ABOUT THE EVENT
The 49th annual Iowa Pork Congress will look very different this year, as we have had to limit our in-person events and move the educational seminars and Iowa Pork Foundation Auction to a virtual format.
While the shift in events is a disappointment, the IPPA Board of Directors used the core We Care values to make decisions to keep the whole community safer as the nation works through the coronavirus epidemic.
Click here to view/print full schedule.
Monday/Tuesday, Jan. 25–26 Event Information
Dollars for Swine Scholars
The 2021 auction to raise Dollars for Swine Scholars will happen online beginning at 3 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25, and concluding at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 28.
The goal is simple. Meet the $30,000 level the auction typically raises annually. Click here to bid on some really good stuff!
More than 20 scholarships are provided by the Iowa Pork Foundation each year.
Judging of Youth Leadership Team Candidates
Twelve young women and men will start their competition for three slots on the Iowa Pork Youth Leadership Team on Jan. 25 when they participate in media interviews and take a short test about the Iowa pork industry.
The contest continues the next day when they’re asked to give a contemporaneous speech and take part in personal interviews.
The evening of Jan. 26, they’ll be introduced at the Recognition Banquet before the winners are announced.
IPPA Business Discussed at Annual Meeting
The 53rd annual meeting of the Iowa Pork Producers Association will bring together county delegates from around Iowa on Tuesday, Jan. 26. The annual meeting gives county delegates an opportunity to review financial and committee reports, as well as discuss resolutions that delegates want to establish at the state or national level. National resolutions will be passed along to the National Pork Board or National Pork Producers Council for possible review at National Pork Forum in March.
The annual meeting also provides IPPA president Mike Paustian an opportunity to give his view of how the association met the challenges in 2020, as well as how it furthered the mission of IPPA and its members.
Registered delegates can also bring forward other business they would like to discuss at this official meeting.
Winners of County Activity Awards Named at Lunch
Individual members and county pork associations organize activities across the state all year long to tell the story of pork, Iowa pork production, and Iowa pig farmers. The work of counties in promotion and education, as well as in membership growth will be recognized at this lunch, which will be held on Jan. 26 at noon.
This is also where top pork promoters from counties are recognized with either the Belle Ringer or Hog Wild awards.
Recognition Banquet for Master Pork Producers
The night of Jan. 26 is reserved for celebration of high achievement in the pork
industry. The newest class of Master Pork Producers, the Pork All-American, Master Seedstock Producer, Master Pork Partners and Honorary Master Pork Producer will be announced at this formal banquet. Click here to livestream the event.
The evening then culminates in the exciting selection of the new Iowa Pork Queen and Youth Pork Ambassadors who will form the 2021 Iowa Pork Youth Leadership Team.
Wednesday, Jan. 27 Online Seminars
NOTE: Registration required to receive the link to each webinar.
Keynote: The Business of Agriculture, noon–1 p.m.
Professional speaker and economist Damian Mason will talk candidly about current events impacting agriculture, especially many of the “F” words: food, fights, fair trade, foodies, feelings, food police, finance, and the future of the industry. He is known for motivating and inspiring audiences in both good and bad ag climates.
How the Swine Community Met COVID Challenges, 7–8 p.m.
A panel discussion led by Colin Johnson, the swine specialist in southwest Iowa for ISU Extension & Outreach. Johnson was involved in many facets of helping the industry manage through market disruptions last spring.
He will facilitate three speakers about strategies used during that time, and how those strategies can be applied in the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak or another supply chain snafu.
Other speakers include:
- Lucia Hunt, Acting Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, will cover centralized grinding and composting used as Minnesota’s response to the supply chain disruptions.
- Sara Crawford, assistant vice president of sustainability at the National Pork Board, will talk about field trials funded by the Checkoff on new methods of depopulation.
- Nick Gabler, ISU Professor specializing in feed efficiency and nutritional physiology, will describe how dietary strategies to slow growth impacted pig behavior, carcass composition and fresh pork loin quality.
Swine Product Spotlights, 9–9:50 a.m. and 2:30–3:20 p.m.
One of the important aspects of Iowa Pork Congress is that it gives pig farmers an opportunity to talk to a variety of vendors and “kick some tires.” We are offering two ways for you to still connect to those vendors.
The first is by going to http://bit.ly/PorkCongress2021Exhibitors. Once you click on the vendor you are looking for, it will pop open a window with contact information and more details about the vendor’s products.
You can also view one of the four virtual Swine Product Spotlights, where vendors can tell you a bit about their product and answer your questions live during the event. On Wednesday, Jan. 27, there are two Spotlight events.
The morning session will feature AP, Merck, and Central Life Sciences products. The afternoon session will have presentations from AP, GenePro, and Innovational Water Solutions.
Thursday, Jan. 28 Online Seminars
NOTE: Registration required to receive the link to each webinar.
Protecting Your Livelihood: Farm & Facility Security, 7–8 a.m.
Hannah Thompson-Weeman of Animal Ag Alliance will discuss the individuals and organizations behind the animal rights movement, and their strategies and tactics to push farmers out of business as well as removing dairy, meat, and eggs from consumers’ diets.
Thompson-Weeman will talk about what farmers can do to avoid or counter the activists’ tactics. She will also share farm security recommendations, red flags to watch out for when hiring, and how to handle visitor requests.
New Marketing Tools in the Toolbox, noon–1 p.m.
A panel led by Lee Schulz, Iowa State University associate professor of livestock economics, will explore new marketing tools and resources available to pig farmers.
Other speakers include:
- Pat Von Tersch, a marketing specialist, will review the recently updated Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) insurance plan for swine and Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) insurance options for pork producers.
- Tim Hughes, a member of the CIH management team who also leads the hog margin management team. He’ll talk about how pig farmers can identify margin opportunities and manage risk.
- Bill Kaelin, a managing member of K & M Trading, LLC, will focus on research and trading in ag markets.
Swine Product Spotlights, 9:30–10:20 a.m. and 2:30–3:20 p.m.
One of the important aspects of Iowa Pork Congress is that it gives pig farmers an opportunity to talk to a variety of vendors and “kick some tires.” We are offering two ways for you to still connect to those vendors.
The first is by going to http://bit.ly/PorkCongress2021Exhibitors. Once you click on the vendor you are looking for, it will pop open a window with contact information and more details about the vendor’s products.
You can also view one of the four virtual Swine Product Spotlights, where vendors can tell you a bit about their product and answer your questions live during the event. On Thursday, Jan. 28, there are two Spotlight events.
The morning session will feature AP, DP Techlink, and Once, Inc. The afternoon session will have presentations from AP, PigEasy, and TechMix.
