(Clive, Iowa) Four educational conferences for pork producers across Iowa will take place February 19-22. The Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Pork Industry Center, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach are joining forces to offer updates on the economic outlook of the pork market, swine health, disease preparedness and more.
Pork producers, production employees, veterinarians and swine industry stakeholders are encouraged to register and attend one of the four events.
The conference locations and dates are:
· Monday, Feb. 19 – Orange City at the Sioux County Extension Office, 400 Central Ave. NW, Suite 700
· Tuesday, Feb. 20 – Webster City at the Briggs Woods Conference Center, 2501 Briggs Woods Trail
· Wednesday, Feb. 21 – Nashua at the Borlaug Learning Center, 3327 290th St.
· Thursday, Feb. 22 – Washington at the Washington County Extension Office, 2223 250th St.
There are four topics for the afternoon sessions:
· Updates from the National Pork Board
Dr. Brett Kaysen, senior vice president of producer and state engagement, will share program updates regarding work in domestic and international markets, as well as success in foreign animal disease prevention and preparedness.
· Pork Market Outlook, Dr. Lee Schulz
Dr. Schulz will summarize the current supply and demand situation, draw implications for hog and pork markets, and outline a series of broader issues shaping the marketplace.
· Hot Topics in Swine Health, Dr. Chris Rademacher
Take a look at new disease surveillance tools available to producers and what’s new with diseases such as PRRS, PED, and E. coli, as well as some emerging diseases. Also get tips on preparing your farm for a foreign animal disease outbreak.
· More Tools for your Toolbox
Iowa State University Extension has five area swine specialists across the state ready to help you solve production problems and provide practical solutions. They aim to promote and enable efficient pork production by disseminating decision-impacting information to producers. They will discuss some of the tools they can put in your toolbox.
“I am excited to offer producers an opportunity to learn and engage with colleagues, extension, and National Pork Board staff,” said Zoey Dinkla, producer education director for the Iowa Pork Producers Association.
In addition to the regional conference program that runs from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. each day, a separate morning session from 9 a.m. to noon will provide Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Plus® training. Producers can attend one or both sessions.
Conference details and online registration are available on the Iowa Pork Producers website. You can also preregister by contacting IPPA by phone 800-372-7675 or email bsmeby@iowapork.org.
