shared is what she calls the three-legged stool of sustainability: environmental, economic and social sustainability.

“On our farm, we have generations before us that continued to look for improvement and ways to do better,” Hokanson says. “That’s something we must continue to do. We don’t want to be the generation that screws it up. We want to make sure it continues for another seven generations. However, that can only happen if we are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.”

Hokanson has always thought of sustainability as stewardship.

“I see them very much as the same word,” she says. “We’re stewards of our land. We want to do more with less. That means taking good care of our land, environment and water because we live there, too. We drink the same water, breathe the same air, and live on the same land as our neighbors. It’s important that we take good care of it. That has been the posture and the position of our farm for 140 years.”

International sustainability conversations directly influence U.S. farmers’ freedom to operate—and what the pork industry is bringing to the table.

(National Pork Board and the Pork Checkoff)

When You Know Better, You Do Better

She found some historic paperwork from her farm in the 1940s, after the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. These papers showed how several farmers, including her great-great-grandfather, met and asked a hard question of themselves: What do we need to change to make sure that we don’t have another Dust Bowl?

“They decided they needed to make some changes, and not because a regulation was coming down on them,” Hokanson says. “They saw change was needed, so they improved. That doesn’t mean that what they did before was wrong. They did the best they could with the information they had. Then, when they knew better, they did better.”

She says that’s what agriculture is all about.

“When you know better, you do better,” Hokanson says. “But you’re always doing the best that you can for your animals, for your land and for your people. At the end of the day, when you put all those things together, continuous improvement is the name of the game. That’s the only way for a farm to transition from one generation to the next in a long-term capacity.”

What Made the Trip to Brazil a Win

Hokanson was a coveted panelist, but she says it was the side conversations that stood out to her.

“The conversations before and after panels, where some people disagreed with our beliefs, truly made it worthwhile to travel all the way down to Brazil,” she says.

(The Meat Institute)

During one panel focused on minimizing animal protein and shifting to a more plant-based diet, Hokanson was intrigued about how often they brought up the need to “involve farmers in these conversations.”

“The ironic thing was that there wasn’t a single farmer on that panel or another farmer in the room,” she says. “Toward the end of the panel, the moderator said, ‘It’s great to see so many friends in the room, and I see we’ve got a couple of people from the animal protein sector, too. So, if you have opinions on this, we’d be happy to hear them.’”

Hokanson stood up and took the opportunity to share her opinion. She thanked the panel for saying farmers should be involved in these conversations and pointed out that she would be happy to do something like that in the future.

“I told them, ‘If you want to have a farmer be part of the conversation, then make sure you really make an effort to do so,’” she adds. “Then I followed it up with a question about differences in topography and geography. On our farm we raise pigs and cattle, and cattle work really well in areas where crops can’t be grown. Then, one of the panelists who wants to minimize animal production, said, ‘Well, I will say there’s plenty of ground in the world that isn’t well-suited for crop production, and that probably is meant to be livestock focused.’ For him to say that – in a crowd of people who are meat minimizers – was a big win.”

There is no question there are a lot of individuals who make local, state, national and global policy who have never had their boots on a farm, Burr adds.

“It’s so important for us to be open enough to have those conversations with them and invite them to our farm to form their own opinion,” he says. “There’s a lot that goes on inside of those four walls, and those four walls, they don’t raise pork – people do. The more that we can connect with those individuals to understand their perspective and then share ours, the more middle ground we will find.”

Sign up for the Pork Cares Impact Report program here.

Listen to Maddie share more of her story on The PORK Podcast.

Live a Life That Matters

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 14:58:38 GMT

What is the greatest desire people have before they die? Though many lists point to things like seeing the Northern Lights, conquering a fear or starting a business, most people would say they want to live a life that mattered.

Going on college visits with my senior makes me wonder as a mom if I have equipped him to do just that. Have I explained enough times that his actions make a difference? Did I prepare him for a world that’s full of distractions? Have I modeled what it looks like to leave a positive legacy?

Of course, I hope when he heads off to college next fall that he gets good grades, develops wise habits and does his laundry regularly. But more than anything, I hope he leads a life that positively impacts others.

Invest in Building People Up

Though I didn’t have the honor of knowing our newest barn hero Jennifer Romero, I know she accomplished living a life that mattered. There’s no question she was an excellent sow farm manager for Martin Family Farms, and the legacy she left of helping people become great in their roles on the farm and in life is far greater than she ever knew.

As a person who places a high value on relationships, talking to Romero’s family and colleagues reminded me of two very important lessons: Don’t take the people in your life for granted, and don’t miss the opportunities you get every day to make an impact on the lives of others. Read her incredible story here .

Leave It Better Than You Found It

Minnesota pig farmers Dave and Tracie Mensink are living a life that matters by using conservation practices on their farm to boost productivity and profitability while building a legacy for future generations.

They are in the process of transitioning the farm to their son, Alex, and his wife, Katie. They are the first generation of Mensinks to farm their land, and he wants to make sure they aren’t the last, he says. Read how they are making this happen here .

From sustainability to succession planning, living a life that matters doesn’t happen by chance. It requires intentionality, sacrifice and hard work. Having a clear sense of why you do what you do and believing your actions contribute to something larger than yourself and lend to a life of purpose.

As another new year approaches, now is the perfect time to ask yourself the hard questions to make sure you are living in alignment with your purpose.

Piglets Get a Health Boost from Added Amino Acids

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 19:29:05 GMT

by Tracy Sellers, UC Davis CLEAR Center

Weaning is a tough time for piglets. Just like human toddlers starting solid food, young pigs face stress when they’re separated from their mothers and introduced to new diets. This stress can make them sick, especially with gut infections caused by harmful bacteria like E. coli, leading to diarrhea and slow growth.

A recent study explored whether adding two specific amino acids—L-glutamate and L-aspartate—to piglets’ diets could help them grow better and stay healthier. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, but some, like these two, also play extra roles in keeping the gut working properly.

“Typically, L-glutamate and L-aspartate are considered dietary nonessential amino acids,” said Ph.D. candidate, and lead researcher on the study, Supatirada Wongchanla. “But they have more functions than supporting protein synthesis and in fact have special roles.”

The researchers divided weaned piglets into groups: some were healthy, some were exposed to E. coli, and some got feed with added amino acids or antibiotics. They tracked growth, gut health, diarrhea severity, and gut bacteria over two weeks.

The results were promising. Piglets that ate feed with L-glutamate or L-aspartate grew faster and gained more weight than those that didn’t get the supplements. L-aspartate, in particular, helped reduce diarrhea and supported the structure of the intestines, making them stronger against infections. L-glutamate helped the piglets’ guts fight off harmful bacteria and encouraged the growth of “good” bacteria in the intestines.

“So it means both of them have their specific roles in supporting intestinal cell growth as the main energy source and by providing additional health benefits,” said Wongchanla.

In short, these amino acids acted like a natural boost for piglets’ gut, helping them handle weaning stress, stay healthy, and grow stronger, and more efficiently too.

This research suggests that adding L-glutamate or L-aspartate to piglet diets could reduce the need for antibiotics in farming while supporting animal health—key elements of a more sustainable pork industry.

And for the lead researcher, the most rewarding part was seeing how the science could make a real difference on farms.

“I hope that my research can help, the pork producers or any stakeholders who are working with feed farms for pigs or other animals,” said Wongchanla. “They can see this, that they’re not just nonessential amino acids. They could potentially be considered essential during specific stressful conditions, such as post-weaning period. With this information, they could improve their feed formulas and possibly further reduce the use of antibiotics.”

Wongchanla works in Yanhong Liu’s lab at UC Davis. Liu, a faculty member in the Department of Animal Science, focuses on developing new dietary strategies to promote disease resistance in pigs — an important consideration as genetic lines evolve.

Wongchanla credits much of her project’s success to the teamwork within Liu’s lab.

“It was truly a collaborative effort,” she said. “Working with such dedicated and motivated people made the research process not only productive but enjoyable.”

She added that the experience of working closely with her lab members and interns has helped her grow as both a scientist and a leader.

“There’s so much to do in an animal trial — it’s not something you can do alone,” she said. “Everyone in the lab really steps up to help, and I’m so thankful for that. It’s taught me how to organize my thoughts, be patient, and to be empathetic too. I really now can appreciate how much research depends on teamwork.”

U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Raise More Food With Fewer Resources

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:27:04 GMT

As Climate Week NYC kicks off, the Animal Agriculture Alliance released an updated version of its Sustainability Impact Report . The report highlights decades of progress made by the U.S. food and farming community to enhance animal welfare practices, reduce environmental impact and contribute to a healthy, balanced diet.

“The U.S. farm and food community has been a global leader in sustainability efforts for decades,” says Emily Ellis, director, communications and content, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “We’re incredibly proud of the work being done to innovate and advance food production practices to continue contributing to a sustainable food system – and this report highlights that work.”

In a press release , the Animal Agriculture Alliance summarizes the updated report.

3 Animal Welfare Priorities

Across all sectors, farmers and ranchers prioritize animal well-being through programs like the FARM Animal Care Program, Beef Quality Assurance, and others. Practices include modern housing, veterinary care, biosecurity measures and responsible antibiotic use to ensure ethical treatment and optimal health for animals.

In the report, you will find these three animal welfare priorities:

Nearly every species referenced in the report has specific animal welfare guidelines crafted by animal welfare experts.
Most farmers and ranchers have a close working relationship with veterinarians and nutritionists to ensure good animal health and a well-balanced diet.
Biosecurity plays a critical role in protecting animal health from disease and illness.

Reduced Environmental Impact

U.S. animal agriculture has made significant strides in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water use and land use. Innovations like anaerobic digesters, recycling byproducts and improved feed management contribute to sustainability.

Here are six key environmental impacts points in the report:

U.S. animal agriculture is contributing toward all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Between 1961 and 2019, the U.S. beef community reduced emissions per pound of beef by more than 40% while also producing 66% more beef per animal.
The pork community has reduced CO₂ emissions equivalent to taking 22,410 cars off the road.
Compared to 1960, egg farmers today are able to feed 72 more people using 50% less feed.
The veal community has completed its first-ever Lifecycle Assessment to identify baseline environmental data.
More than 37% of ingredients used in animal feeds are upcycled from other industries, reducing waste and impact on landfills.

Dietary Contributions

Animal products like meat, dairy, eggs and seafood provide essential nutrients that support heart health, brain function, bone health and more. The report highlights the safety measures in place, such as antibiotic screening in milk and USDA inspections for meat, ensuring high-quality and safe food for consumers.

The report includes these three dietary contribution points:

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has concluded meat, eggs and milk are an essential source of nutrients, especially for vulnerable populations.
Animal proteins are a superior protein choice for half the number of calories compared to beans, peas and lentils.
U.S. animal agriculture is committed to furthering progress, which is why several species groups have established industry-wide sustainability goals and reporting frameworks.

As quoted in the report, “When it comes to conservation and sustainability, America’s farmers and ranchers are literally the boots on the ground.”

Visit the Animal Agriculture Alliance website for more information, including resources and to read the full report.

Farming Doesn’t Follow All the Business Models, Unique Opportunity for Startups

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 17:26:51 GMT

It could be said success in business is driven by timing and people. And AgLaunch provides agricultural startups with the nexus of both.

With its AgLaunch365 accelerator, early-stage startups have programming paired with the coast to coast network of AgLaunch farmers.

It’s a story Michael Rhys and the team at Barnwell Bio experienced firsthand. Their company spun out of the same technology platform used for municipal waste monitoring during COVID-19, except they are applying it to biosecurity and animal welfare.

Rhys says there is no other program like AgLaunch in existence.

“The farmer buy-in was really important to us along with the product feedback and guidance farmers can give us on the feature roadmap we want to add to Barnwell,” he says. “What’s great about the AgLaunch network is the level of inclusion along the way and the how the farmer network shares their feedback in real time and we’re able to iterate with them quickly because of their candid insights.”

Barnwell Bio collects aggregate samples from animal byproducts, analyzes them for a broad array of pathogens and then shares the assessment of potential health risks with farmers and their veterinarians.

“We see an opportunity to change the sentiment in animal health from being reactive to proactive,” Rhys says.

Michael Rhys, CEO, Barnwell Bio

(Ashley Benham)

Two-Way Street

Just as the startups receive benefits from the AgLaunch programming, as do the farmers. Fundamental to its approach it getting startups on farms in field trials, the farmers who take part in those field trials can earn an equity stake in the companies.

One of the original farmer members to the AgLaunch network is Grant Norwood, a Tennessee row crop farmer. He was part of the farmer network who proved the concept of Aglaunch earlier this year and cashed out an early investment in an irrigation technology startup.

“Farming is a business that doesn’t follow all the business models,” Norwood says. “And if you are coming from non-ag background, the farmer is your insight early on to how to best finish development and finish designing the product. We share knowledge to how ag markets work and to purchasing models. For a startup company it can be a big jump ahead to have that insight that would otherwise take them several years on their own.

Norwood has done field trials with sensors, hardware, and biological startups. And he’s proud to be part of the network he says is “where inventors meet farmers to solve agriculture’s problems.”

While the group started in Tennessee, it has since expanded into the midwest and pacific northwest.

“We’re a diverse group growing a lot of different crops and raising a lot of different livestock. But we are like-minded in helping startup companies bring their ideas to agriculture,” Norwood says.

AgLaunch has officially opened applications for the 2026 AgLaunch365 Accelerator. Applications are due by September 15, 2025.

AgLaunch365 aims to provide the proving ground startups need to help reshape how food is grown, animal are raises and land is stewarded.

For founders who would like to learn more, AgLaunch is hosting short Q&A webinars:

• August 4, 1-2pm CT: Registration link.

• August 14, 12-1pm CT: Registration link.

• August 25, 12-1pm CT: Registration link.

Why Keystone Cooperative is Investing in the Stock Show Industry

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 15:31:27 GMT

When it comes to hiring employees, Keystone Cooperative, Inc., looks for three core competencies: customer focus, drive for results and teamwork. The company says it is finding its next generation of employees within organizations like the National Junior Swine Association (NJSA).

“We talk a lot at Keystone about these core competencies, and you definitely must have all three if you’re going to be successful in the show ring,” says Nathan Hedden, vice president of swine and animal nutrition at Keystone. “You have to work hard at home and that will end up bringing the other three competencies along.”

Keystone is a farmer-owned cooperative with roots that go back to 1927, Hedden explains. Based in Indianapolis, Ind., the company operates in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Michigan.

“We have 2,000 employees at Keystone across four different divisions: agronomy, energy, grain, swine and animal nutrition,” Hedden says. “It really made sense for us to partner with NJSA. When we think about talent, we want to be the employer of choice in the Midwest, not just in agriculture, but across all different industries. We see this as the next talent pool to continue to grow Keystone.”

(Legacy Livestock Imaging)

During the National Junior Summer Spectacular in Louisville, Ky., Keystone representatives were on site watching the show and meeting young people from all over the country.

More than 600 exhibitors from 28 states brought 1,324 pigs to the event, says Clay Zwilling, CEO of the National Swine Registry.

“One of the things that was the most exciting for me was asking how many of new families were in the crowd at our opening ceremonies,” Zwilling says. “Probably a third of the crowd raised their hands. It really heeds to the passion people have for this industry and the excitement of the long-term engagement and sustainability of our side of the business for young families that are coming in and getting engaged.”

(Jennifer Shike)

Molding Leaders
NJSA is focused on developing the next generation of leaders for the pork industry, Zwilling says.

“It’s been really exciting to watch this grow and blossom and be able to connect really talented young people back into the pork industry,” Zwilling says. “The number of new employees and tenured employees at Keystone that have come through the junior livestock project, and specifically NJSA, is incredible.”

The core competencies that Hedden looks for align with NJSA’s focus, he adds.

“It’s incredible to watch little kids that we’ve got to encourage to break out of their shell go on to have success in the show ring and ultimately come back to the industry as talented leaders,” Zwilling says. “I think this alignment makes a ton of sense. I’m very excited about the future and appreciate the support of people willing to help invest in these kids.”

It’s A Big Industry
The stockmanship skills youth learn raising and showing pigs is another reason Keystone was drawn to support this youth swine program.

“We have 282 sites across the Midwest where we raise pigs today, working with an independent farmer who is actually taking care of those pigs,” Hedden explains. “Well, as those farms have grown, we’ve seen a lot of those operations that haven’t had pigs or maybe haven’t had pigs for a while and haven’t kept up with the technology that’s available today, want to raise pigs again. If you can find employees with stockmanship skills that can stand in the gap and help them learn and develop that, that creates a huge competitive advantage for us.”

The pork industry is full of opportunities, Hedden adds. He’s committed to helping youth see that there is more waiting for them after they finish showing pigs.

“It doesn’t end at the end of your show career,” he says. “Find people that you can talk to, maybe even ride along with, to better understand what they do. That may help you find your passion for what you want to do next.”

What's New at Alltech, Pharmgate, Prairie Fresh, Veterinary Pharmaceutical Solutions

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:17:56 GMT

Alltech Report Highlights Progress Toward Emissions Reduction
In its newly released Alltech Sustainability Report, the company highlights its commitment to helping agri-food producers achieve sustainable profitability, outlines the steps it has taken to reduce environmental impact and champions agriculture’s role in building resilient food systems.

“Our vision of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty® recognizes that thriving farms and food businesses are essential for a more sustainable planet,” Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, said in a release. “When producers are equipped to succeed — to be profitable, to build a legacy and reinvest in their land and communities — we all move closer to a world of abundance.”

The 2024 report highlights these achievements:

Energy efficiency: In 2024, Alltech invested $2.04 million in six energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, cutting our emissions by 3,602 metric tons of CO2-e. Since 2021, it has invested $13 million in 40 projects across 29 sites, resulting in a reduction of approximately 21,000 metric tons of CO2-e per year.
Zero-waste milestones: The company expanded its zero-waste-to-landfill practices, with five facilities achieving full zero-waste status in 2024.
Water stewardship: Alltech launched a strategy to benchmark usage, identify high-usage sites, implement conservation technologies and share global best practices.
Expanding LCAs: Alltech completed 57 product life-cycle analyses (LCAs) in 2024 for a total of 139 total LCAs now completed.
Workforce diversity and engagement: Alltech has a diverse global workforce representing 72 nationalities speaking 59 native languages. Its team of 5,368 includes 26% women and 74% men. In its 2,466 non-production roles, 42% are women and 58% are men.
Uniquely experienced team: 35% of Alltech’s team has been with the company for more than 10 years, while 12% have been with the company for more than 20 years. (In the U.S., the average length of employment in corporate companies is 3.9 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.)
EUDR compliance: The company achieved EUDR (EU Deforestation Regulation) compliance and drafted deforestation/conversion-free policies for 2025 adoption.
Science and impact: 799 Alltech research studies are listed on Scopus, with many mapped to 11 of the 17 U.N. SDGs.
Recognition: Alltech was reaccredited by the Pet Sustainability Coalition, Alltech Serdán received ESR designation again and the company’s sustainability efforts continue to be recognized by sustainability-rating agency EcoVadis.
Social engagement: Alltech advocates for agri-food, invests in building resilient communities around the world and serves as a global thought and action leader in the industry, producing industry-leading publications and hosting and participating in global events.

The full 2024 Alltech Sustainability Report is available now.

Pharmgate Announces Director of Technical Veterinary Services
Pharmgate Animal Health has announced the promotion of Nicholas (Nic) Lauterbach to Director of Technical Veterinary Services, effective July 1.

Lauterbach will lead the veterinary technical services team in this newly created role, overseeing product analysis and field research and supporting the delivery of solutions that meet the evolving needs of livestock producers.

“Nic’s leadership, technical knowledge and commitment to customer success have been critical to our continued growth,” Chad Smith, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, said in a release. “As we advance Pharmgate as an in-barn resource and trusted on-farm partner, Nic will play a key role in driving our technical team in delivering expertise and impactful solutions.”

Lauterbach joined Pharmgate in October 2022 and has been instrumental in strengthening technical service capabilities across research, regulatory and customer support, the company says. Raised on a livestock farm, he brings firsthand production experience to his veterinary work. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from Iowa State University in 2018 and previously served as a Senior Veterinarian with Smithfield Foods.

Veterinary Pharmaceutical Solutions to Award Two Scholarships to Young Veterinarians
In celebration of 30 years of building healthier herds in partnership with valued customers, Veterinary Pharmaceutical Solutions (VPS) will offer new scholarship opportunities to early-career veterinarians. VPS will award two $2,500 scholarships to veterinarians in their first five years of practice.

“These scholarships are a token of our sincere appreciation for the support from the veterinarian community over the past 30 years,” says Dean Warras, CEO of VPS, in a release. “We remain committed to supporting the future of swine veterinary medicine, and we hope these scholarships will provide welcomed support to their recipients.”

To qualify, veterinarians must be within the first five years of practice and focused on commercial livestock. Interested candidates are invited to submit either a 400-word written statement or a two-minute video. Both should address two topics:

>>The significance of the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA) and 21 CFR Part 530 in your practice as a veterinarian.

>>Describe how this tool impacts your approach to veterinary medicine with clients and their pigs.

“We recognize the critical role early-career veterinarians play in the pork industry,” says Brian Payne, commercial R&D and technical service director at VPS. “We’re eager to support these important individuals to help them establish a long and fruitful veterinary career.”

Interested participants should submit their application by July 15. For more information about VPS, visit www.veterinarypharmaceuticalsolutions.com .

Prairie Fresh Launches ‘Now That’s Pork.’ Campaign to Redefine Pork Quality, Inspire Consumer Confidence

Prairie Fresh launched its new campaign “Now That’s Pork.” to highlight that not all pork is created equal, positioning the brand as the standard for quality and taste.

The campaign arrives as the National Pork Board’s “Taste What Pork Can Do” initiative draws renewed attention to pork’s versatility and appeal, the company says in a release. Prairie Fresh’s effort builds on that momentum by emphasizing consistent quality, integrity in sourcing and the opportunity to make pork a more frequent and confident choice on consumers’ plates.

“Now That’s Pork.” targets consumers who crave standout experiences in the kitchen but often don’t see meaningful differences between pork brands at the meat case, the release says.

The campaign also responds to evolving consumer expectations around transparency, value and trust in the brands they bring home. According to The Power of Meat 2025 report, 72% of consumers frequently or sometimes purchase value-added meat and poultry products, underscoring a growing demand for high-quality, ready-to-cook proteins that feel fresh, intentional and easy to use, the release notes.

Prairie Fresh continues to innovate with new products inspired by direct consumer insights.

Natural Resources Conservation Service Lays Out ‘Farmer First’ Vision

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 15:14:58 GMT

“I started as a customer of NRCS first,” says Aubrey Bettencourt, chief of the USDA agency that helps farmers and ranchers manage natural resources on private lands. As a third-generation California farmer, Bettencourt is leading the effort to make the Natural Resources Conservation Service work more efficiently and effectively for farmers.

Outlining four efforts, Bettencourt and NRCS Associate Chief Louis Aspey laid out their “farmer first” approach at the 2025 Trust in Food Symposium in Washington, D.C.:

Upgrade technology.
Revive hands-on service through field offices.
Improve data management and use.
Simplify programs.

Tech Overhaul to Reduce Burdens

Consolidating five internal systems into a single mobile-based platform will allow NRCS staff and farmers to access farm data while sitting on the pickup tailgate in real time, say agency officials. The initiative, referred to as “One Farmer, One File,” is intended to reduce duplicative paperwork and streamline conservation plan development.

According to Aspey, the new system will allow farmers to enter information only once, with NRCS and partner agencies, such as Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency, handling verification behind the scenes. He also notes the agency is experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI) to help generate and certify conservation plans with basic farm data, which will get projects off the ground faster. [1] [2] Farmers will play a key role in providing a “reality check” in ensuring AI models accurately reflect real-world conditions, Aspey adds.

Improving rural broadband access [3] [4] [5] is essential to making the new system work, stress Bettencourt and Apsey. Without faster internet connections, agency service centers and farmers alike will continue to face what they call the “spinning wheel of death.”

Renewed Focus on Field-Based Service

NRCS was founded to provide one-on-one support and technical assistance, Bettencourt says, and changes are in the works to return to the agency’s field-based origins. While headquarter operations are being downsized, she says local service centers will remain open. The goal is to equip local offices with the tools and talent needed to meet farmers where they are.

The agency is reviewing staffing needs across its network of service centers, Aspey says, to identify and address regional gaps. Future hires will be fluent in the technologies used in modern production agriculture, such as drones, precision irrigation and autonomous equipment, Bettencourt adds.

Data Use and Farmer Trust

Knowing many farmers are wary of how their conservation data is used, Aspey says part of the agency’s modernization effort is to ensure data is not only protected but used in ways that benefit the farmer — such as helping them qualify for market premiums or regulatory recognition of conservation practices.

He also emphasizes the importance of streamlining recordkeeping across USDA, saying farmers should no longer have to submit the same information across multiple programs.

Partnerships and Program Tweaks

Bettencourt says NRCS wants to collaborate more with food companies, cooperatives and local conservation groups through existing vehicles such as the Conservation Partnership Program and Regional Conservation Partnership Program. She describes NRCS’s role in these efforts as the federal “gold standard” for conservation practice validation.

Within NRCS, agency officials are eyeing reforms to make conservation programs more accessible and responsive. For example, Aspey emphasizes programs must be designed to scale not just for large operations, but small family farms that typically face higher per unit costs. To better adapt to dynamic market conditions, Aspey says his team is considering tools such as payment schedules tied to inflation.

He points to the length and complexity of the easement process as a key barrier, saying simplification is a top priority. Acknowledging farmers have been frustrated with delays in the Conservation Stewardship Program, Aspey stresses farmers should be paid promptly after completing their work.

When it comes to program timing, NRCS deadlines often fall during the busy planting season, for example. NRCS officials say they aim to better align program timelines to farmers’ off-season schedules when possible.

Another target of farmer scrutiny is NRCS program language. Terms such as “eligible” and “accepted” might be familiar to agency staff, Aspey notes, but they can confuse or deter farmers who aren’t used to federal program jargon. NRCS officials say they aim to reduce this jargon to make programs more accessible. According to Bettencourt, they are also working to improve understanding of NRCS programs with other federal agencies, such as EPA, and food company partners. Her goal is “to be the farmer in the room,” so farmers get credit for engaging in voluntary conservation.

What Farmers Might Expect

If plans move forward, officials hope farmers will see faster service, reduced paperwork and improved access to mobile tools that allow them to work with NRCS on their own schedules. Bettencourt emphasizes changes are already underway but should be implemented in 2026.

“This is not a pipe dream,” she says. “We’re already demoing the system.”

According to Aspey, farmers will play a central role in shaping how that change unfolds — through feedback, collaboration and by challenging the agency to better reflect the realities of farming in 2025.

“You all are what makes the engine of the American economy go,” he says.

Op-Ed: Secretary Rollins Announces Policy Proposals to Enhance Support for Family Farmers

Mon, 19 May 2025 15:11:36 GMT

Small family farms are the backbone of our nation. Throughout our history, they have secured the promise of liberty made by our Founders. And they are the indispensable foundation of democratic civics and republican virtues. As Thomas Jefferson wrote to James Madison in 1785, “small landholders are the most precious part of a state.”

Today, with my friend Governor Jim Pillen, we kicked off the Make Agriculture Great Again Initiative at Ohnoutka Family Farm in eastern Nebraska. This new policy initiative at USDA will address a series of issues within food, agriculture, and rural America but will specifically focus on challenges faced by small family farms.

We know these challenges, such as labor costs and availability, are not easy ones to address. But we are committed to focusing on the needs of Americans who operate small farms because of their patriotism and commitment to their land.

USDA Steps Up to Address Obstacles
During my time as Secretary of Agriculture, I’ve met with family farmers who have faced too many obstacles as they work to maintain or start new operations.

For example, many small farms lack reliable access to capital. At USDA, we are reforming the Farm Service Agency loan program to streamline delivery and increase program efficiency.

The acquisition of land for new farmers has also become increasingly difficult amid high costs and real estate development. That’s why we’re using prioritization points and regulatory action to disincentivize the use of federal funding for solar panels to be used on productive farmland. And we’re expanding permitting of unused or underused federal land for long-term leases to small farms and streamlining the federal land leasing process so the program works better for farmers and adjacent landowners.

We are also aware many new farmers lack access to infrastructure such as cold storage and processing facilities. To address this disparity, we are working to provide state-level grants for infrastructure tied to the needs of new farmers. And by the end of the year, we will ensure applications for every farmer-focused program are available for electronic submission.

And finally, we are working with governors and state legislators around the country to find solutions to the challenges small farms face. We recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture to find areas of collaboration between USDA and the states, which are the laboratories of democracy.

State and Federal Governments Must Work Together
Earlier this month, we hosted a roundtable at USDA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., with small-farm operators from around the country. We had the privilege of welcoming hog farmers from Ohio, third-generation local producers from Virginia, first-generation dairy farmers from Mississippi, Amish and Mennonite farmers from Pennsylvania, and many others who have devoted much of their lives to the land and their customers.

The Founders did not chart the path of our nation so USDA bureaucrats in Washington can look over the shoulders of law-abiding American citizens.

As I was reminded by the witness of those who visited USDA, the Department of Agriculture was founded so every farming mother and father can raise their children, work their land, and spend time with their families and their God.

This is the mission of USDA, and now, under the leadership of President Trump, is the time to return to the fundamental work that will restore rural prosperity in forgotten communities across the nation.

Based on feedback from the hundreds of small family farmers I have met and talked to over the last 90 days, USDA is now making tangible changes to our policies to ensure family farmers can continue to work their land and new farmers can take on this way of life without obstruction.

While USDA has many programs to assist farmers, we know it takes government entities, non-profits, and the private sector focusing their efforts together to improve the viability and longevity of small family farms.

We were honored to announce this new policy initiative in Nebraska today. The existence and work of small farms are too central to our nation’s history, cultural heritage, and food supply to allow them to slowly disappear from our landscape. To steer clear of a problem that every American wants to avoid, it is imperative that federal and state governments provide proactive intervention so these small operations can preserve their inheritance for generations to come.

Global Feed Production Rebounds, Says Alltech in Agri-Food Outlook

Tue, 13 May 2025 16:06:02 GMT

Global feed production rebounded in 2024 after a stagnant 2023, increasing 1.2% from 1.380 billion metric tons (mt) to 1.396 billion mt. This growth, achieved despite challenges that included highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), climate fluctuations and economic uncertainty, underscores the resilience and adaptability of the international agriculture industry, Alltech reports in the 2025 Agri-Food Outlook.

The annual report includes the results of the company’s 14th annual global feed production survey with data collected from 142 countries and 28,235 feed mills in 2024. Through an analysis of compound feed production and prices, the survey provides a comprehensive snapshot of global feed production.

Alltech says these insights serve as a barometer for the overall livestock industry, highlighting key trends across species, regional challenges and opportunities for growth.

Top 10 Countries
The Top 10 feed-producing countries in 2024 produced 65.6% of the world’s feed, with 52% of global feed production concentrated in only four countries (China, U.S., Brazil, India).

The Top 10 include:
1. China: 315.030 million mt of feed, down 2.03% from 2023
2. U.S.: 269.620 million mt; up 0.68%
3. Brazil: 86.636 million mt; up 2.43%
4. India: 55.243 million mt; up 4.56%
5. Mexico: 41.401 million mt; up 1.38%
6. Russia: 38.481 million mt; up 8.53%
7. Spain: 35.972 million mt; up 1.46%
8. Vietnam: 25.850 million mt; up 3.41%
9. Türkiye: 24.502 million mt; up 4.83%
10. Japan: 24.297 million mt; up 0.14%

Species Highlights
Poultry feed experienced an increase in production, both for broilers (up 1.8%) and layers (up 1.4%). Broiler feed is the largest species segment, accounting for 27.6% of the total feed tonnage in the world.

“As a ‘budget-friendly’ protein option, the broiler industry benefits from surges in red meat prices,” the authors of the report share. “Affordability drove demand in Asia-Pacific and Latin America, while rising incomes boosted growth in Africa.”

Although HPAI was a persistent issue for poultry production, broiler feed volumes are expected to continue seeing moderate growth in 2025 because of broiler meat’s affordability and export opportunities, the report says.

The slow 1.4% growth rate of layers reflected the challenges facing the industry, including the disruptions by avian influenza and oversupply in some regions, Alltech points out.

Global pig feed production experienced a loss in 2024 of 0.6%, leading to a decreased total of 369.293 million mt, the report notes. Growth in the European, Latin American and North American pork segments was counterbalanced by downturns in Africa and the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Oceania.

“These trends were partly dictated by how well producers in each region continued to recover from outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF), with export demand allowing Europe and Latin America to reclaim lost ground,” the authors explain. “Survey respondents were divided in their outlook for pig feed production, which recorded the highest amount of pessimism among all feed segments.”

The report adds that disease management and stabilized feed costs will continue to be critical for the pig feed sector to achieve growth throughout the world.

Dairy feed tonnage increased by 3.2%, to 165.500 million mt. Analysts attribute this to robust consumer demand, favorable milk prices and a shift toward more intensive farming practices, with Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa and Latin America all displaying growth.

“While dairy feed production remained stable in North America, Oceania’s reliance on abundant pasture led to a slight dip in its feed tonnage,” the authors say. “Despite challenges that ranged from disease pressures to volatile weather conditions, the global dairy sector continues to exhibit strong resilience and growth potential. The modernization and intensification of production and higher milk yields are expected to foster further increases — but lower farmgate prices in China could limit global gains overall.”

Beef feed tonnage rose from 131.6 million mt in 2023 to 134.1 million mt in 2024. Alltech says this reflects a global increase of 1.8%. North America, Latin America, Africa, Europe and Oceania all recorded gains thanks to a rise in demand for beef exports due to tight supply elsewhere around the world.

“Scarce forages in parts of North America, Latin America and Australia drove cattle producers to rely more heavily on commercial feeds. The decline in beef feed tonnage seen in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East was attributed to oversupply and lower prices,” the report says.

Access more data and insights from the 2025 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook here.

Editor’s Note: The compound feed production totals and prices reported in the 2025 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook were collected in the first quarter of 2025 with assistance from feed mills and industry and government entities around the world. These figures are estimates and are intended to serve as an informative resource for industry stakeholders.

Your next read: A Pinch of This, A Dash of That: It’s Time to Update Pork’s Recipe for Sustainability

How 10 Leaky Waterers Could Cost $900 Per Year In Your Swine Barn

Mon, 12 May 2025 18:25:41 GMT

It starts out as one slow drip. Then, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, the drips get bigger and faster. It may not seem like a major problem to worry about in your barn, but one expert says that leak can add up to over $900 in extra costs to the producer in time.

“When we talk about manure management, it really starts inside of the barns,” says Marguerite Tan, director of environmental programs for the National Pork Board.

As an engineer, Tan is always interested in holistic systems. Unfortunately, Tan says as humans, we like to segment stuff into little silos far too often.

“We look at this little manure pit over here when it comes to the topic of manure management,” she says. “In reality, we need to look at what’s going on inside of the barn for our manure management help.”

What One Leak Can Do
Did you know that if a single faucet nipple or water watering cup leaks one drip per second, that will add about 3,000 gallons to the farm’s annual manure storage?

(Marguerite Tan, National Pork Board)

“Most of the time that water is not just evaporating into the air, it’s going into the pit underneath those pigs, in manure storage, or into our lagoons,” she says. “If we have 10 watering devices that are dripping, that adds 30,000 gallons of water into our manure storage. That doesn’t sound like a huge amount when we’re talking about hundreds of thousands of gallons of manure we’re managing, but when we have to pump that additional 30,000 gallons of water, that’s that adds up to over $900 more or more of annual manure hauling costs.”

Not to mention, this also decreases manure storage by 30,000 gallons, which represents several weeks of actual manure accumulation from those animals.

“It turns into a lot over time and over that year,” Tan says.

But that’s not all it does. Extra water in the manure pit decreases manure nutrient value. This can be very problematic, she points out.

“When we’re talking to producers, I often hear, ‘I wish I had more nutrient value in my manure. That would really help me out,’” Tan says. “I remind them it starts inside the barns. We can make that manure more nutrient-dense, but we need to look at those in-barn practices, like leaky waterers or excess wash water.”

No one wants to buy commercial fertilizer when they have hog manure at their disposal. But if additional water is going into manure storage, it really decreases the manure nutrient value.

“So, how much is that drip actually costing us?” she asks. “Not only is it impacting our manure nutrient values in that pit, but it also costs us additional water, it costs additional money to pump it out of the pit and we end up with less storage in those pits.”

Why You Should Meter Your Water
How do you know if you are using excessive wash water? Tan says this is a great question producers should ask.

“We don’t really know what excessive is until we start measuring our water consumption inside of those barns,” she says. “Maybe we need to start looking at using soaker timers or adjusting our soaker timers. Maybe we should focus on dry cleanup. Ultimately those are some of the things that using a water meter and tracking our water usage can help you determine.”

There are other benefits to water metering, Tan points out.

“It’s actually a lead indicator of pig health,” she says. “It’s pretty amazing what we can do when we just dig into water metering and study our water usage trends. At the end of the day, what we’re doing in the barn, and the measurements that we are taking in the barn, are very important.”

This is just one example of how preventative maintenance in the barn can make a big difference, Tan says.

“If we could get more preventative maintenance done inside of the barns, our producers would be saving a quite a bit of money just with a few simple measures,” she says.

Check out the National Pork Board’s barn maintenance checklists.

Your next read: A Pinch of This, A Dash of That: It’s Time to Update Pork’s Recipe for Sustainability

A Pinch of This, A Dash of That: It’s Time to Update Pork's Recipe for Sustainability

Tue, 06 May 2025 21:35:46 GMT

Gone are the days where a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper will do. Recipes referencing the measurements of our grandparents are no longer accurate enough in today’s environment, explains Marguerite Tan, director of environmental programs at the National Pork Board. To stay feasible and relevant, measurements must be more accountable.

Just as a “little of this and a little of that” isn’t good enough for recipes today, nor is it enough for pork producers to simply fall back on anecdotal claims about how they are producing pigs more efficiently and sustainably, Tan says.

“Consumers and the supply chain want real numbers as proof of what we are doing in animal agriculture,” Tan says. “Now we are finding ourselves in this transition period where we’re changing over to more precise measurements and data to give consumers and the supply chain what they want. This is about measuring our progress and tracking what we are actually doing.”

Protecting Producers’ Freedom to Operate
Producers have always been fantastic at doing more with less, she says. Not only do they continually seek innovative ways to save time and money, but they value using research-backed data to make needed change.

“The challenge is we can’t manage what we don’t measure,” Tan points out. “Accurate measurements provide us tools to manage our facilities, save us money, be more efficient and help us identify those opportunities for improvement.”

When it comes to raising pork more sustainably and efficiently, one of the biggest questions that needs to be answered is fairly simple: Is the improvement worth the investment of that producer’s time, labor and money to implement?

“Sometimes we might look at some of these improvements at the farm level and decide it’s really not worth it. It’s not going to gain me anything to save $0.03 per month,” Tan says. “But other improvements may cause us to say, ‘Yeah, it’s absolutely worth the time, energy and money to implement that improvement.’”

Taking measurements and looking at the resulting trend lines can help producers find ways to raise pork more efficiently. Tan adds mitigating environmental impacts is a crucial element in protecting pork producers’ freedom to operate.

Start the Process Now
Documentation can be very simple, she says. Hopefully, it will include information that producers already measure and track. The information is aggregated into Pork Cares Farm Impact Reports, funded by Checkoff dollars. These reports provide a snapshot of on-farm sustainability practices presented in a concise professional report. Learn more about the reports here .

“The state and national reports, built from blinded and aggregated data from real producers on their individual farms, is a great vehicle to share accurate data measurements with customers as proof of what we’re doing inside of the farms,” Tan says. “The reports highlight the commitment producers have to the environment and sustainability. If we don’t provide that accurate, blinded and aggregated data from real farms, data will come from other sources to be used instead.”

And Tan says there’s a good chance that this data will not be accurate or reflect the continuous improvement pig farmers have worked so hard to gain over the past 30 to 50 years.

“It’s really important producers are able to measure that data and track that data, not only for the management of their facilities and continuous improvement of their facilities, but also for the swine industry, so we can continue to operate,” Tan says.

Where Do You Start?
How can producers start moving the needle to make progress in their operation? Tan says it starts by thinking about preventative maintenance in barns.

1. Accurate records
“When was the last time you had a tetanus shot?” she asks. “Likely you won’t remember unless you’ve had a recent visit to the emergency room, and they gave you a tetanus shot because you were told you needed one or you happened to write it down. Preventative maintenance items in our barns are very similar to preventative medicine in humans, like that tetanus shot.”

Maintaining a schedule with records of what was done when and making sure the schedule is maintained is a key place to start.

2. Fan maintenance
Another example of preventative practices is fan maintenance. Poor or inadequate fan maintenance can decrease overall airflow by those fans, as well as the efficiency of the motors.

“It can decrease efficiency by more than 40%, which significantly increases our energy costs with our fan motors,” Tan says. “We need to make sure we are cleaning the dust off of them, we’re adjusting our pulleys, we’re checking those motor temperatures so they’re actually running efficiently and correcting those items as we have problems.”

3. Electricity
A big part of this preventative maintenance is measuring electric use. This will indicate if something is going on, not necessarily with the fans, but within the barn.

“Maybe there’s a newer technology that’s more efficient with this electric use?” she says. “But, if we’re not measuring or tracking that electricity, we might not notice that opportunity.”

4. Propane and natural gas
If propane use seems high for a particular month, it might be as simple as what’s happening in the barn. Maybe you have smaller pigs in the barn that don’t generate as much natural heat. Maybe it’s just colder outside. However, it also might mean there is a gas leak somewhere, or something odd is going on with the barn ventilation,” Tan says.

Check to see if you have an inlet stuck open, or if you have holey curtains that need replaced.

“I know none of this stuff is easy,” she says. “It takes a lot of time and energy to implement for us to be able to actually measure and keep track of all of these different records.”

Producers can’t control the cost of energy, but Tan advises them to look at things they can do to help control how much they are spending on energy or how much energy they are actually using. Performing preventative maintenance and identifying energy-saving opportunities can make a big difference to a producer’s bottom line.

Your next read: FDA Grants PIC Approval for PRRS-Resistant Pig Gene-Editing Technology

Artificial Intelligence to Animal Rights Extremism: 5 Key Takeaways from The Summit

Mon, 05 May 2025 21:48:57 GMT

From artificial intelligence and animal welfare to supply chain partnerships and animal rights extremism, the conversations were thought-provoking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2025 Stakeholders Summit. The 2025 Summit, “Food for Thought: Dishing on Sustainability,” took place April 30 through May 2 in Arlington, Va., with more than 200 registered in-person attendees.

Here are five takeaways from this year’s event.

1. Embrace artificial intelligence to make change.
Former Google executive and president of Story Arc Consulting Steve Lerch said generative artificial intelligence (AI) can help animal agriculture identify new ways to connect with consumers. As humans, change is often resisted, especially when something has worked in the past. However, consumers are always changing, and animal agriculture needs to adapt to continue meeting people where they are at. AI tools like ChatGPT are a simple way to brainstorm new ideas and craft messaging that will resonate with target audiences.

2. Animal welfare needs to be part of your organizational culture.
“We’re all here for the same shared goal at the end of the day,” said Nick Wolfenden, Cargill’s global director of sustainable animal welfare. Companies should embrace animal welfare as part of their organizational culture. In addition, “healthy tension” is important between stakeholders to continue driving change on this issue.

3. Animal health is driving sustainability solutions.
Speakers agreed that healthy animals are a cornerstone of sustainable food systems, claiming that better animal health equates to higher productivity, lower emissions, and more people being fed. “Keeping animals healthy can contribute to a more sustainable food system,” said Ron Phillips, senior vice president of policy at the Animal Health Institute.

4. Create partnerships across the supply chain.
The need for continued partnerships across the supply chain and across species was a recurring theme of the 2025 Summit. Brandi Herndon, chief agribusiness officer at the Tulsa State Fair, said, “We’re all facing the same problems…and we could all be fantastic allies together.” Similarly, Eric Mittenthal, chief strategy officer at The Meat Institute, emphasized the importance of working together to reach shared sustainability goals: “We can’t achieve these big goals in silos.”

5. Animal rights extremism is a national security concern.
The ongoing threat of animal rights extremism is a national security concern, as Karen Meidenbauer, DVM, noted, “Food security is a national security.” When asked what the top threats to animal agriculture and food security were, responses from security experts included the spread of zoonotic diseases – which can be exacerbated by on-farm activism, the rise of agro-crimes and animal rights activism, and cybersecurity concerns, such as data and intellectual property (IP) theft.

Learn more about the 2025 Summit here . Make plans to attend the 2026 Summit, set for May 5-7 in Kansas City, Mo. Follow the hashtag #AAA26 for periodic updates about the event.

FDA Grants PIC Approval for PRRS-Resistant Pig Gene-Editing Technology

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 12:25:00 GMT

The gene edit used in PIC’s PRRS-resistant pig has been determined safe and effective by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA granted approval to PIC on April 30, putting PIC among the first companies to gain approval for gene editing in commercial livestock in the U.S.

“We have spent years conducting extensive research, validating our findings and working with the FDA to gain approval,” Matt Culbertson, PIC’s chief operating officer, says in a release. “Today marks a major milestone for consumers, farmers and the entire pork industry who have desperately hoped for a solution to PRRS.”

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) costs the U.S. pork industry more than $1.2 billion per year. This FDA-approved gene edit will be used to breed PIC’s PRRS-resistant pigs, which are resistant to this devastating, global swine disease.

“PRRS causes needless suffering and premature death for pigs, negatively impacts animal welfare, exacerbates the need for antibiotics and increases the environmental impact of raising pigs,” PIC says in a release.

But Will Consumers Accept It?
Although the disease-resistant technology is new, pork from PRRS-resistant pigs is no different than the pork consumers already know and love, PIC says, except for resistance to the infection caused by the PRRS virus. This was confirmed by a recent study which reviewed 97 meat quality and composition data points.

In this study conducted by Circana , 72% of consumers like the idea of the PRRS-resistant pig and its benefits after reading a description of gene editing in food and the PRRS-resistant pig.

“When you talk about the benefits, because they align with what the consumer has been demanding of the food supply for years now, they’re really excited about what the technology can do,” says Marisa Pooley, PIC director of communications and engagement. Read more about what consumers think about gene-edited pork.

Addressing PRRS can allow the pork industry to improve animal welfare and reduce the environmental impact of raising pigs, says Banks Baker, global director of product sustainability.

“Recent research indicates that PRRS increases the need for antibiotics by more than 200%,” Baker says. “Plus, a recent ISO-conformant lifecycle assessment found that eliminating PRRS could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5% in the U.S.”

When Will Commercialization in the U.S. Occur?
FDA approval does not automatically trigger commercialization, PIC says. Approval is an important step, but Culbertson adds it’s just one part of the overall strategy.

“Because pork is a globally traded commodity, we need to receive additional approvals from other countries around the globe, such as Canada, Mexico, Japan and China, to allow producers in the pork chain to freely trade pork back and forth,” Culbertson says. “We expect to achieve those other regulatory approvals over the next, hopefully six to 18 months, and that will really be the trigger point for the commercialization and sale of the product in the various markets.”

Colombia and Brazil have already issued positive determinations for the technology used in PRRS-resistant pigs, meaning those countries will regulate them the same as any other pigs.

“We are committed to the responsible and intentional introduction of the PRRS-resistant pig around the globe,” Culbertson says.

The PRRS-resistant pig will not be commercialized in the U.S. until at least 2026.

Read more:
In the Driver’s Seat: Consumers Share What They Think About Gene-Edited Pork

What You Need to Know Now About the PRRS-Resistant Pig

What Does the Future Hold for the PRRS-Resistant Pig?

Data Makes the Difference: PIC Seeks Answers to Environmental Impact of Genetics

Colombia is First Country to Issue Positive Regulatory Determination for PRRS-Resistant Pig

The Path to a PRRS-Resistant Pig: A Look at What’s Next

How One Minnesota Pork Producer Capitalizes on the Conservation Circle

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 20:20:00 GMT

Ask Minnesota pork producer Dave Mensink what shapes his conservation practices take at the farm gate and he’s got a quick answer.

Circle.

Mensink Farms in Preston, Minn., is one big circle of production, with pork square in the center.

On their crop land, he and wife, Tracie, grow corn and mill it on site to feed the pigs that go out the door each year. Then they use the manure to fertilize the corn.

It’s pretty simple, really.

“Corn feeds the pigs, pigs make manure and manure grows the corn,” Mensink says. “We feed as much corn as we can because the more we raise, the less we have to buy.”

Circularity like this is not an uncommon practice in the area because it provides a number of benefits for growers such as Mensink, namely capturing opportunity for efficiency and profitability by reducing commercial inputs.

On Mensink Farms, corn is milled on-site to provide feed for the pigs they produce annually. This circularity brings advantages for profitability, efficiency and environmental stewardship.

(Photo courtesy of Minnesota Pork Producers Association)

“The ability to leverage circularity helps farmers, especially those in the upper-Midwest, remain competitive from an environmental and economical perspective,” says Lauren Servick, director, public policy strategy and sustainability, Minnesota Pork Producers Association . “This helps capture the value at each part of the farming enterprise, and for farmers like Dave, using manure to grow the corn that then goes back into the pig as feed gives them a competitive advantage.

“From an ecosystem perspective, pig farming where the feed is grown helps keep the nutrient input cycle local.”

Protecting What’s Below from Above
But, because Mensink Farms abuts the Forestville State Park and sits atop a unique ecological bedrock known as karst, every bend and turn of his farm’s circle is knitted with conservation.

“In this region we’ve got to do what we do in an environmentally-responsible manner,” he says.

On Mensink Farms, that looks like making accommodations for a soil type that is both highly filterable and highly erodible at the same time. These accommodations form another circle for Mensink – one that means he is protecting what is underneath the ground through conservation practices above ground.

Because of that unique soil type, Mensink must use caution when applying manure to the land surface because excess nitrogen can leach into both surface and ground water.

Working with local University of Minnesota officials has yielded Mensink a manure management plan that is keeping his water wells at acceptable nitrogen levels.

“We test all our manure before we apply it so we have an idea of how much we should put on,” he says. “And then we implement our soil tests and report our yields back. We follow our manure management plan.”

For growers like Mensink, there are many resources to help get started and even hone an existing manure management plan. Local and regional USDA-NRCS experts provide technical and sometimes even financial support in manure management. According to USDA-NRCS team lead conservationist Jessica Bronson, NRCS can walk beside growers in ways that support stewardship through manure management.

“Producers can obtain assistance from NRCS to plan manure applications and as a part of a complete soil and manure testing to better understand their nutrient production,” Bronson says.

This allows farmers to determine where and when nutrients should be applied for maximum benefit to crops, he adds.

“Storage can be a key component of manure/nutrient management, so NRCS assists producers in understanding their storage needs, obtaining additional storage, upgrading old or failing storages and supporting practices that address odor, transfer or treatment,” Bronson says. “At application, NRCS guides producers in understanding setbacks and regulations and adopting new practices such as incorporation or implementing transfer infrastructure.”

That stringent manure management on Mensink Farms means that he and his wife can feel good about what is underground as well, for one specific reason.

“We have six wells we’ve tested of our own, and they’re all below nitrate risk levels,” he says. “We want to keep it that way because we have grandkids who drink that water.”

Mensink is also protecting his soils by managing what is planted on top of them, namely by installing buffer zones around karst-driven sinkholes that also create habitat for pollinators.

Assistance through USDA-NRCS, in part, made those projects possible.

Mensink Farms has planted more than four acres of buffers to create a pollinator habitat, which creates an environment for biodiversity while also protecting fragile karst soils

(Photo courtesy of Minnesota Pork Producers Association )

“We have 4.5 acres of pollinators that we did through the Conservation Stewardship Program ,” he says. “We still have them in there even though we’re not getting paid because they are much less we have to mow and it looks good along the site.”

This year, Mensink is experimenting with cover crops by aerial-applying winter rye, tillage radish and camelina to keep his more highly-erodible land in place.

Full Circle
For the past several years, Mensink has been working with Minnesota Pork Producers Association and National Pork Board to record and report the impact that conservation has on his farm. This record-keeping serves dual purposes: not only is Mensink able to use that data to make better operational decisions that serve both the environment and the bottom-line, but industry officials say it adds up to building trust within the value chain.

“On-farm assessments look at the practices the Mensink family is using on their farm and quantify that data to help them understand the environmental impact in the areas of carbon sequestration, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and soil erosion reductions,” Servick says. “By using primary data and participating over four years, Dave and his family are able to evaluate the changes they’ve been making on their farm over time which is aggregated into a state and national report that can be used extensively with the supply chain partners and the public.”

This work serves as the foundation of the National Pork Board’s Pork Cares Farm Impact Reports, which the organization uses to advocate for the future of the industry.

“National and state organizations can use the easy-to-understand, blinded and aggregated Pork Cares Farm Impact Reports to talk with decision-makers and value chain partners about farmers’ commitment to pigs, people and the planet,” says Eugenia Hartsook, National Pork Board director, grant administration. “These conversations, backed by the on-farm data and ethical principles, are the building blocks to help protect farmers’ freedom to operate.”

While Mensink values his work with the pork industry, for him, the impact that his conservation practices have on the future of his farm is more immediate. Even though he and his wife are the first-generation of Mensinks to farm this land, he’s hoping they are far from the last.

“We are in the process of farm transition to our son Alex and his wife Katie,” he says. “Every year, he takes on a little more and I take on a little less.”

America’s Conservation Ag Movement is a public/private collaborative that meets growers across the country where they are on their conservation journey and empowers their next step with technical assistance from USDA-NRCS and innovation solutions and resources from agriculture’s leading providers. Learn more at www.americasconservationagmovement.com .

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Want a More Sustainable Diet? How Pork Can Help

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 15:46:46 GMT

New evidence shows pork can play a beneficial role in sustainable diets, according to a peer-reviewed study in Frontiers in Nutrition . The findings suggest that pork performs similarly to poultry, seafood, eggs and legumes across key sustainability and agricultural resource indicators with a ± 1% change in land use, fertilizer nutrient use and pesticide use.

William & Mary scientists modeled the environmental and economic impacts of substituting various protein sources with pork in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults.

“Modeled substitutions resulted in the greatest changes when beef was replaced with pork, reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), land, pesticides and fertilizer nutrients by 11% to 35%,” the National Pork Board shared in a release . “Substituting between one and three servings of each protein with pork was associated with a lower intake of refined grains and a greater intake of total protein.”

Where Does Pork Stand in the Sustainability Conversation?
Pork has often been overlooked in sustainability discussions, the release said. Despite being central to the American diet (pork accounts for nearly 25% of daily meat and poultry consumption), little has been shared about its role as a sustainable protein source. Previous research largely aggregated pork with other red meats, preventing a clear understanding of its unique environmental footprint, the research notes.

“Our study helps clarify where pork stands in the sustainability conversation, and I encourage future research to distinguish pork from other meats,” lead researcher Zach Conrad said in the release.

Small Shifts Can Make a Difference in Dietary Sustainability
Dietary sustainability is nuanced, and small, practical shifts can make a difference, the findings suggest.

“Consumers don’t have to overhaul their diets to make more sustainable food choices,” Kristen Hicks-Roof, Ph.D., RDN, LDN, FAND, director of human nutrition at the National Pork Board, says in the release.

The research also emphasizes the value of distinguishing pork from other meats in dietary guidance and sustainability models. This new data can help inform discussions and consumer decision-making as the demand for sustainable food options increases.

“Our findings highlight the need for better data collection among researchers to help health care professionals, those involved in nutrition guidance and consumers make more informed choices,” Conrad explains.

Editor’s Note: This research was funded by the National Pork Board.

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Laurie Hueneke Martens Receives “Feather in Her Cap” Award

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:37:05 GMT

The 8th Annual Feather in Her Cap Award from the Feather in Her Cap Association was awarded to Laurie Hueneke Martens, associate vice president, Global Public Policy and Government Relations for Merck Animal Health. Hueneke was recognized for her significant contribution and achievements to the animal health and agriculture industries through her leadership in public policy, including mentoring and developing future women leaders, according to a statement released by Merck Animal Health.

“Laurie’s dedication to advancing innovation while working to develop the next generation of female talent makes her an extraordinary leader,” said Rick DeLuca, president, Merck Animal Health. “She emulates the attributes that a recipient of the Feather in Her Cap award should have — a genuine commitment to the animals she serves, excitement for her work to advance animal health and well-being and an unwavering dedication to the betterment of the animal health industry.”

Hueneke Martens has helped shaped international trade policies, advocated for science-based decision-making, and led industry coalitions to remove barriers that hinder innovation, the release said. She has collaborated across the animal health industry and with legislative and regulatory policymakers, reinforcing that her professional role ensuring a connection among scientists and consumers who care for animals.

She was recently appointed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative to serve on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for trade in animals and animal products. She also serves as the Chair of the International Trade and Standards Committee for the Animal Health Institute and served as Chair of the Leadership Team for both HealthforAnimals and Animal Health Institute for many years.

Hueneke Martens led the development of the global animal health industry’s Principles of Trade, aligning them with World Trade Organization’s standards and ensuring that the industry remained competitive, and science driven. She also led the industry’s response to the U.N. Food Systems Summit through HealthforAnimals, advocating for policies that are fit-for-purpose and tailored to the realities of Animal Health. One of her most impactful initiatives was leading a global coalition to ensure the Codex Alimentarius Commission upheld its science-based decisions, a victory that preserved the integrity of global trade standards.

Hueneke Martens also has supported mentorship of young women professionals during her career. She serves as a role model and advocate for the company’s Women’s Network, which creates opportunities for women to advance in the animal health industry through internship and co-op programs. She provides guidance and career advice to the College of Agriculture at Iowa State University, Sigma Alpha agriculture sorority and her local 4-H chapter. She has partnered with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation to support their Next Generation and Agriculture Policy Summit future talent development programs, designed to encourage students to interact with their respective state departments of agriculture and learn about policy advocacy and consensus building.

“As a sixth-generation farmer, my perspective of food and agriculture is anchored in a holistic lens,” Hueneke Martens says. “I’m a strong advocate for rules-based trade policy with science-based decision-making at both the national and global levels. I believe that science and innovation are the “great levelers and drivers” of inclusiveness and resilience in our industry.”

She graduated with two B.S. degrees in Animal Science and International Agriculture from Iowa State University and a M.S. degree in International Trade and Development from Oklahoma State University.

As part of the award, the Feather in Her Cap Association donated a $5,000 gift to selected animal-related charities, which Hueneke Martens split evenly between the Jackson County Iowa Humane Society and the Bellevue Iowa FFA Chapter.

Tariffs, Tech and Profitability: Midwest Pork Producers Weigh In

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 16:42:19 GMT

The fun part about being a pork producer is that there are so many things you have to keep your eye on, says Keith Schoettmer, a pork producer from Tipton, Ind.

“The landscape is continually changing. I wish at the end of every year of my nearly 50-year career, I would have written down the challenge of the year,” Schoettmer says. “But sometimes it’s nice to look ahead and anticipate some of the challenges.”

Tariffs and Trade in 2025
Tariffs came up over and over again in conversations with Schoettmer and other pork producers at the Midwest Pork Conference when asked what challenges they anticipate this year.

“We have an administration change that’s coming and talking some about tariffs. While sometimes we think we know what that means to our industry, I’m not sure we do,” Schoettmer says. “It’s going to be interesting to see how that unfolds.”

The U.S. is exporting close to 30% of all the pork produced, points out Mark Legan, a pork producer and grain farmer in Coatesville, Ind. Exports are vitally important to U.S. pork producers.

“We’ve already singled out Mexico, Canada and China, three of our four largest export markets, that additional tariffs are going to be slapped on,” Legan says. “That’s a concern going forward. If we do see the increase in tariffs and a corresponding decrease in pork that’s exported, it’s going to be tough. Because with any meat product, you can’t store it for too long. You either sell it or smell it.”

If exports drop, that puts a lot of product back on the domestic market, he adds.

“I guess the good thing is the pig numbers have been down compared to what USDA was projecting for this time of the year. And we keep hearing of sow farms going out. We’re getting production in line with what utilization could be in the future,” Legan says.

Take Advantage of Opportunity
Even with the concern about tariffs, pork exports have been on fire, he says. The U.S. Meat Export Federation continues to work to diversify markets throughout Central and South America as well as Southeast Asia, especially as Europeans decrease production due to added costs and regulatory pressure. Legan says it creates some real opportunities for U.S. pork producers.

“U.S. producers are committed to producing a quality product,” he says. “Look at Colombia, for example. They’ve doubled their domestic per capita consumption of pork just within the last 10 years, and that’s largely because of the quality and safety of U.S. pork. We’ve got a great story when it comes to sustainability and what we’re doing on our farms today, utilizing technology to produce more with less.”

Capitalizing on opportunities to improve efficiencies and capture better prices will be key for producers in 2025, Schoettmer says.

“Let’s make no mistake about it. The industry has had a rough time the last couple of years,” Schoettmer explains. “When we talk about enjoying the prospects of maybe having a good year, that’s just getting back to even for a lot of us. It may sound like an awful goal to get back to even, but it’s a realistic one in the story right now – to gain back some of the equity that we left on the table in 2023.”

Stay Vigilant
There is no question that profitability is always a worry for producers, says Jason Propst of Neoga, Ill. Although opportunities for profits in 2025 look good, animal health could always turn that fast.

“With winter here, it’s important to keep tabs on pig health,” Propst says. “Animal health has a tendency to have flare-ups during this time.”

The industry continues to wrestle with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, Legan says. With the reliance the U.S. has on export markets, he reminds producers to stay vigilant in keeping foreign animal diseases like African swine fever (ASF) out.

“Keep biosecurity in check all the time,” Schoettmer says. “Most herds do a very good job of watching their biosecurity not transmitting these viruses and bacteria from herd to herd. We need to be sure that we’ve taken every reasonable protection we can to ensure the safety of our animals from a pathogen that we may not be present or vice versa, as we might be near other animals that we don’t want to share anything with either.”

Don’t forget when animals are experiencing health challenges, it can also be more stressful on producers and caretakers.

“We’ve seen many producers go through a lot of struggles lately,” Propst says. “As we go forward, I just want to make sure that everybody is doing well and continues to be upbeat.”

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How Solar Energy is Helping Power Indiana Pork Production

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 21:20:48 GMT

An Indiana company has installed more than one megawatt of onsite solar capacity across Indiana pork farms in the past 12 months.

“We are helping commercial operations utilize available solar incentives, while contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable pork production chain,” says Jeremy Lipinski, managing partner of Emergent Solar Energy. He adds that this achievement underscores a growing commitment to sustainability and cost savings within Indiana’s agricultural sector.

A provider of commercial solar solutions based in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette, Ind., Emergent Solar Energy can offer economically compelling on-farm solar solutions to Indiana’s agriculture sector through USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) support.

“Each of the projects was made possible through partial financing from the USDA REAP grants, making renewable energy more accessible and affordable for Indiana’s pork producers,” Lipinksi says. “By utilizing the available grant program, farms can generate clean energy on-site. This lowers their dependence on traditional energy sources, reduces their carbon footprints and insulates their operation against energy inflation costs.”

The USDA’s REAP grant program is an valuable tool for rural businesses looking to adopt renewable energy technologies. By covering up to 50% of total project costs, REAP grants reduce financial barriers by empowering farms to invest in sustainable energy solutions.

“USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program is crucial to the success of rural farms and small businesses across Indiana,” USDA Deputy State Director Curtis Johnson says in a release. “This program allows Hoosiers to adopt renewable technologies, cutting operational costs and strengthening our rural economy for future generations.”

The grants have enabled Emergent Solar Energy to place in service a range of solar projects that cater to diverse pork production operations, from feed mills to sow facilities and hog finishing barns, Lipinski says.

“These projects are helping Indiana’s pork producers cut energy costs by an average of 90% while collectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 1,148 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year,” he adds.

The company has a strong record of partnering with agricultural clients to develop custom solar solutions tailored to the unique needs of farms.

“By collaborating with local farmers and leveraging USDA support, we’re committed to driving renewable energy adoption in Indiana’s agricultural sector,” Lipinski says. “We believe Indiana farmers can lead the way in sustainable agriculture, with solar energy playing a critical role in that future.”

Emergent Solar Energy’s projects over the past 12 months include:
• A 364-kilowatt peak solar project at Laidig Custom Services in St. Joseph County, Ind.
“High utility expenses and concerns of future inflation of electricity cost encouraged us to look into solar power,” says Tim Laidig, independent grower, in a release. “With the USDA REAP grant and tax credits, it made sense to invest in a solar array for our farm. We have reduced our electric expenditures by 50%.”

Arrowhead Pork

(Emergent Solar Energy)

• A 130-kilowatt peak solar project at Arrowhead Pork in White County, Ind.
“Once I saw the project return numbers after the application of the solar tax credits and the USDA REAP grant award, the decision to invest in solar for my dual quad was an easy one,” says Cody Snyder, contract grower, in a release.

The Golden Pig Wyrick Project

(Emergent Solar Energy)

• A 110-kilowatt peak solar project at Golden Pig Farm in Clinton County, Ind.
“The USDA REAP grant offered us the most cost-effective path for installing the solar project on our farm,” say owners Tim and Beth Wyrick, in a release. “We reduced our energy costs by well over 90% at our hog site. The REAP grant program gives farmers a competitive advantage.”

Learn more.

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U.S. Animal Ag Contributes to All 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 21:19:28 GMT

The Animal Agriculture Alliance released a new report detailing U.S. animal agriculture’s contributions to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Raising animals for food is at the heart of healthy, sustainable communities and healthy, sustainable diets. Generations of farmers and ranchers have put the health and well-being of animals first, while also caring for the land and its natural resources to ensure a viable future. In doing so, they have continued to provide nutrient-dense foods that cannot easily be replaced,” Animal Agriculture Alliance said in a release.

U.S. animal agriculture is actively contributing toward all 17 of the SDGs, including Zero Hunger, Decent Work and Economic Growth and Climate Action, the report shows. The SDGs will be a central focus of the U.N.’s annual climate change conference, COP29, that is being held now through Nov. 22.

“The U.S. animal agriculture community is a world leader in sustainability efforts and has a proven track record of continued progress in environmental stewardship, food security, and more. Meat, dairy, poultry, eggs and seafood are at the heart of healthy, sustainable diets, playing a vital role in meeting nutritional demands and closing gaps in nutrient deficiencies,” Animal Agriculture Alliance said.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has concluded that, “Livestock serves as a crucial source of high-quality protein and essential micronutrients, and is vital for normal development and good health.”

The report highlights many examples of contributions being made toward each goal, including these:

• No Poverty (SDG 1): U.S. food and agriculture is an economic driver, providing 22.1 million jobs supporting local families and communities.

• Zero Hunger (SDG 2): Meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood play a pivotal role in healthy, balanced diets. The U.S. dairy community alone is supplying enough protein for 169 million people, calcium for 254 million people, and energy for 71.2 million people.

• Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3): Animal-based foods are great sources of many essential nutrients – some of which are best and sometimes only found in meat, dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood. These foods can also support weight management, satiety, physical fitness, and overall health.

• Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7): The U.S. animal agriculture community is always looking for new ways to innovate, including projects to recycle manure from the farm and convert it into renewable energy.

• Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8): The agriculture and food sector provides employment to 10.4% of the working population in the U.S., equating to roughly 22 million jobs for Americans. Agriculture, food, and related industries contributed approximately $1.53 trillion to U.S. gross domestic product in 2023, making up 6.5% of the share.

• Climate Action (SDG 13): Although incredible progress towards climate change efforts has already been made, the U.S. animal agriculture community remains committed to furthering that progress, including several pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Alliance notes it received a badge to participate in COP29 discussions, which has been shared with the Protein PACT to engage on behalf of animal agriculture.

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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.

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Iowa Beef and Pork Producer Wins Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 16:20:41 GMT

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig will present the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award to the Isreal (Is) and Kristin Noelck Family of Franklin County, Iowa, on Aug. 23.

The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award is made possible through a partnership with the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF), The Big Show on WHO Radio and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Now in its 20th year, this award recognizes Iowa livestock farmers who take pride in caring for the environment and their livestock while also being good neighbors. It is named in memory of Gary Wergin, a long-time WHO Radio farm broadcaster who helped create the award.

A Multi-Generational Family Farm
Noelck Farms was established in the 1960s by Ivan and Karen Noelck. In 1992, their son, Is, joined the farming operation. Today, the multi-generational family farm includes Is and his wife, Kristin, and their three children: sons Isaiah and his wife Reann and their daughter Halston; Noah and his fiancé Maci; and daughter Isabella. An additional farming partnership includes Is’ brother Issac and his family. Though Ivan and Karen have since retired, at one point, three generations of the family were farming the land together, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said in a release.

“Multi-generational farm families like the Noelcks are key to the continued strength and resiliency of our rural communities. Not only do the Noelcks demonstrate care for their land and livestock, but they are also deeply embedded into the fabric of their community through service to others,” Secretary Naig said in a release.

Livestock production is a critical part of the Noelcks’ farm. In addition to owning a cow-calf herd, the family finishes cattle and hogs. They maintain health and production records on their registered purebred Angus herd and are Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certified. Their hog operation is outfitted with the latest technology to ensure the pigs are raised in a comfortable environment to ensure maximum efficiency and productivity, the release said.

The family also grows corn, soybeans and hay, incorporating conservation on their fields to protect the soil and improve water quality. They utilize no-till and strip tillage to minimize disruption to the soil. For the past eight years, they have planted cover crops, including rye and various brassicas depending on the crop rotation.

The family also owns or co-owns two area businesses: Noelck Ag Services and Franklin Grassland Seed, both of which trace back to area farmer and businessman Dennis Strother.

“Dennis and Is started feeding cattle together at the farmstead that the Noelcks eventually purchased and now live on. But the partnership between the two men extends much further,” the release said.

Now known as Noelck Ag Services, co-owned with Kristin’s cousin Ross Enslin, the business started as Strother’s Pioneer Seed dealership in 1997. Is started as an associate and the business eventually transitioned to his ownership even as they continued to work together for a few years.

Today, the business continues as a retailer for Pioneer Seed as well as Titan Pro Crop Protection products. Franklin Grassland, a feed and seed business, sells lawn, CRP, and cover crop seed. Strother started the business in 1987 and transitioned it to his son Scott in 2000 before it was purchased by the Noelck family.

“The Noelcks are big proponents of serving their community as well as the agricultural industry,” the release said.

Is has served on the Franklin County Cattlemen’s board for many years and was a youth baseball and football coach. He also has served in a leadership capacity with Pheasants Forever. Kristin was on the school’s Quarterback Club to raise funds for the football program. Family members are also members of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Corn Growers Association, American Angus Association, American Hereford Association, and American Maine-Anjou Association.

Feral Hog Predation on Coastal American Alligator Nests

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 14:41:11 GMT

By Sarah Fuller, Texas A&M AgriLife

Researchers with the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management are keeping a watchful eye on American alligator nests to shed light on the potential impacts of feral hog predation and to understand how these reptiles use habitat across an ever-changing Texas landscape.

While American alligator populations in the U.S. are healthy overall, some fare better than others regionally. Researchers are working to answer the many questions that can help guide management actions and ensure healthy populations into the future, said John Tomeček, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management.

Up close and personal data collection
To help answer some of these questions, Tomeček’s graduate student, Alyssa Freeman, has been collecting copious amounts of data.

Freeman, who is pursuing a master’s degree in rangeland, wildlife and fisheries management, spent the last two summers equipping active alligator nests with game cameras at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s 25,852-acre J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area, WMA, documenting instances of nest predation and the species responsible.

In addition to nest monitoring, Freeman and biologists attached GPS transmitters to breeding-size male and female alligators to monitor their movement and habitat usage.

“Aside from longer-term changes in climate and habitat, human modification of coastal marshes and wetlands can change the dynamics of alligator nest selection sites, potentially exposing nests to increased rates of predation,” Freeman said.

The GPS transmitters send location readings every hour of the day to Freeman’s computer, allowing her to remotely monitor and map the animals’ fine-scale movements.

This data will provide Freeman and Tomeček with key insights into habitat use and nesting site selection.

“From nest predation to habitat use and selection, this project is looking at a wide array of factors that will enable us to better manage alligators now and into the future,” Tomeček said.

Initial findings indicate feral hog impact
During her two summers of data collection, Freeman monitored 28 active alligator nests throughout the WMA. Her initial assessment indicated that roughly half were predated by feral hogs.

“Although alligators evolved alongside native nest predators, such as raccoons, this additional pressure from a non-native species is an added threat to an already low nest survival rate,” Freeman said.

Freeman said a 2012 survey of licensed alligator farmers from Louisiana found that over half of the farmers reported losing alligator nests to feral hogs the previous year. Roughly 590 nests were damaged or destroyed on 36 separate properties across the state.

Even if the feral hogs don’t eat the eggs, the nest disturbance and exposure to warmer ambient temperatures can alter the sexual composition of the remaining clutch.

“Alligators experience temperature-dependent sex determination, meaning the incubation temperature directly affects whether the animal will hatch as a male or female,” Tomeček said.

While eggs incubated at roughly 86 degrees and below result in female hatchlings, eggs exposed to warmer temperatures result in males.

Tomeček said this is a serious concern for conservationists considering the ripple effects it could have on reproduction and healthy alligator populations in the future.

Alligators — a conservation success story
While the Southeastern U.S. now supports robust populations of the American alligator, these prehistoric reptiles came perilously close to joining the ranks of the hundreds of wildlife species that have gone extinct since the turn of the 20th century.

Unregulated hunting, driven largely by a demand for exotic, luxury products, lead to a precipitous decline in alligator populations across their native range. This, coupled with habitat loss, brought the species to the brink of extinction by the mid-1960s. American alligators first received federal protection under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, a predecessor to the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Tomeček said state and federal partnerships, as well as restocking contributions from alligator farms, enabled the population to recover over roughly two decades.

Currently, alligator population estimates range from 400,000 to 500,000 in Texas, with the majority located in the southern and eastern portions of the state.

Freeman said alligators are currently listed as a species of least conservation concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. But proactive research like this is important as scientists continue to better understand and monitor the species as it faces urbanization, changing sea and salinity levels in coastal wetlands, invasive species pressure and more.

“We assume alligators are fine because we recovered them from historic overharvest, but they may be facing different challenges now that are harder to see,” Tomeček said. “Alyssa is working to untangle some key questions. We have to figure out how we can better manage these animals to ensure healthy populations into the future.”

Living alongside alligators
While American alligators are apex predators and should never be approached, both Tomeček and Freeman said they typically try to avoid human interactions and are much less aggressive than their evolutionary relative — the saltwater crocodile.

Although documented alligator attacks in Texas are extremely rare, situational awareness and proper precautions when recreating in and around alligator habitat are important.

“If you know alligators frequent a certain area, do not swim there,” Freeman said. “Additionally, do not allow your dog or small children to go near the water because they resemble common prey animals for alligators.”

Additional precautions include:

1. Acknowledge and obey signage warning of the presence of alligators.

2. If fishing, avoid disposing of harvest scraps in the water or along the bank, as this can attract alligators.

3. Never feed alligators. This can result in food conditioning, where wild animals begin to associate humans with food. In some cases, this can lead to aggression and danger for both humans and the animal.

More Texans may see alligators as communities expand along habitats such as bayous or community reservoirs, but Tomeček said a sighting doesn’t necessarily equate to a safety issue.

“It is important for folks to understand that just because they see an alligator out and about, it doesn’t mean that it’s a threat to anyone,” Tomeček said. “Before calling authorities, people should ask themselves if the animal is truly causing a safety issue. They’re valuable to our ecosystem and are an iconic part of the Southeastern U.S. They’re something to be proud of.”

What You Need to Know Now About the PRRS-Resistant Pig

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 14:52:44 GMT

Rolling out the PRRS-Resistant Pig is going to be a long process .

Iowa pig farmer Mike Paustian believes it’s important to introduce the technology in a thoughtful, comprehensive manner, so everyone has a chance to get their questions answered and concerns heard.

“As an industry, we need to have a conversation about whether we want to utilize this technology and how we want to utilize it,” he adds. “There is a sense of urgency that we need to, as producers, be learning more about it and understanding what it could do for our operations.”

The last thing Paustian wants to see happen is the industry loses access to this gene-editing technology.

“We’re talking about the PRRS-Resistant Pig right now,” he says. “But there are so many other things that we can do with the technology that could benefit the industry and help us meet some of the challenges that we’re facing.”

That’s why he is focused on helping people understand the technology.

“As a recovering science nerd, I did animal disease research while pursuing my Ph.D. in microbiology before I came back to the farm,” Paustian says. “I understand the potential of gene-editing technology. I want to help bridge the gap between academic knowledge and how to actually do this within the pork industry, and then reach consumers to help them understand how this technology can benefit them, as well.”

Paustian believes mistakes were made when genetically modified crops were rolled out years ago. He doesn’t want to see that happen with PIC’s PRRS-Resistant Pig technology.

“We’re still dealing with the fallout because consumers were not in the loop of things,” he points out. “GMO crops were marketed to producers and producers made a business decision that, ‘Hey, this solves a problem. The price is reasonable and I’m going to have a return on my investment if I buy these genetically modified seeds, so I’m all in.’ But nobody took it to the next step and said, ‘Well, how does everybody else feel about this?’”

It’s one thing when you are making a business decision for your farm, he says. But, it’s another thing entirely when people are making a decision about the food people eat. That’s why he is focused on helping people understand the technology.

A Sustainable Solution
For Paustian, it’s all about meeting consumers where they are and helping them see how this technology can help address some of their concerns about food.

“Consumers don’t care whether a producer is making money or not, whether we’re talking about pork producers, crop farmers or people raising alpacas,” he says. “To say the gene-edited pig could help a producer be more profitable doesn’t resonate, or could even resonate negatively, with a consumer. But, if you approach it from a different standpoint, such as gene editing making a pig resistant to a disease like porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), resulting in the use of fewer antibiotics, now that’s something consumers care about.”

Matt Culbertson, chief operating officer at PIC, says the industry is entering the final chapter of the story before the opportunity to commercialize pig genetics that are resistant to PRRS. These pigs were developed utilizing non-transgenic gene editing to de-activate a specific gene, CD163, that exists in the pig and allows PRRS infection to occur.

Around the globe, the pork industry is continually challenged to do more with less and meet consumers’ evolving expectations for agriculture and protein production. That’s why Culbertson is so excited about the potential of the PRRS-Resistant Pig.

“The PRRS-Resistant Pig can improve the sustainability and efficiency of pork production for our customers in a way that aligns with the evolving expectations of the food chain – specifically increased sustainability, decreased need of antibiotic use and improved animal health and well-being,” Culbertson says.

Still, questions remain about the PRRS-Resistant Pig that is currently under FDA review. This technology has not been approved yet and is currently not for sale.

Based on initial studies evaluating the impact of PRRS-resistant technology and industry studies looking at the impact of PRRS in a herd, Banks Baker, global director, product sustainability for PIC, expects an overall improvement to herd health without PRRS.

“We expect the PRRS-Resistant Pig to lower input costs and allow operations to be more sustainable, in addition to mitigating the risk of PRRS. This technology can also provide animal welfare and environmental benefits Baker says. “With this absolute solution to a devastating problem, it’s also our hope that it increases labor efficiencies, while making the farm a more enjoyable place to work.”

When Will the PRRS-Resistant Pig Be Available?
The most commonly asked question is simple – when? Although that is an important question, the answer isn’t that simple.

“Producers need to understand that none of this gene-editing technology is going to move forward until all the ducks are in a row. And there’s a lot of ducks to get in a row,” Paustian says.

While PIC anticipates FDA approval in 2025, they do not plan to commercialize in the U.S. until at least 2026.

From packers to consumers and from producers to exporters, one of the key steps in this process is gaining market acceptance and understanding.

“It’s not going to be a case of people start to raise them, and then they try to figure it out. Nobody’s going to have a gene-edited pig until the proper approvals are in place and we’re getting the appropriate feedback from folks that it’s going to be accepted,” Paustian says. “Nobody’s going to wake up some morning and be like, ‘Hey, guess what, there’s gene-edited pork on the shelf.’ It’s not going to be a surprise.”

The introduction of the PRRS-Resistant Pig will happen gradually over time, giving pork producers and the global marketplace time to adjust accordingly, Baker points out.

“Some people fear they will see a glut of pigs on the market, like this is going to change the market overnight. That’s not the way that our technology works. It’s important to remember that this isn’t like a pharmaceutical product, where you can have immediate coverage in a very short amount of time. This is a genetic improvement that you have to push through breeding populations,” Baker says.

He expects producer adoption of the PRRS-Resistant Pig technology to be a slow ramp up. As producers begin to utilize the technology, it will be like a dimmer switch – not a light switch that suddenly comes on. It will take several years to get there, Baker says.

“We anticipate that the PRRS-Resistant Pig could take up to five years for the breed-up process to go into commercial herds,” Baker says. “And that’s assuming that there would be normal replacement rates. It’s going to take several years to roll out across global markets.”

Acceptance and Approvals
PIC is currently working to secure approval and market acceptance for the PRRS-Resistant Pig in the U.S. and other key pork-producing countries such as Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and more. Each country has a unique regulatory system and biotechnology policies that will affect the approval process and the timeline.

“PIC recognizes that international trade is critical to pork producers and the pork industry’s viability. We’re committed to responsible stewardship of this technology to protect those critical trade relationships, and the global pork import-export markets,” Baker says.

The company anticipates a series of regulatory decisions over the next few years, including an expected decision from the FDA sometime in 2025. Receiving a regulatory determination or approval is a critical first step, Baker says. But it doesn’t automatically trigger sales to that particular country.

“Regulatory decisions are important milestones. We also recognize the importance of earning market acceptance for our PRRS-Resistant Pig and the resulting products,” Baker says.

Regulation of genetically engineered animals is important to assure that the targeted modification will not compromise the health or welfare of the animals, public health/safety, and/or safety to the environment, says Anna Forseth, DVM, director of animal health for the National Pork Producers Council.

“There is also an advantage with regards to consumer acceptance of the products,” Forseth adds. “In a recent Food Marketing Institute survey evaluating consumer attitudes, trust and acceptance of bioengineered and gene-edited food, the results showed that federal agencies including USDA, FDA and UN FAO are the most trusted organizations for information. Regulation should not be a barrier, because this technology has a lot of potential, but is necessary for many reasons and audiences.”

There is no question that consumer acceptance is key.

“Independent research shows us that consumers increasingly care about how their pork is being produced. So, as we’re completing credible and defensible research that allow us to express those production efficiencies that a producer is able to achieve through this technology, we’re trying to express it in ways that align with the consumer, packer, processor, food service and retail segments,” Baker says.

The consumer has been really clear, especially in the U.S., about what they care about.

“We need to make sure we connect the production efficiency of the PRRS-Resistant Pig with those things they care about: reduced need for antibiotic use, a reduced greenhouse gas footprint associated with that meat product, better animal welfare and an improved environment for farm workers,” he says. “Consumer research conducted by Circana in 2023 shows that 72% of consumers like the idea of gene-edited pork when they are presented with the benefits.”

Transparency Matters
In addition, PIC is developing a strategic rollout plan to ensure the PRRS-Resistant Pig and resulting pork products are sold only in countries where they meet those local regulations.

“We’re at the very early stages right now, which is good because we have time to take a proactive approach with this. We don’t have to be reactive. We’ve got a lot of time for people to get their questions answered. We have a lot of time to get the regulatory issues sorted out. And we have a lot of time to start to talk to consumers about this,” Baker says.

Will Mike Paustian ever use a gene-edited pig on his farm? He’s honestly not sure. But one thing he is sure of, gene editing is a tool that the pork industry needs in its toolbox.

Read More:
What Does the Future Hold for the PRRS-Resistant Pig?

Growing Losses from PRRS Cost Pork Producers $1.2 Billion Per Year

The Path to a PRRS-Resistant Pig: A Look at What’s Next

Brazil's JBS Supplies Animal Waste for Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 21:56:23 GMT

Brazilian meatpacker JBS is supplying animal waste from its operations abroad for the production of renewable aviation fuels and is studying a similar initiative in Brazil through the Friboi brand, the company said on Monday.

According to JBS, the world’s largest meatpacker, in two years 1.2 million metric tons of beef tallow and pork lard from its units in the United States, Canada and Australia have already been directed to the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other renewable fuels.

In Brazil, Friboi began studies to test the feasibility of supplying animal waste for local production of SAF, which is seen as an important solution for commercial aviation to reduce its carbon emissions.

“By reusing animal waste, we contribute to the environment and help this critical sector in its decarbonization process,” JBS’s global chief sustainability officer, Jason Weller, said in a statement.

The initiative, he added, reinforces the company’s commitment to responsible waste management and circular economy.

JBS is also studying the feasibility of producing renewable fuel for ships as an alternative to bunker oil through Biopower, its company focused on manufacturing biodiesel. Biopower has three Brazil plants for the production of biofuel from organic waste from cattle processing.

JBS is controlled by J&F, a holding company owned by Brazilian billionaire brothers Joesley and Wesley Batista. It has been seeking to expand its initiatives in sustainable energy.

(Reporting by Leticia Fucuchima in Sao Paulo; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

Animal Welfare Laws: The Issue is Never the Issue

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 13:25:00 GMT

California’s Proposition 12 and the similar laws passed in Massachusetts and New Jersey are one of the most significant domestic challenges our industry has faced in recent history. With 17% of the U.S. population in these states, the pork market has effectively been partitioned. While there has been some hope that this new market will provide additional premiums to producers, it is prudent that any potential short-term gains do not distract from the long-term dilemma these laws present.

The political writer David Horowitz once said that the issue is never the issue, the issue is revolution. This means that the face value of a given matter is not important, it is how it can be used by activists to enact radical change. This observation applies to animal welfare laws, where livestock wellbeing is primarily just marketing material for the well-meaning, but naïve, voter.

The real objective of these laws is to fundamentally transform agriculture. While there is much evidence to support this claim, the most significant comes directly from the backers and supporters of this legislation.

A sample can be found from the Animal Welfare Institute on the Farm System Reform Act of 2023. It says, “The current model of industrial animal agriculture that dominates our food system is unsustainable. Increased awareness of the adverse impacts factory farming has on animals, communities, and the environment continues to strengthen opposition to these operations.”

This quote begins with the claim that current production methods are unsustainable, an indictment found attached to many animal welfare laws. Naturally this begs the question, when they say modern production systems are unsustainable, what exactly do they mean?

Traditionally, sustainability was the ability of a business or industry to operate well into the future through careful and efficient use of resources. However, the definition has evolved dramatically over time, and one cannot help but wonder if that is to better enable activist lawmakers.

A modern definition is provided by UCLA that is more suited for this context. It says, “[Sustainability is] the integration of environmental health, social equity and economic vitality in order to create thriving, healthy, diverse and resilient communities for this generation and generations to come.”

This definition reveals that when an industry is deemed unsustainable, policymakers view it as an existential threat to their idyllic communities. Since the industry is economically viable, the problem must lie in environmental health and social equity. Animal welfare is simply the vehicle by which the industry is transformed to achieve these goals.

By legislating inefficiency, our industry loses economic stability and becomes more vulnerable to shocks. It will be in a moment of weakness following a shock that dramatic and transformative legislation will appear, likely under the guise of a bailout or aid package.

Until then, we can expect to see more animal welfare legislation arising in the coming years all of which will come with greater inefficiency. If we as an industry are going to protect ourselves from harmful legislation, it is important that we acknowledge these laws for what they really are.

What To Know From The Biden Administration's New Carbon Policy Statement

Thu, 30 May 2024 19:03:45 GMT

At the end of May, the Biden Administration published the Joint Policy Statement and Principles on Voluntary Carbon Markets . Farm CPA Paul Neiffer joined the AgriTalk podcast to break down the details of this 12-page document and what the ag industry needs to know.

According to Neiffer, part of the publication’s purpose is to steer companies toward more reliable methods of using carbon.

“You have these large, publicly traded companies that have been greenwashing. They’ve been trying to help the climate, so they go out and buy these credits that really aren’t very valid,” he says. “They’re trying to state the goals for these companies should not be to buy these carbon credits. Their goal really should be to fix their own carbon footprint in their own company and in their supply chain.”

Overall, he says the publication isn’t quite a policy, but more of a statement encouraging companies to clean up their supply chains.

When it comes to farmers, Neiffer believes the ag industry should begin focusing more on 45z tax credits and carbon intensity scores rather than carbon credits.

“It seems to be implying if you’ve already done a great job of reducing your carbon footprint, you’re not going to get a payment because you can’t really reduce your carbon footprint any further,” he says. “Whereas if you’re a farmer that maybe hasn’t done a great job [of reducing your carbon footprint], we’ll give you a payment because we can see in that case where we can reduce your footprint.”

For those who still intend to purchase carbon credits, the second half of the policy statement made an effort to create standards for program participation and make sure there is transparency, identification and documentation.

“They want to make sure it’s legit if you’re buying this carbon credit that you’re actually removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,” Neiffer says.

To hear more from Neiffer, listen to this episode of AgriTalk.

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