Al Wulfekuhle | Feb 05, 2021
Living through COVID-19 has made everyone aware of something pork producers have known for some time: severe, negative economic impacts and supply chain constraints result when a foreign disease enters the country.
If a foreign animal disease (FAD) such as African swine fever (ASF), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), or classical swine fever (CSV) were to enter the U.S. swine herd, it would cause billions of dollars in losses and lead to an immediate loss of export markets. To prevent such a scenario, we need to ensure the U.S. remains vigilant to protect agriculture from foreign animal diseases.
Photo: WNAX
Southwest Iowa producer Dennis Liljedahl is the new President for the Iowa Pork Producers Association. He says two key issues his group is focused on is battling foreign animal diseases and getting policy instituted that supports trade.
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He says IPPA’s major foreign animal disease concern is making sure they can keep African Swine Fever out of the U.S.
Liljedahl says producers saw the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic that led to the backlog at processing plants so he’s pleased Congressman Dusty Johnson has introduced the DIRECT Act to allow the sale of state inspected meat across state lines.
Feb 01, 2021
At the 2021 Iowa Pork Congress banquet, the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) introduced the 2020 class of Master Pork Producers and Master Pork Partners.
A Master Pork Producer award denotes an individual s or family s excellence in pork production, as measured by their pork production statistics, their commitment to We Care principles, and their contribution to their community. There are six We Care principles that outline a pig farmer s responsibilities to uphold high standards for animal well-being, food safety, the environment, as well as support of their local community.
IPPA s 79th class of Master Pork Producers includes six pig farmers. They are:
A Panorama High School student was recently selected for a high honor.
On Tuesday night, senior Reagan Gibson was selected as one of three Premier Pork Youth Ambassadors for the Iowa Pork Producers Association’s Youth Leadership Team. The selection was made during the organization’s Master Pork Producers’ recognition banquet in Des Moines.
Paige Dagel of Sanborn was the other ambassador and Riverside’s Leah Marek was crowned as the 2021 Iowa Pork Queen.
Gibson and her fellow winners receive a $4,000 scholarship, plaque and sash and will assist with state pork promotional and educational activities throughout 2021.
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The 2019 Washington County Pork Queen is now the 2021 state pork queen.
The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) has selected Leah Marek of Riverside to represent the state and promote the pork industry. An Iowa State University freshman, Marek says it’s a role she’s eager to take on, “It’s a huge honor, I’m excited for it, I’m excited to be able to go to appearances this summer and hopefully things get back to normal so that we can have a fun and full year of experiences.”
Marek was named queen Tuesday during the Iowa Pork Congress in Des Moines after scoring the highest in a contest with 10 other young Iowans vying for the 2021 Iowa Youth Pork Leadership Team. She also received a $4,000 scholarship to use toward her education at ISU where she is double majoring in biology and global resource systems, which she hopes will lead her into the agriculture field and international trade.