December 14, 2000

More than 90 pork producers, industry scientists and other specialists gathered in Kansas City, MO, to discuss progress and innovation in the pork industry. Members of five producer committees reviewed more than 150 research proposals during the checkoff sponsored 2000 Unified Research Review Meeting, organized by the National Pork Producers Council in conjunction with the National Pork Board.

The committees selected 47 projects to recommend the National Pork Board fund with checkoff dollars. James Ledger, a pork producer from Washington, IA, said all the funded research addresses issues producers face on a daily basis.

"Producers are interested in what checkoff dollars do to help us be as efficient as we can be," said Ledger, a member of the Swine Health Committee. "For example, diseases in swine are a top priority for our committee, which effects the bottom line that producers deal with on a day-to-day basis."

Committees participating in the meeting represented the industry areas of swine health, pork safety, pork quality, human nutrition, and environmental issues. Mark Reding, member of the Diet/Health and Food Policy Committee and a pork producer from Howardstown, KY, welcomed the chance to learn about research advances in all aspects of the industry.

"It's good for producers, industry and scientists to meet each other, and the meeting brought us all together. We couldn't have all this expertise brought to each committee individually," said Reding, who also serves on the National Pork Board. "It's important for all of us to have an idea of what the other committees are working on. This way we're not operating in a vacuum."

Dr. Chris Calkins, member of the Pork Quality Solutions Team and a meat scientist from the University of Nebraska, also appreciated the opportunity to meet with others involved in the pork industry. "One of the strengths of this meeting is that it gets producers, packers and scientists together. The interaction is good, and it allows us to hear from all perspectives," Calkins said.

Other topics discussed during the meeting included updates on antimicrobial resistance, a pork quality research initiative, the Pseudorabies eradication program, and food labeling issues. Researchers will be notified of their proposals' approval and will work with the National Pork Board and National Pork Producers Council to relay the information on to producers.