There may not be as many folk walking the aisles at Indiana hog shows as there were jamming aisles even a decade ago. But it's quite likely that as many if not more hogs will be represented. The next major pork show in Indiana comes this fall, with the 4th Annual Midwest Pork Conference debuting Wednesday, Sept. 1.
The one-day conference runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. It will be held at the Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel and Suites. Sherrill Rude will manage the conference.
The Indiana Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is the host organization, but they receive help in promotion and organization from similar groups in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio. In addition, a grant from the Livestock Promotion and Development Fund helps sponsor the event. Pork Checkoff dollars from the National Park Board will also help promote this year's gathering.
The one-day meeting features 12 educational sessions, plus a keynote program and table-top exhibit displays from industry. The table-top exhibits represent a switch after years of large trade show format. The table-top concept is better suited for an event now held in a hotel, rather than in a large convention or conference center.
This is actually the second year for the table-top displays. Good reaction from both hog producers attending the meeting and industry representatives encouraged organizers to try it again, Rude says.
Another meeting, the Midwest Swine Nutrition Conference, featuring research results in the swine nutrition field from the five land-grant universities of states co-sponsoring this event, will be held in the same facility on August 31, one day before the actual event itself takes place in the same facility.
For information on either meeting, contact IPPA at (800) 535-2405.