A $51 million budget and operating plan for 2008 that addresses U.S. pork's competitive advantage, the expansion of international markets and other critical issues facing the U.S. pork industry has been approved by the National Pork Board.

The board approved the 2008 budget and plan at its meeting in Des Moines Nov. 13-14. The budget now goes to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for final approval.

The spending plan also includes domestic pork expenditures, the trust and image of the U.S. pork industry and the development of human capital.

The 15 producer-board members began the planning process in July by identifying the critical issues. More than 150 producers, many of them members of Pork Checkoff committees, also provided input into the plan.

"The 2008 plan combines programs that continue to work for producers with a number of exciting new ideas," said Lynn Harrison, a pork producer from Elk Mound, Wis., and president of the National Pork Board. "Approximately 20 percent of this budget will go directly to state pork organizations to allow them to conduct their own Checkoff-sponsored activities and to partner with national programs," Harrison said. "On the national level, we have approved 22 new projects representing about $4.8 million of the budget.

The new budget will feature a mobile marketing platform that will be used to introduce pork to millions of consumers at large-scale events, while integrating important marketing disciplines. The plan calls for grilling pork and conducting other promotions at events such as auto races, state fairs, food festivals and high-impact sporting events including college and professional football games.

Research efforts will continue in a wide variety of areas including: Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS); Porcine Circo-Virus Related Diseases (PCVAD); euthanasia procedures; nutritional efficiency, sow longevity, animal well-being; pork safety; environmental practices; and antibiotic use. The board also added financial support for a genome sequencing research project that is designed to help scientists make specific use of the pig gene sequencing work.

The new plan and budget also maintains the National Pork Board's commitment to the work of the U.S. Meat Export Federation in building export markets for U.S. Pork. And it continues the national advertising presence for The Other White Meat - Don't Be Blah® program.

The complete 2008 Operating Plan and Budget will be available at pork.org once it is approved by the secretary of agriculture.