Pork Academy allows producers to select those areas that they have the most interest. The following sessions will be offered this June at World Pork Expo. Pork Academy will provide producers with information to help operate their farms more effectively and stay current on industry trends and challenges.

Can’t make it to expo this year? Each Pork Academy session will be recorded and made available after the event.

Click Here to Register for World Pork Expo

June 7 – Porkonomics: An Economic Outlook for the Pork Industry

  • Speaker: Dr. Steve Meyer, Lead Economist, Partners for Production Agriculture and Dr. Lee Schulz, Associate Professor, Iowa State University
  • Moderator: Dr. Brett Kaysen, Senior VP of Producer State Engagement, National Pork Board
  • Date and Time: Wednesday, June 7 from 9 to 10 a.m.
  • Location: Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room C

What does demand look like for pork internationally and here in the U.S.? How are prices impacting markets and pork consumption? Join Dr. Steve Meyer and Dr. Lee Schulz for an interactive session providing an economic outlook for the pork industry. Gain short and long-term insights for your operation.

June 7 – Is Gene Editing the Next Frontier?

  • Panelists: Mike Paustian, Pork Producer; Randy Riley, President, GoldenSun Insights; and Evan Grusenmeyer, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Missouri
  • Moderator: Bill Even, CEO, National Pork Board
  • Date and Time: Wednesday, June 7 from 10 to 11 a.m.
  • Location: Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room D

Could advancements in gene editing in swine improve animal and human health, sustainability, and food and agricultural production? Hear from experts across the pork supply chain as they outline the potential of gene editing and its impact to farm businesses. From producer opportunities to consumer acceptance, this panel brings decades of experience analyzing new innovations and technologies.

June 7 – FAD Defense: From Ag K9s to On-Farm Solutions

  • Speakers: Sari Hall, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialist K9 Handler; Joe Scheele, California Agriculture Liaison, Field Operations, Custom and Borders Protection and Stephanie Wisdom, Director of Animal Welfare, National Pork Board
  • Moderator: Dr. Lisa Becton, Director of Swine Health, National Pork Board
  • Date and Time: Wednesday, June 7 from 1:30 to 3:00 pm
  • Location: Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room C

Protecting your farm and the U.S. herd from Foreign animal disease begins at all U.S. points of entry, continues to every swine operation, and includes important preparation steps for the best response if an outbreak does occur. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet the four-legged protection team of the Agriculture Canines (Ag K9) who provide daily monitoring to stop foreign pork products from entering the country. Hear from members of Customs and Border Protection about how they approach their role of protecting the U.S. pork industry, including the training of these skilled dogs. Gain insights and solutions to prevent and prepare for an FAD on your own farm from Dr. Lisa Becton, who was recently named Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year by the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.

June 8 – Using Sustainability Data to Protect Your Farm’s Legacy

Speakers: Randy Spronk, Pork Producer; Sam Wildman, World Wildlife Fund; Jen Sorenson, Iowa Select Farms
Moderator: Stephanie Wisdom, NPB Director of Animal Welfare
Date and Time: Thursday, June 8 from 8 to 9 a.m.
Location: Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room B

Your farm and the progress you’ve made matter. Protecting your history and sustaining the future of your farm doesn’t have to be complex. Join our panel of experts as they share the latest tools and solutions for producers to benchmark their on-farm practices. Hear how others in the supply chain use data to make decisions that benefit their farm, the industry and the environment.  

June 8 – Advancing Profits and Sustainability by Improving Pig Survivability

  • Speakers: Dr. Jason Ross, Associate Professor, Iowa State University; Dr. Joel DeRouchey, Professor, Kansas State University; Dr. Mike Tokach, University Distinguished Professor and extension specialist, Kansas State University; Dr. Chris Rademacher, Clinical Associate Professor, Iowa State University; Dr. Jordan Gebhardt, Assistant Professor, Kansas State University; and Dr. Laura Greiner, Assistant Professor, Iowa State University
  • Moderator: Dr. Chris Hostetler, Director of Animal Science, National Pork Board
  • Date and Time: Thursday, June 8 from 9 to 10 a.m.
  • Location: Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room C

Since it started in 2018, the “Improving Pig Survivability” project has worked towards the goal of reducing mortality in the U.S. swine industry. Using interdisciplinary research, collaborating with producers, and seeking the support of allied industry partners, the team has identified strategies to maximize pig survivability. Hear from the key investigators as they share their findings and explain practices you can take back to your operation. This project is funded by the National Pork Board and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR).

June 8 – Global Pork Market Update and Opportunities

  • Speaker: Rupert Claxton, Meat Director, Gira Food and Richard Herzfelder, Senior Consultant, Gira Food
  • Moderator: Courtney Knupp, VP of International Market Development, National Pork Board
  • Date and Time: Thursday, June 8 from 10 to 11 a.m.
  • Location: Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room B

Understand and explore the current and future state of the global pork market and anticipated opportunities and challenges ahead. This session will feature distinguished speakers from National Pork Board’s strategic partner Gira Food, a leading consultancy firm specializing in livestock and meat globally. Join us as they discuss international influences impacting the industry’s ability to compete and add value through exports of pork and pork products around the world, with an emphasis on the outlook for China.

June 8 – Proving the Industry’s Chops: Tackling a 30-year Challenge

  • Speaker: Dr. Glynn Tonsor, Professor, Kansas State University; Dr. David Newman, Professor, Arkansas State University; and Kiersten Hafer, Vice President of Strategy and Market Development, National Pork Board
  • Moderator: Bob Ruth, NPB Board Member
  • Date and Time: Thursday, June 8 from 1 to 2 p.m.
  • Location: Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room B

You don’t have to tell us that market changes and demand for pork are top-of-mind issues for producers. Positioning pork effectively, both in the case and in promotion, influence customer demand and may add value to the product. Join our expert panel as they share about the market situation and pork’s role within it, consumer insights from the Checkoff-funded retail meat case benchmarking study and what the Checkoff is doing on behalf of producers to open new doors of opportunity.

June 8 – Advancing U.S. Pork Sustainability: Understanding the Incentives of this Climate-Smart Commodity Grant 

*For producers in IA, MO and MN

  • Speaker: Sam Morine, Senior Project Manager, Sustainability, National Pork Board; Angie Krieger, Sustainable Environmental Consultants
  • Date and Time: Thursday, June 8 from 2 to 3 p.m.
  • Location: Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room C

The Advancing U.S. Pork Sustainability Grant, part of the USDA Climate-Smart Commodities Grant program, is officially ready to accept producer applicants from Iowa, Missouri and Minnesota. The interactive session will answer producer questions about the application process, technical support available and the on-farm practices in the grant program, including cover crops, livestock integration (in cover crops), conservation tillage, manure management, edge-of-field and perennial grass buffers and LED in-barn lighting. 

Click here to register for World Pork Expo