NPB & USMEF guest speakers at annual meeting

Chris Novak, National Pork Board Chief Executive Officer, and John Hinners, U.S. Meat Export Federation Vice President of Industry Relations, will be keynote speakers at the Minnesota Pork Board Annual Meeting on Dec. 2, 2008. The meeting begins at 3:30 p.m. at the Country Inn & Suites, Mankato, located north of the Highway 14 and Highway 22 intersections.

 

All pork producers who pay Pork Checkoff are stakeholders in the Minnesota Pork Board (MPB) and are eligible to vote and to give their input on Pork Checkoff programs. Membership in a county pork producers’ association is not required to take part in MPB meeting and other Pork Checkoff activities.

 

Additional meeting highlights include review of the 2008 MPB financial statement, discussion on Pork Checkoff related resolutions, and election of MPB Executive Board/Pork Act Delegates.The executive board members serve one-year terms and they deal exclusively with Pork Checkoff topics.

 

Candidates for the 12 executive board seats are:

Dustin Bakke of Princeton, Bill Crawford of Fairmont, Pam Gierke of Villard, Kelly Graff of Sanborn, Curt Johnson of Jasper, Craig Mensink of Preston, Jim Merritt of Elbow Lake, Burt Norell of St. Peter, Mary Peichel of Fairfax, Doug Stade of Eden Valley, Jackie Tlam of Dunnell, Pat Thome of Adams, Tim Waibel of New Ulm, and Doug Wenner of Nicollet.

 

The day will begin with a luncheon from 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., the Minnesota Pork Board Annual Meeting from 3:30-6 p.m., and social hour beginning at 6 p.m. Pre-registration to help with planning meals and handouts is requested but not necessary. To pre-register, call the MPB office at (507) 345-8814 or 1-800-537-7675.

 

MPB administers Pork Checkoff programs relating to research, consumer and producer education, and promotion. Minnesota pork producers who have paid into the mandatory Pork Checkoff are encouraged to attend and are eligible to run for leadership positions and vote on resolutions.

The Minnesota Pork Producers Association Annual Meeting will be from 1-3:30 p.m. The MPPA is a voluntary membership organization that addresses public policy development and legislation. Because MPPA membership requires enrollment in the Strategic Investment Program or Partners Program, and it is not associated with the mandatory Pork Checkoff, only MPPA members may attend and vote at this meeting.