Twenty-four high school students gained knowledge from various learning sessions, workshops and speakers, including Brent Halling, Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture; Jarrod Sutton, National Pork Board Midwest Retail Marketing Manager; Laura Dierickx, John Deere Ag Management Solutions; Aaron Putze, Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers and others. They spoke on production, marketing, current issues and opportunities available in agriculture.

Attendees also had the chance to display their knowledge of the pork industry and demonstrate presentational and communication skills. Several IPPA Iowa Pork Youth Team gave tips and ideas and shared experiences about educational presentations they have used in elementary schools.

Later, all were supplied with materials for their use and had the opportunity to practice giving educational presentations to other attendees.

The World Pork Expo and the Des Moines Blank Park Zoo were both visited during the conference. At the Expo, youth participated in a scavenger hunt and had the opportunity to ask questions of a variety of pork industry professionals during a career panel.

The trip to the zoo provided time to tour the new swine display as well as explore the popular Des Moines attraction.

The conference targeted county pork queens, 4-H and FFA members, Iowa Pork Youth Team and any high school student interested in the pork industry. The event was sponsored by the IPPA and funded by pork producers through the Pork Checkoff.

Thank you to the following students for participating in the 2005 IPPA Pork Youth Conference!

Marla Claussen Bettendorf Scott County Carly Cummings Pleasantville Marion County Anna Dittmer Columbia Marion County Whitney Glade Guthrie Center Guthrie County Samantha Groves Kamrar Hamilton County Alexa Haney Wall Lake Sac County Michael Havlick Osceola Clarke County Austin Heim Logan Harrison County Kim Karwal Elliott Montgomery County Kelly Kessenich LeMars Phymouth County Eric Kropf Graettinger Palo Alto County David Langner Ayrshire Palo Alto County Jennifer Leistikow Readlyn Bremer County Sara Morine Lamont Buchanan County Samantha Morine Lamont Buchanan County Courtney Penick Carlisle Warren County Luke Peterson Albert City Buena Vista County Hilary Renaud Pella Marion County Bethany Seward Ute Monona County Paige Shelton Modale Harrison County Kristyn Thompson Bridgewater Adair County Olivia Watts Eagle Grove Wright County Bradley Westrum Stratford Hamilton County Heather Willis Clarion Wright County 2005 Iowa Pork Queen Cassidy Greiman 2005 Iowa Pork Princess Brooke Albertsen