Technology, Management Highlight Pork Expo

April 20, 2000

Producers interested in the latest technology and management information are being given the chance to attend a "P.O.R.K. academy" on the even of the World Pork Expo to be held June 8-10 in Indianapolis. Sessions on risk management, environment, herd health, production and financial standards, production and marketing contracts and value-added networking are on the agenda.

P.O.R.K. stands for the theme "producer opportunities for revenue and knowledge." Special emphasis is being placed on "core production issues such as nutrition, reproduction and animal health," said Jeff Ward, director of producer education for the National Pork Producers Council.

The academy is sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health and will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. the day before the Expo to make it easier for participants to stay in Indianapolis and attend the Expo on the same trip.

NPPC is being careful to emphasize the importance of the pork checkoff program’s funding of several Expo events. "Much of the information presented during the educational seminars was made possible through checkoff-funded research and programming," said Kristie Bray, education program manager for the NPPC.

"Producers will get a small sample of the type of checkoff-funded information that is available to them," said Bray. "We will also have a full display of educational materials available to producers that were developed by checkoff funds."

Pork producers are expected to vote later this year on whether they want the checkoff program to continue.