Minnesota Pork Congress, the state’s only swine specific
tradeshow and educational pork producer event, will be Jan.
20-21 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The tradeshow
hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 1:30
p.m. on Thursday.
The tradeshow will feature 150 companies exhibiting equipment
and services specifically geared towards pork producers
and pork production and 15 seminars will provide information
on current swine-related production and management topics.
Admission is $10 per person, if received by Jan. 5, and
$15 per person at the door. Children age 12 and under are
free.
A manure applicator recertification workshop will be from
noon to 5 p.m. on January 20. Manure Applicators Workshop
sessions will be Best Practices in Manure Application, Regulations
and Feedlot Rules Update, Roads, Bridges and Implements
of Husbandry, Total Maximum Daily Loading and Biosecurity
and the Business of Manure Application. This workshop will
satisfy continuing education requirements for certified
manure applicators.
Topics being covered in additional seminars on Wednesday
are Transport Quality Assurance Certification, Market Outlook,
PRRS Eradication Update, Farming Your Online Community,
Pork’s Carbon Footprint, Twitter Techniques for Ag
Tweeps and Tweets, NPDES Permit Update, Pork Trade Update
and Pork Quality Assurance Plus Certification.
Producer education seminars begin at 9 a.m. on Thursday,
Jan.21. Seminars will be Pork Quality Assurance Plus Certification,
State Legislative Update, Understanding Wean-Pig Crush Margins,
Pork and Beans and Improving Euthanasia Methods.
The Minnesota Pork Board will recognize its Minnesota Pork
Industry Award winners, retiring board members and Operation
Main Street speakers at an awards reception Jan. 19 at the
Minneapolis Hilton.
Pork production is Minnesota’s leading agricultural
industry, annually accounting for nearly 20 percent of the
state’s agricultural cash receipts. The gross income
from the sale of Minnesota market pigs last year was over
$2 billion and the total annual economic generation to the
state was $7.6 billion.
Pre-registration and further seminar information is at
www.mnpork.com/porkcongress or by calling Minnesota Pork
office at (507) 345-8814. Pork Congress is sponsored by
the Minnesota Pork Producers Association.
Culinary
Competition Shines Spotlight on The Other White Meat
The 22nd annual culinary pork competition, Taste of Elegance,
will be Jan. 19 at the Minneapolis Hilton. Chefs from across
the state will create their original recipes and compete
for the $1,500 grand prize.
Minnesota Taste of Elegance is sponsored by the Minnesota
Pork Board, which works on behalf of the state’s pork
producers to educate consumers and foodservice on pork’s
versatility, affordability, preparation ease and delicious
flavor.
Judging for the Minnesota Taste of Elegance takes place
all day with the first, second and third place winning chefs,
people’s choice selection and best evening table display
announced at an evening award’s program. The top chef
will also represent Minnesota pork producers at the National
Taste of Elegance in June.
Competing chefs and the restaurants they represent are:
Thomas Kavanaugh, Kavanaugh Culinary Group and Catering,
East Gull Lake
John Van House, Murray’s Restaurant, Minneapolis
Tim Kovacs, Hilton Minneapolis, Minneapolis
David Vlach, Heidi’s Minneapolis, Minneapolisv
Brian J. Rubenzer, Lettuce Cater, Columbia Heights
Rafael Perez, Northfield Golf Club, Northfield
Scott Nielsen, Grand Casino Hinckley, Hinckley
Derek Black, SODEXO at ECOLAB, St. Paul
Benjamin McCallum, Three Sons Signature Cuisine, Minneapolis
Serge Devesa, Hotel Sofitel, Bloomington
George P. Snyder, McCormick and Schmicks, Minneapolis
Tony Beran, The Strip Club Meat and Fish, St. Paul
Daniel J. Cleary, Park Tavern, St. Louis Park
Clinton J. Yocom, Marriott Hotel, Rochester
Tim Cockram, Owatonna Country Club, Owatonna
Tuan Nguyen, Minnesota Valley Country Club, Bloomington
Following the Taste of Elegance competition, consumers
can request a free booklet that features all 16 pork recipes
and view the recipes on line at www.mnpork.com. Additional
contributors to the 2010 Taste of Elegance are Hubbard Feeds,
Inc., Independent Bankers of Minnesota, Morgan Creek Vineyards,
Stock Yards and U.S. Foodservice.
Minnesota
pork leadership elected at annual meetings
The annual meetings for the Minnesota Pork Producers Association
and Minnesota Pork Board were Dec. 16 in Mankato. National
Pork Producers Council Chief Executive Director, Neil Dierks
and National Pork Board Chief Executive Officer Chris Novak
updated attendees on efforts each respective organization
is doing to support pork producers across the nation.
The Minnesota Pork Producers Association (MPPA) membership
elected Lori Stevermer of Easton, Jay Moore of Jackson and
re-elected Jim Compart of Nicollet, who will serve as president,
to serve three-year terms on the executive board. Their
terms begin in January. After serving two terms, MPPA board
member Jake Storm of Dover retired from the board.
The MPPA executive board also includes Kent Dornink of
Preston, Rick Grommersch of Nicollet who will serve as secretary,
Jen Holtkamp of Johnston, Iowa, Kevin Hugoson of Granada
who will serve as vice president, Todd Moratz of Sleepy
Eye, Brandon Schafer of Goodhue and Terry Wolters of Pipestone.
The MPPA is a voluntary membership association that addresses
policy development and legislative affairs.
Individuals attending the Minnesota Pork Board (MPB) meeting
elected 12 representatives who will serve one-year terms
on the executive board. These individuals determine how
to invest Minnesota’s portion of the mandatory Pork
Checkoff.
MPB executive board members that were re-elected are Bill
Crawford of Fairmont, Curt Johnson of Jasper, Jim Merritt
of Elbow Lake, Mary Peichel of Fairfax, Pat Thome of Adams,
Jackie Tlam of Dunnell, Tim Waibel of Courtland and Doug
Wenner of St. Peter.
New to the executive board will be Meg Freking of Jackson,
Sheila Schmid of Sleepy Eye, Pat FitzSimmons of Dassel and
Nate Potter of Springfield. Retiring from the board were
Lynn Becker of Fairmont, Pam Gierke of Villard, Burt Norell
of St. Peter, Doug Stade of Eden Valley and Craig Mensink
of Preston.
The MPB works on behalf of Minnesota’s pork producing
families investing Pork Checkoff funds into research, promotion
and education efforts across the state.
Annual
meeting for Minnesota’s two pork organizations Dec.
16
The annual meetings for the Minnesota
Pork Producers Association (MPPA) and Minnesota Pork Board
(MPB) will be Dec.16 at the Country Inn & Suites, Mankato.
The MPPA meeting will be from 1-3:30 p.m. The MPB meeting
immediately follows.
Prior to the meetings, pork producers are invited to attend
a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and a social following
the meetings from 6-7:30 p.m.
The MPB meeting, scheduled for 3:30-6 p.m., is open to
all pork producers who have paid into the mandatory Pork
Checkoff during 2009, or to individuals representing an
entity that has paid into the Pork Checkoff during the current
year. The MPB addresses Pork Checkoff promotion, research
and education programs. Guest speaker will be National Pork
Board Chief Executive Officer Chris Novak. His talk will
focus on National Pork Board initiatives and priorities.
The MPB agenda includes election of 12 executive board members,
resolutions, financial report and program update.
Although preregistration is not necessary, to help with
arrangements such as seating, handout and ballots, individuals
who plan to attend the MPB meeting are asked to call the
MPB office in advance at 1-800-537-7675 or e-mail mnpork@mnpork.com.
Guest speaker at the MPPA annual meeting, scheduled from
1-3:30 p.m., will be National Pork Producers Council Chief
Executive Director Neil Dierks. His talk will address national
legislative and trade issues facing U.S. pork producers.
The MPPA agenda includes elections for three executive board
members, resolutions, state legislative outlook and financial
and program reports.
Because the MPPA is a voluntary
membership association and does not use Pork Checkoff funding,
the annual meeting is open to enrollees of the Strategic
Investment Program or MPPA Partner programs. The MPPA works
on policy development and legislative affairs.
For
more information, contact John Hinners, JHinners@usmef.org,
303-623-6328. Note: statistics refer to pork plus pork variety meat
and beef plus beef variety meat exports, unless
otherwise indicated.
September
pork plus pork variety meat exports reached nearly 154,000
metric tons or 339.5 million
pounds, valued at $347.8 million, the highest volume since
April 2009, according to statistics released by
United States Department of Agriculture and compiled by
the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
While January-September pork exports contain significant
bright spots - including a continued strong
performance in Mexico and Japan as well as renewed strength
in Canada, Russia and the Greater China
region - they trail last year’s record pace by 11
percent in volume, 1.366 million metric tons or 3.01 billion
pounds and 12 percent in value, $3.195 billion.
Mexico’s September volume surpassed September 2008
by nearly 37 percent, putting Mexico’s January-
September export volume at 369,376 metric tons or 814.3
million pounds, valued at $547.7 million—
an increase of 38 percent and 15 percent, respectively,
over the first three quarters of 2008.
The value of U.S. pork exports to Japan increased by 3 percent
to $1.17 billion and, with a strong fourthquarter
performance, pork exports to Japan could surpass last year’s
record value of $1.55 billion. Pork
export volume to Japan of 319,297 metric tons or 703.9 million
pounds is only slightly behind its 2008 pace.
September pork exports to Canada set a new monthly volume
record of 17,669 metric tons or 38.9 million
pounds, jumping 37 percent from August and surpassing last
September’s total by 11 percent. Cumulative
pork exports to Canada trail their 2008 pace by 2 percent
in volume and 9 percent in value.
September pork exports to Russia more than doubled their
August volume and value, and reached the
second-highest total, to July, of the year at 17,637 metric
tons or 38.9 million pounds valued at $34.9
million.
Exports to the China/Hong Kong region achieved their highest
volume at 20,569 metric tons or 45.3
million pounds since April. Exports to Taiwan set a monthly
record in September at 5,790 metric tons or
12.8 million pounds valued at $9.28 million.
Other markets showing gains over 2008 include Australia
up 25 percent in volume and 23 percent in
value, the Philippines up 17 percent and 14 percent, the
Caribbean up 33 percent and 26 percent and
Central and South America up 14 percent and 18 percent.
U.S. pork exports to all of these markets are
expected to set new records this year.
