Contact: Stephanie Carlson
Producer Outreach and Federal Policy Director
(800) 372-7675, scarlson@iowapork.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!
(CLIVE, Iowa) – The Democratic and Republican presidential candidates are being invited to participate in a forum at the Iowa Pork Congress in Des Moines on Jan. 27.
The Iowa Pork Producers Association has contacted each candidate’s campaign to extend an invitation and business executive and Republican hopeful Carly Fiorina was the first to commit to participating.
Plans call for each candidate to be given 30 minutes to deliver prepared remarks and answer questions from pig farmers and others attending the pork convention. Sessions will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“With all of the candidates from both parties converging on the state in advance of the 2016 Iowa Caucuses, we want to give pig farmers from around Iowa and the Midwest who will be attending the Iowa Pork Congress an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates about their views on agriculture and how they would address the issues directly impacting producers,” said IPPA President David Struthers of Collins.
Many of the presidential hopefuls will likely be in Des Moines during Pork Congress and the forum will be a chance for them to visit the “nation’s largest winter swine tradeshow,” see the latest technology and learn more about the industry.
“Most of the candidates visited the Iowa Pork Tent during the Iowa State Fair to enjoy some fresh Iowa pork and visit with farmers and we’d love to show them how we raise the quality pork they enjoyed,” said Jamie Schmidt of Garner, IPPA past president.
The 44th annual Iowa Pork Congress will be held January 27-28 at the Iowa Events Center. The convention offers the approximately 5,000 attendees 500 tradeshow booths, eleven free business seminars and panel discussions, youth activities and social events.
The Iowa Pork Producers Association is a non-partisan organization that does not endorse political candidates.
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