A series of Iowa Pork Regional Conferences will be offered Feb. 19-22 at four locations across Iowa, all starting at 1 p.m. The conferences remain a long-standing partnership of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa State University Extension and the Iowa Pork Industry Center.

The shared goal of bringing research and education to producers continues with this year's program, topics and speakers. There are four sessions, one each day long. All sessions are free.

Extension swine specialists will offer a Pork Quality Assurance Plus certification session from 9 a.m. to noon at each day’s regional conference site. These training sessions are sponsored by the Iowa Pork Producers Association and are free to those who preregister. Attendees are responsible for their own lunch. Lunch will not be served at the conference sites. Download the event flyer.

Conference lineup

Following are the topics to be covered and the presenters:

National Pork Board updates. Brett Kaysen, senior vice president of producer and state engagement, will share program updates regarding the organization’s work in domestic and international markets, and its success in foreign animal disease prevention and preparedness.

Pork market outlook. Lee Schulz, ISU Extension livestock economist, will summarize the current supply-and-demand situation, draw implications for hog and pork markets, and outline a series of broader issues shaping the marketplace.

Hot topics in swine health. Chris Rademacher, ISU swine Extension veterinarian, will explain new disease surveillance tools available to producers and what’s the latest on current diseases such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, as well as some emerging diseases. Also, attendees will get tips on preparing the farm for a foreign animal disease outbreak.

More tools for your toolbox. The ISU Extension swine specialists through the state will provide updates on various topics. They will discuss a variety of information and decision-making resources available for swine producers.

When and where?

The conference dates and locations follow:

Conference details and the link to the online registration form are available on the Iowa Pork Producers Association website. Attendees also can preregister by contacting the association at 800-372-7675 or [email protected].

Source: Iowa State University