National Pork Producers Council

While there’s not a lot that the leader of the state’s pork association can do about the current condition of the Illinois and U.S. pork industry, the Illinois Pork Expo can help producers stay prepared for whatever comes.

The Animal Agriculture Alliance announced the opening of registration for its 2024 Stakeholders Summit, themed “Ready, Set, Solve! Advancing Animal Agriculture.”

It’s been years since this weekly effort has used any time, muscle or brain cells to write or, frankly, even care about any of the 21 costly, largely ineffective and virtually bulletproof federal commodity checkoff programs.

So, what do bacon, blueberries and Capitol Hill’s fast-spinning revolving door have in common?

What the hot topic of conversation will be is obvious — the May 11 Supreme Court decision upholding the 2018 California ballot initiative, Proposition 12.

Two Purdue Boilermakers received the Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship, sponsored by CME Group and the National Pork Industry Foundation and managed and administered by the National Pork Producers Council.

The 2023 Illinois Pork Producers Association delegate body recently elected four at-large directors and three new district directors.

Indiana’s pork and poultry associations donated ham and turkey this fall, showing the generosity of the state’s farmers. Alongside Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana Pork donated nearly 400 large hams to Gleaners Food Bank, which were immediately distributed in its mobile pantry.

As a young Farm Bureau member, I knew what was happening in my local community. I would occasionally hear about the issues at the Georgia state house or in Congress.

On Nov. 6, 2018, 12 million Californians voted, by a 63% to 37% majority, to establish minimum welfare standards for livestock and poultry products — chiefly eggs, pork and veal — sold in the nation’s most populous state.

Ohio hog farmer Joe Brandt changed his operation a few years ago to give his pigs more room and keep pregnant sows out of the narrow crates used by most farms.

Maintaining and enhancing current export markets and working to open a few more are among the top items on the “to-do” list for Maria Zieba, vice president of international affairs for the National Pork Producers Council.

If one sentence proved the need to listen to Liz Wagstrom, it was the matter-of-fact statement from Dermot Hayes, just an hour earlier and a few buildings away from where Wagstrom spoke.

The eyes of the nation may be focused on another Supreme Court decision, but an upcoming debate in the nation’s highest court could hinge on how an unwritten clause is interpreted by the court.

How do you challenge a state law that could have major impacts to the U.S. pork industry as a whole? A case — or a court — at a time, according to the general counsel for the National Pork Producers Council.