celebrating pork

12
C ELEBRATING P ORK A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE DENISON BULLETIN AND DENISON REVIEW www.DBRnews.com | Friday, October 19, 2012 Raising pork for show Greiman continues family tradition with pork operation by Gordon Wolf Roots in the pork industry run deep for Cassi Greiman, so it probably was no surprise to others that, just more than a year ago, she started a show pig operation near Denison. Greiman herself was perhaps the only one amazed that she re-entered the field of swine production. After spending her formative years helping with the family farm’s 250- sow, farrow-to-finish hog operation near Hudson (in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area), Greiman left for Iowa State University, where she earned a degree in Agriculture Studies. At that time, she believed at some point, she wanted to work with livestock again. “I was very much a part of my fami- ly’s farm operation,” she commented. Her father Chris, ran the farrow-to-fin- ish hog operation, up until about six years ago, when he sold the sows. “I always had chores, but when I left home to attend Iowa State University, I didn’t have livestock chores to do. It was kind of nice not having that re- sponsibility. “But it gets in your blood,” she added. After college, Greiman ended up in Denison, working for Amaizing Energy ethanol plant, now named The Ander- sons Denison Ethanol LLC after the sale of the plant earlier this year. She is the Distiller’s Merchandiser, which means she sells modified wet and dry distiller’s grain. After she decided to enter the niche market of raising show pigs, Greiman found second-hand hog equipment from a variety of sources, including on Craig’s List, the Farm Bureau Spokesman, and on the local KDSN radio trading post show, and took over a sow herd from neighbor Denise Reis- er. Finding the second-hand equipment was a key to a successful start to the business. “You can’t get by breeding just 12 sows with brand new equipment,” she commented. Greiman had no illusions about what would be involved in building a show pig herd. She knew well, from her rural background, that farming is a lot of work. She worked hard in 4-H and FFA, showing not only hogs, but other livestock. And she competed in ag-re- lated contests. In 2005 Greiman was crowned Iowa Pork Queen, following in the footsteps of her mother, Soo, who won the state title in 1972 and then went on to become the National Pork Queen in 1973. Other experience came from working for Eden Farms, a coalition of inde- pendent family farmers and the largest American supplier of 100 percent pure heirloom Berkshire pork. Setting up the operation involved many hours of hard work. The goal was to make it easy and efficient to feed and care for the livestock. “When you’re working in town, you want it set up to make the work easier,” said Greiman. She added if she’s ever out of town, then it will be easier for the person who comes in to do the chores. Greiman also knows that with show pigs, reputation is important. “Reputation is hard to acquire. I’m not from the area so it is a little bit more difficult to build a reputation, but to some degree that’s good,” she stated. “I’m away from home so I’m not riding on the shirttails of my family.” Besides the 12 sows, her operation includes one boar, which is mainly used to detect which sows are in heat. All sows are artificially inseminated. Greiman has replaced the sows that came from Reiser’s herd, although some of the replacements are offspring of the original sows. GREIMAN...Page 5 Cassi Greiman started her show pig operation near Denison with a herd of sows purchased from neighbors and second-hand equipment. The 2005 Iowa Pork Queen, a na- tive of rural Hudson in eastern Iowa, Greiman said raising show pigs is hard work and a commitment but is rewarding. Greiman is pictured above with a couple sows from her sow herd. Photos by Gordon Wolf “I’m not from the area so it is a little bit more difficult to build a reputation, but to some degree that’s good. I’m away from home so I’m not riding on the shirttails of my family.” ~ Cassi Greiman

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Page 1: Celebrating Pork

CELEBRATING PORKA S P E C I A L S E C T I O N O F T H E D E N I S O N B U L L E T I N A N D D E N I S O N R E V I E W

www.DBRnews.com | Friday, October 19, 2012

Raising pork for show

Greiman continues family tradition with pork operation

by Gordon WolfRoots in the pork industry run deep

for Cassi Greiman, so it probably wasno surprise to others that, just morethan a year ago, she started a show pigoperation near Denison.

Greiman herself was perhaps theonly one amazed that she re-enteredthe field of swine production.

After spending her formative yearshelping with the family farm’s 250-sow, farrow-to-finish hog operationnear Hudson (in the Waterloo/CedarFalls area), Greiman left for Iowa StateUniversity, where she earned a degreein Agriculture Studies. At that time, shebelieved at some point, she wanted towork with livestock again.

“I was very much a part of my fami-ly’s farm operation,” she commented.Her father Chris, ran the farrow-to-fin-ish hog operation, up until about sixyears ago, when he sold the sows. “Ialways had chores, but when I lefthome to attend Iowa State University, Ididn’t have livestock chores to do. Itwas kind of nice not having that re-sponsibility.

“But it gets in your blood,” sheadded.

After college, Greiman ended up in

Denison, working for Amaizing Energyethanol plant, now named The Ander-sons Denison Ethanol LLC after thesale of the plant earlier this year. She isthe Distiller’s Merchandiser, whichmeans she sells modified wet and drydistiller’s grain.

After she decided to enter the nichemarket of raising show pigs, Greimanfound second-hand hog equipmentfrom a variety of sources, including onCraig’s List, the Farm BureauSpokesman, and on the local KDSNradio trading post show, and took overa sow herd from neighbor Denise Reis-er.

Finding the second-hand equipmentwas a key to a successful start to the

business.“You can’t get by breeding just 12

sows with brand new equipment,” shecommented.

Greiman had no illusions about whatwould be involved in building a showpig herd. She knew well, from her ruralbackground, that farming is a lot ofwork. She worked hard in 4-H andFFA, showing not only hogs, but otherlivestock. And she competed in ag-re-lated contests. In 2005 Greiman wascrowned Iowa Pork Queen, following inthe footsteps of her mother, Soo, whowon the state title in 1972 and thenwent on to become the National PorkQueen in 1973.

Other experience came from working

for Eden Farms, a coalition of inde-pendent family farmers and the largestAmerican supplier of 100 percent pureheirloom Berkshire pork.

Setting up the operation involvedmany hours of hard work. The goalwas to make it easy and efficient tofeed and care for the livestock.

“When you’re working in town, youwant it set up to make the work easier,”said Greiman. She added if she’s everout of town, then it will be easier for theperson who comes in to do the chores.

Greiman also knows that with showpigs, reputation is important.

“Reputation is hard to acquire. I’mnot from the area so it is a little bit moredifficult to build a reputation, but tosome degree that’s good,” she stated.“I’m away from home so I’m not ridingon the shirttails of my family.”

Besides the 12 sows, her operationincludes one boar, which is mainlyused to detect which sows are in heat.All sows are artificially inseminated.

Greiman has replaced the sows thatcame from Reiser’s herd, althoughsome of the replacements are offspringof the original sows.

GREIMAN...Page 5

Cassi Greiman started her show pig operation near Denison with a herd of sows purchased from neighbors and second-hand equipment. The 2005 Iowa Pork Queen, a na-tive of rural Hudson in eastern Iowa, Greiman said raising show pigs is hard work and a commitment but is rewarding. Greiman is pictured above with a couple sows fromher sow herd. Photos by Gordon Wolf

“I’m not from the area so it is a little bit more

difficult to build a reputation, but to some

degree that’s good. I’m away from home so I’m

not riding on the shirttails of my family.”

~ Cassi Greiman

Page 2: Celebrating Pork

PAGE 2 CELEBRATING PORK OCTOBER 19, 2012

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Pork QualityAssurance Plus:Ensuring goodproductionpractices

Iowa pork producers know that consumers rely onthem to provide a safe and nutritious product thatwas raised in the best way possible, both for the an-imal and the farmer.

One way producers show their commitment to theseideals is by becoming Pork Quality Assurance®Plus(PQA®Plus)-certified and by achieving PQA Plus sitestatus.

To date in Iowa, 15,539 people have been certifiedthrough PQA Plus and 5,970 sites have been as-sessed. Across the country, 56,414 people are PQAPlus-certified and 16,599 sites have been assessed.

“PQA Plus is one of the many tools that pork pro-ducers use to show their commitment to doing theright thing,” said Conley Nelson, an Iowa farmer andpig-production executive from Algona and presidentof the National Pork Board. “PQA Plus certificationshows producer’s commitment to the industry as wellas continuous improvement.”

The education component of PQA Plus stresses 10good production practices that cover all phases of pro-duction. Proper handling techniques promote animalwell-being, while observing proper antibiotic with-drawal times through medical records helps produc-ers provide safe meat.

PQA Plus site status is designated through on-farmsite assessments. This on-farm assessment is a wayof taking the program an extra step. It gives produc-ers the chance to demonstrate their understandingand commitment to good production practices whiledoing what’s right for their animals and their farm.

Certification in PQA Plus and the achievement ofPQA Plus site status helps strengthen trust in pro-ducers and their dedication to doing the right thing.

“It gives consumers confidence in the care that ouranimals are receiving and in the safe meat that we, asproducers, are providing,” Nelson said.

Youth also are taking the initiative to show theirdedication to using good production practices by be-coming certified through the Youth PQA Plus®pro-gram. The program is taught to people ages eight to19 and addresses the topics of PQA Plus in an age-appropriate way. Currently, 609 Iowa youth and near-ly 31,000 kids around the U.S. are certified throughthe program.

“The PQA Plus and Youth PQA sessions takingplace around the country show just how much pro-ducers do care,” Nelson said.

To ensure that PQA Plus truly reflects what con-sumers want and what producers are doing, the pro-gram is revised every three years. The latest versionof the program aims to be more user friendly thanever and will be rolled out at World Pork Expo in2013.

October is NationalPork Month

by Rose Koester, CSIF Intern

With harvest underway and cooler weather com-ing, there’s no better month to celebrate pork thanOctober.

National Pork Month is a special time to recognizepork producers’ hard work and dedication to raisingsafe, nutritious pork while protecting and promotinganimal well-being, safeguarding natural resourcesand working to better the quality of life in their com-munity. Pork is a major part of the national, state andlocal economy.

Iowa became the nation’s leading pork-producingstate in the 1880s and it continues today with ap-proximately 30 million hogs raised each year.

More than 39,000 jobs are directly related to rais-ing and caring for hogs in Iowa, generating nearly$950 million in household income. Pork productionalone contributes nearly $5 billion to the state’s econ-omy.

Hogs are also the single largest consumer of Iowa’scorn and soybeans, eating almost one-third of Iowa’sgrain production. Hog farmers have made great im-provements and changes in genetics, feeding andmanagement practices, resulting in pork that is 31percent lower in fat than 20 years ago.

“Pork production has a significant economic impacton the state of Iowa and has provided a way for manyyoung people to return to the family farm,” said BrianWaddingham, executive director of the Coalition toSupport Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF).

“Today’s pork producers have respect for the land,pride in their work, and a commitment to their fami-ly and community.”

Besides being good for Iowa’s economy, pork is agood protein source for our bodies. Pork is a very lean

and nutritious source of tasty protein. The U.S. De-partment of Agriculture (USDA) analysis found thatpork tenderloin contains only 2.98 grams of fat perthree-ounce serving. Pork tenderloin now meets thegovernment’s “extra lean” guidelines. Pork can be in-corporated into a person’s diet in many ways, so be in-spired in the kitchen.

Another recent success story in the industry is thenew cooking guideline for pork, revealed by theUSDA.

It is now recommended that solid cuts of pork becooked to 145 degree F internally with a three-minuterest period. The temperature will remain constant orrise during the three-minute rest period, killing anypathogens. The 145 degree temperature guidelineswill help consumers enjoy pork at its most flavorful,juicy and safe temperature.

This year for October Pork Month, take the time toexpress your appreciation to the pork producers thatprovide you with a safe, nutritious and sustainableprotein source.

For more information about pork, go to www.iowa-pork.org.

The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers was creat-ed by farmers to help farmers raise livestock respon-sibly and successfully. It is a joint partnership in-volving the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa CornGrowers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation,Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Soybean As-sociation, Iowa Turkey Federation and Midwest DairyAssociation.

The non-profit, non-partisan organization providesassistance to farmers at no cost. CSIF does not lobbyor develop policy. Farm families wanting a helpinghand can contact the Coalition at 1-800-932-2436 orvisit www.supportfarmers.com.

Hog farmers have made great improvements and changes in genetics, feeding and management practices, re-sulting in pork that is 31 percent lower in fat than 20 years ago.

Page 3: Celebrating Pork

OCTOBER 19, 2012 CELEBRATING PORK PAGE 3

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Number of hogs in Iowaincreases slightlySeptember 1 mark was highestinventory on record

Iowa farmers had 20.6 million hogs and pigs ontheir facilities on September 1, according to informa-tion released September 28 from the USDA NationalAgriculture Statistics Service (NASS). The 20.6 mil-lion hogs and pigs represented more than a two per-cent increase in inventory compared to the same timelast year and was the highest inventory on record.

According to the NASS report, the June 2012through August 2012 pig crop was 50.7 million head.A total of 485,000 sows farrowed with an averagelitter size of 10.45 pigs per sow.

The report also stated that as of September 1, pro-ducers planned to farrow 480,000 head of sows andgilts in the September through November 2012 quar-ter and farrowing intentions for the December 2012through February 2013 period were estimated at475,000.

The NASS report showed that 1,020,000 head ofbreeding stock was in Iowa on September 1, 2011,compared to 1,000,000 head on September 1, 2012.

Market hog numbers for Iowa were 19,080,000head on September 1, 2011, and 19,600,000 head onSeptember 1, 2012.

Total numbers were 20,100,000 head on Septem-ber 1, 2011, and 20,600,000 head on September 1,2012. The United States inventory of all hogs andpigs on September 1, 2012 was 67.5 million head, upslightly from September 1, 2011, and up three percentfrom June 1, 2012.

Breeding inventory, at 5.79 million head, was downslightly from last year, and down one percent fromthe previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 61.7million head, was up slightly from last year, and up 3percent from last quarter.

The June-August 2012 pig crop, at 29.3 millionhead, was down slightly from 2011. Sows farrowingduring this period totaled 2.89 million head, down 1percent from 2011. The sows farrowed during thisquarter represented 49 percent of the breeding herd.The average pigs saved per litter was a record high10.13 for the June-August period, compared to 10.03last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operationranged from 7.60 for operations with 1-99 hogs andpigs to 10.20 for operations with more than 5,000hogs and pigs.

United States hog producers intend to have 2.85million sows farrow during the September-November2012 quarter, down 3 percent from the actual far-rowings during the same period in 2011, and down1 percent from 2010. Intended farrowings for De-cember-February 2013, at 2.82 million sows, aredown 1 percent from 2012 and down 1 percent from2011.

The total number of hogs under contract owned byoperations with over 5,000 head, but raised by con-tractees, accounted for 47 percent of the total UnitedStates hog inventory, up from 46 percent last year.

Farmland FoodsThe Farmland Foods plant in Denison is the largest employer in western Iowa. According to September 2011 in-

formation from the company, Farmland Foods has more than 1,600 employees with an annual payroll of $71 million.Farmland Foods in Denison processes 2.4 million hogs annually. The plant produces fresh pork, as well as a wide va-riety of ham and bacon products. It processes 2.4 million hogs annually, which are sourced from a three-hour radiussurrounding the plant. The original Farmland Foods plant was built in Denison in 1958 and has been expanded 12times since its construction. The current size of the plant is 388,000 square feet and it runs on two shifts.

Iowa pork production economic contri-butions include:

The Iowa pork industry generatesnearly $950 million in household in-come for pork producers.More than 39,000 jobs are directly re-lated to raising and caring for hogs inIowa.Iowa pork production alone con-tributes nearly $5 billion to the Iowa

economy.Several billion dollars are generatedin the state each year from pork pro-cessing activities.The total value added by Iowa porkproducers to the state is more than$2.5 billion.

Statistics based on 2007 U.S. Census of Agricultureand analysis by Spencer Parkinson of Decision Inno-vation and Iowa State University. From Iowa PorkProducers Association (www.iowapork.org)

Iowa pork industry factsAt the end of 2008,Iowa had 8,300 hogoperations.At any one time, thereare approximately 19million pigs beingraised in Iowa.Approximately 30 mil-lion hogs are raised inIowa each year.Iowa producers mar-keted more than 37million hogs in 2008.The U.S. pork industrymarketed more than121 million hogs in2008.Iowa is the number onepork producing state inthe U.S. and the topstate for pork exports.

Source: National Pork Board, IowaAgriculture Statistics Servicewww.nass.usda.gov/ia/

Page 4: Celebrating Pork

PAGE 4 CELEBRATING PORK OCTOBER 19, 2012

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Did You Know? Each market hogrepresents 371 servingsof pork

Where did the saying “living highon the hog” come from? The sayingoriginated among army enlistedmen who received shoulder and legcuts while officers received the toploin cuts.

As popular as pork is in America, itis not the US, but China, that is theworld’s No. 1 producer andconsumer of fresh pork.

A Poland China hog named “Big Bill” weighed2,552 lbs. and measured 9’ long. The owner ofthis hefty hog was Burford Butler of Jackson, TNin 1933. In contrast, the average market weightof today’s lean hogs is around 265 lbs.

What’s the original of thesaying to “go whole hog”? Theexpression came from the18th century when theEnglish shilling was at onetime called a “hog.” Thus, aspendthrift, one willing tospend an entire shilling onthe entertainment of a friendin a pub, was willing to “gowhole hog.”

What did President HarryTruman have to say abouthogs? “No man should beallowed to be president whodoes not understand hogs.”

What was a keystaple food forWash ing ton ’stroops at ValleyForge? Salt pork.

What’s the top price ever paid for ahog? The highest known price paidfor a hog was $220,000 at the 2001Summer Type Conference. The pig,bred by Todd Creager of Ohio, soldto Lifeline Genetics of Oklahoma.

Check us out on the internet

DBRnews.com

Individuals who need to be recertifiedas Pork Quality Assurance Plus Advi-sors under the National Pork Board'sPQA Plus program are reminded of aNovember 19 session in Ames.

The Iowa Pork Industry Center (IPIC)at Iowa State University is hosting themorning session, which will run con-currently with an initial daylong PQAPlus certification session.

James McKean, IPIC associate directorand ISU Extension swine veterinarian,is coordinating both trainings that willbe in the Ensminger Room in KildeeHall on the Iowa State campus.

The sessions will be taught by ISUanimal science and veterinary medicinefaculty members who are certified PQAPlus trainers.

The recertification session is limitedto the first 30 participants who prereg-ister and pay the recertification fee of$50 per person.

Preregistration ensures the necessarymaterials will be available for each par-ticipant, so no walk-ins will be accept-ed.

The registration form for recertifica-tion is available atwww. ip i c . i as ta te .edu/PQAPRe-cert111912.docx and is due with the$50 fee by November 5.

Those who wish to become certifiedfor the first time need to download,complete and submit the two-page ap-plication form available online atw w w. i p i c . i a s t a t e . e d u / P Q A -Papp111912.docx. The form also isavailable by fax by calling Sherry Hoyerat IPIC at 515-294-4496.

The application deadline is Nov. 5with the $75 due from approved appli-cants by the certification session.

To be eligible to submit an applica-tion for initial certification, people mustmeet the following qualifications:

Be a veterinarian, extension special-ist or ag educator (defined for this pro-gram as a person who spends full timein adult education or at least half timein production training) and

Have a D.V.M. or B.S. in animal sci-ence or an equivalent combination ofeducation and swine production expe-rience as determined by the PQA Plustrainer reviewing the application and

Have two years of recent docu-mentable swine production experience.

PQA Plus was developed by the PorkIndustry Animal Care Coalition, to be acontinuous improvement program.

The coalition, made up of pork pro-ducers, packers/processors, restaurantsand food retailers, dedicated itself tofinding a food-industry solution thatwould give confidence to consumersthat U.S. pork is produced in a way thatrespects animal well-being.

PQA Plus merges the food safety andanimal well-being concepts of the orig-inal PQA program into three steps: in-dividual certification through educa-tion, farm site assessment and the op-portunity for process verification thatgives customer credibility.

For more information on PQA Plus,contact the National Pork Board at 800-456-PORK, or go tohttp://pork.org/Producers/PQAP.aspx?c=PQAP.30-

Pork Quality Assurance Plus Advisors training session set for November 19

New research shows Iowa swine pro-ducers and others across the countryare doing their part to work toward asustainable future.

A study released this year shows thatthough pig farms of the 1950s may beremembered as idyllic, they were not assustainable as those of today. This be-comes clear as the metrics most associ-ated with sustainability are revealedfrom their 1959 baseline: a 35 percentdecrease in carbon footprint, a 41 per-cent reduction in water usage and a 78percent drop in land needed to producea pound of pork.

Garth Boyd, Ph.D., an environmentalresearcher and former university pro-fessor, led a team of university and in-dustry scientists who conducted thisPork Checkoff-funded study. Every-thing affecting pork’s footprint at thefarm level was included in the model,including feed, water, energy, land andcrop-nutrient resources needed to pro-duce pork.

“The study underscores just howmuch improvement farmers have madeover the past half century,” Boyd said.“The pork industry has been very suc-cessful in significantly reducing its en-vironmental impact and use of naturalresources by nearly 50 percent acrossthe board per 1,000 pounds of porkproduced, which is quite an accom-plishment.”

Sustainability, however, means moreto pork producers than just being agood environmental steward.

“Many of the gains in efficiency canbe attributed to the continuous im-provements farmers have made overthe years in both crop production and inthe care they give their animals throughbetter nutrition, health and overallmanagement,” said National PorkBoard President Conley Nelson, a

farmer and pork executive from Algona.This appears to be reflected in thestudy’s findings that showed a 29 per-cent increase in hogs marketed com-pared to 50 years ago with a breedingherd that is 39 percent smaller. Feed ef-ficiency, a major factor that affects theland required for growing feedstuffs,has improved by 33 percent during thisperiod.

According to the study, when all ofthe findings on efficiency gains are to-taled, the progress toward greater sus-tainability is clear with this example:today’s farms can produce 1,000pounds of pork with only five pigs frombreeding to market compared with eightpigs in 1959.

“The new research validates what weas farmers have always believed: theproduction improvements we’ve madein our industry have improved the sus-tainability of today’s modern porkfarms,” Nelson said. “What’s importantis the care we are giving our animalsand the care we take with the environ-ment.”

As an example of continuous im-provement, Nelson reported that partic-ipation in the Pork Quality Assurance®Plus program has reached record lev-els. As of July 1, more than 16,755 sites- representing 75.38 percent of the U.S.pig inventory - have been independ-ently assessed, and more than 55,500individual producers are participatingin PQA Plus. PQA Plus is a continuousimprovement program created to reflectthe increased interest consumers havein how their food is being raised. It em-phasizes 10 good production practicesthat demonstrate farmer’s commitmentto socially responsible pork productionas well as food safety.

From Iowa Pork Producers Associa-tion (www.iowapork.org)

Swine producersmoving toward a sustainable future

Page 5: Celebrating Pork

OCTOBER 19, 2012 CELEBRATING PORK PAGE 5

GREIMAN, from Page 1

She is concentratingon what makes a goodshow pig – the geneticsand blood lines.

“A show pig is still amarket hog, but a littleshowier. It’s judged onmarket quality, includ-ing muscle, fat, andstructure, it just has afancier look,” she ex-plained.

The show pigs sheraises are a cross amongHampshire, Yorkshireand Duroc.

For a hog semen sup-plier, Greiman looks fortop-rated boars.

“I pay attention towho wins the showsand who the sire was,”she commented.

Raising show pigsalso means staying astep ahead of trends.The industry and showjudges may look forsomething different in apig next year than theydo this year.

“Eighty percent of theoperation is in the ge-netics,” said Greiman,“and 20 percent of it isfeeding and taking careof the pigs.”

Her sows produce twolitters a year. A good lit-ter for show pigs is eightto 10 piglets.

Last year, in her firstyear, Greiman had moredemand for her showpigs than she had sup-ply.

“That was good, but itwon’t always be thatway,” she commented.

The pigs she raisesend up in regional swineshows, county fairs andthe Iowa State Fair.

Some were also pur-

chased for shows inTexas. Shows in Texasare in late Novemberand December, which isthe off-season forshows in Iowa, Greimanexplained.

“Junior livestockshows are a great wayof becoming involved insomething as a family,”Greiman said.

Greiman’s show pigsare raised in a pen,which allows them toroam around and root inthe corn stalk bedding.

“I like to see them onthe corn stalk bedding.They get good exercise.It’s the way pigs aresupposed to be raised,”she stated.

Although well educat-ed in raising livestock,Greiman has learnedmuch about raisingshow pigs and herself.

Her advice to otherscontemplating the samepath is that the work ischallenging and it is acommitment.

“Don’t give up,” shestated. “A couple times Ithought, ‘What have Igot myself into?’”

Buying used hogequipment from farmerswho got out of the busi-ness for a variety of rea-sons also became dis-couraging at times.

“They would say ‘Idon’t envy you. I would-n’t want to raise hogsagain.’”

Greiman sells her pigsprivately to people whocome on the farm andalso sold at an auctionlast year sponsored byPurina Feeds andCogdill Farm Supply,where she purchasesher feed. Greiman would

like to sell at more auc-tions.

As a niche market, theprice for show pigs isbetter than the slaugh-

ter market, saidGreiman, a factor that isimportant especiallysince corn is $7.50 to $8a bushel right now.

Greiman said her sowherd is small and man-ageable but she wouldlike to increase the sizein the future.

“It’s small – definitelya hobby, but everyoneneeds a hobby, some-thing they’re passionateabout,” said Greiman.

Cassi Greiman feeds the sow herd for her show pig operation. She started the show pig operation about a year ago.

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Grieman’s pigs were shown at regional swine shows,county fairs and the Iowa State Fair last year

Page 6: Celebrating Pork

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Thank you, Thank you, Pork Producers, Pork Producers,

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by Greg ForbesAlthough summer has ended, Octo-

ber marks Pork Month, which providesa good excuse to keep the grill out for afew more weeks.

Meat market managers from theDenison area provided their favoritepork recipes they like to cook yearround as well as tips to ensure that yourpork dinner is cooked to perfection.

Local meat market

Mark Hoffman of the No Frills Super-market meat department said his fa-vorite cut of pork is a one and a halfinch thick boneless America’s cut chop.

Hoffman explained his favorite ap-proach to prepare the chops is a simpleseasoning of Lowry’s salt, garlic saltand pepper and then put the chops onthe grill.

Because the chops are a thick cut oftop loin, Hoffman said he cooks thechops until the outside is done thenturns the heat down on the grill to slow-ly cook the inside.

He also likes to add potatoes wrappedin aluminum foil to the grill next to hispork chops.

During the summer, Hoffman likes tocook his chops at least once a week. Heexplained that while he enjoys grillingin the summer, crock pots are a popularpork cooking appliance in the fallmonths.

“Ribs have been a big seller. When itcools off outside, people love to putcountry style ribs in a crock pot andhave supper ready when they get homefrom work,” Hoffman said.

Mark HoffmanNo Frills Supermarket

PAGE 6 CELEBRATING PORK OCTOBER 19, 2012

Balltown restaurantserves Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin

After nearly six months of nomina-tions and judging, the Iowa Pork Pro-ducers Association has selected anortheast Iowa restaurant as the winnerof the 10th annual Best BreadedPork Tenderloin Contest.

Breitbach’s CountryDining in Balltown wasjudged the winner byIPPA and will re-ceive $500 anda plaque forhaving thebest breadedpork tender-loin.

The restau-rant has been in busi-ness since 1852 and is Iowa’soldest bar and restaurant. Mike Breit-bach is the fourth generation of Breit-bach’s to own and run the establish-ment. In an average week, as many as200 pork tenderloin sandwiches aresold, according to Breitbach.

“We make each other look good. Wemake growers look good and they makeus look good with the meat,” he said.

Vinny’s BBQ in Dakota City receivedsecond place honors and will receive$250 and a plaque. The Dog House inPella, Kelly’s Country Oven in Monti-cello and Antler’s Pub & Grill in Clareeach received honorable mention andwill receive a plaque to display in theirestablishment.

Duane Cook of Holy Cross nominatedBreitbach’s Country Dining and will re-

ceive $100 from IPPA.IPPA has received an average of 300

nominations each year of the contest.This year, 993 nominations were sub-

mitted and 65 restau-rants received the re-quired three ormore nominations.Initial judging was

done by pro-ducer / mem-bers. Five final-ists were select-ed and final

judging of thoserestaurants was

completed earlier thismonth by members of the

IPPA Restaurant and Food Ser-vice Committee. The tenderloins arejudged on taste, appearance and phys-ical characteristics.

“The contest has been fantastic, rely-ing on Iowa pork producers to make thepublic aware of a unique product,” saidcommittee member Nelda Christian.“The committee thanks all the partici-pants for making this competition aworthwhile project for 10 years.”

The contest recognizes Iowa diningestablishments that support the swineindustry by putting pork on their menu.All restaurants, cafes and taverns thatserve breaded pork tenderloin sand-wiches can be nominated for the awardeach year. Previous contest winnersalso are eligible, but are prohibited fromwinning two consecutive years.

Page 7: Celebrating Pork

OCTOBER 19, 2012 CELEBRATING PORK PAGE 7

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During October Pork Month, We Salute The Hard Work By Everyone Involved In Bringing Quality Pork Products To The Table!

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managers share pork cooking tips

Kreg Farley of the Fareway meat de-partment explained that currently, hisfavorite pork preparation is a teriyaki-injected pork loin.

He uses a two-pound boneless porkloin and injects it with a combinationof pineapple juice and a store-boughtteriyaki marinade. Each injection ismade about half an inch apart. He sea-sons the outside and places it on thegrill over indirect heat for 15 to 20 min-utes per pound or until the internal tem-perature reaches 145 degrees.

Farley explained that marinating theloin keeps the meat tender as well asflavors the entire cut.

During the summer, he likes to pre-pare the teriyaki loin at least once amonth alongside fresh tomatoes orsweet corn.

He added that when cooking pork, al-ways use a meat thermometer to notovercook the cut.

“People used to say you had to cookpork well but using a meat thermome-ter help keeps the pork tender,” he said.

Kreg FarleyFareway

Harlan Borchers, HyVee meat de-partment manager, enjoys thick-cutIowa chops above all other cuts of pork.

“I love pork and the fact that it’s thickcut, it doesn’t tend to dry out on thegrill like some pork chops can,”Borchers said.

Borchers grills his chops and occa-sionally rubs them with rosemary.

He often accompanies the pork withapplesauce and fresh green beans.

When grilling pork chops, Borcherssaid the key is to leave a little pink inthe middle of the chop. The tempera-ture should be monitored with a meatthermometer.

“The old wives tale is you had tocook pork until it was 160 degrees anddry in the middle. It can be pink butjust use a meat thermometer so youdon’t over or undercook it,” Borcherssaid.

Harlan BorchersHyVee

Page 8: Celebrating Pork

PAGE 8 CELEBRATING PORK OCTOBER 19, 2012

VVVViiii ssss iiii tttt wwwwiiii tttthhhh oooouuuurrrr EEEEnnnneeeerrrrggggyyyy EEEExxxxppppeeeerrrr tttt ssss aaaannnndddd .... .... ....

THANKS FOR FEEDING OUR ECONOMY,PORK PRODUCERS!

October is National Pork Month, an opportunity for us tosalute the pork producers who are committed to producing awholesome, high-quality food source. These hardworking farmfamilies go to great lengths to ensure our animals are raised in aclean, comfortable and appropriate environment.

Their dedication and hard work supports our health andnutrition, as well as our local economy. Next time you see a localpork producer, be sure to thank them for their efforts, and con-gratulate them on a job well done!

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Page 9: Celebrating Pork

OCTOBER 19, 2012 CELEBRATING PORK PAGE 9

Hwy. 30 • Denison, IA712-263-6300

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Thanks, pork producers for your

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Don’t forget to join us as we celebrate National

Pork Month. Pork producerswork hard year-round to

provide the people of this community with healthy,

delicious products.

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TO THE PORK PRODUCERS

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We appreciate you!

Livestock feed manufacturer keeps safety, quality under a microscope

by Greg ForbesQuality and safe feed

production for an Arcadiaplant begins when ingre-dients arrive and ends wellafter a hog is sent to mar-ket.

Farmers Cooperative El-evator Company (FAC),which began as a smallco-op in 1937, is current-ly a premier feed supplierof Central Iowa.

FAC produces and shipsnearly 250,000 tons offeed each year with almost99 percent of productssold to swine producers.

When the shipments ofcorn, soybean meal, an-tibiotics and other materi-als arrive at the Arcadiaplant, they are carefullyunloaded by FAC staff andstored into secured ware-houses.

Jary Quandt explainedthat all ingredients re-ceived by FAC have tomeet their approved sup-plier specifications beforebeing produced into feed.

“All of our suppliers fol-low our stringent guide-lines,” he said.

All ingredients are keptprotected from the ele-ments to keep out bacteriaand exposure to sun orwater damage.

Before feed is produced,each ingredient is tested inthe onsite lab.

Ken MacGregor, labtechnician, explained thatingredients are tested formoisture levels two orthree times a day andchecked for nutrient lev-els.

Only ingredients meet-ing specific nutrientguidelines are allowed tobe included in a formula.

Meal is pelleted andMacGregor once again an-alyzes the feed values andmoisture levels of thecompleted product.

A sample of the pelletedfeed is run through a ma-chine that tests its dura-bility and each batch offeed is examined andrecorded on a computerdatabase.

Aside from testing thebeginning and end prod-ucts, he is also responsi-ble for monitoring paperwork and ensuring thesizes of ingredients arecorrect.

“Basically anything wesay we are going to do, wehave to do it right,” he

said. “If anything is out of

compliance, it’s our job tofix it.”

As each formula is de-veloped, the inventory isclosely monitored.

“When we pull ordersacross to start manufac-turing our feed, we willkeep an eye on the ordersand what they take frominventory,” Quandt said,and explained that FACuses as much as 800 tonsof one ingredient perweek.

Every bag of each an-tibiotics has to be recon-ciled to prevent a problem.

Any time an antibiotic isused, it has to be recon-ciled to the current bal-ance.

After the feed order iscompleted, it is loadedonto a specialized FACtruck and weighed in oneof the inside ingredientbays.

Quandt explained thatthe buildings are com-pletely sealed to preventthe wind from interferingwith the load out processas well as eliminating allpotential outside contam-inates.

“We take great pride inour system during theload out process,” Quandtsaid.

Each shipment on eachtruck is monitored as itleaves the FAC facility.Drivers are given a driverID and a truck ID.

Each load is tracked soin the event of a deliveryerror, spill or other compli-cation, FAC staff can iden-tify the driver and seewhat happened.

However, Quandt ex-plained the driver ID sys-tem is another precaution-ary step.

“We have a profession-al group of delivery driv-ers,” Quandt said.

Quandt added that thestep-by-step process is fu-eled by nearly constantdedication by employees.

On an average week,staff will begin a shift atmidnight on Sunday andcomplete the week aroundmidnight on Friday.

Because of the quality,care and devotion by staff,FAC was recently named aHACCP certified feed facil-ity.

Essentially, HACCP is aprocess control program

focused on preventing bi-ological, chemical andphysical hazards fromreaching the consumer.

Quandt explained thatthe accreditation processtook nearly a year and re-quired a large monetarycommitment but it will en-sure and reinforce the at-tention to quality and feedand food safety FACstrives for.

“What this does is putus as a global player,”Quandt said.

Quandt explained thatFAC is undertaking ex-pansion projects to includea four-ton twin shaftmixer which will increaseproduction capacity by100,000 tons.

Annually, FAC is also

updating other equipmentthroughout the productionprocess which also includ-ed installation of a Gyrofeed cleaner that furtherstheir commitment to feedquality.

FAC is also looking intoadding more pellet capac-ity to meet increased de-mands in the future whichwill eventually expandtheir connection withmore customers.

“A production facilitylike this requires qualityemployees,” Quandt said.

“As it takes quality fa-cilities to get a qualityproduct. We want to makesure we do everythingright for our customerswhich eventually could bethe consumers.”

The FAC facility in Arcadia produces more than 250,000 tons of feed a year. Currently, 99 percent of FAC’s feedis supplied to swine producers across the country. Photo submitted

FAC’s feed trucks are loaded in specialized stations to guarantee no foreign objects enter the product before itgets shipped out. Photo submitted

Each ingredient is carefully weighed on an electronicscale before being produced into feed. Photo by Greg Forbes

Page 10: Celebrating Pork

PAGE 10 CELEBRATING PORK OCTOBER 19, 2012

Staley’s Food Service

- Catering Specialists -Is Proud To Serve Delicious

Pork Produced By Our Local Pork Industry!

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THE

HOFFMAN AGENCY

Thanks, Pork Producers,

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HAWLEYInsurance

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We’re proud to recognize the impor-tant role our pork producers play inbettering our economy and providingus with the superior pork we enjoyyear after year!

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Pork BasicsThe Pork Basics poster above from the National Pork Board shows which parts of the hog various cuts of meat come from and also lists some great uses for different cuts.

Page 11: Celebrating Pork

OCTOBER 19, 2012 CELEBRATING PORK PAGE 11

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IowaFarmAndRanch.com

Inspiring greatertrust in today’s farms

A strategic partnership supported by Iowa’s pork pro-ducers is bringing farming to life for thousands of Iowansand creating greater understanding and trust in today’sfarms and food system.

The Iowa Food & Family Project, launched last year bythe Iowa Soybean Association, is a purpose-driven ini-tiative that unites consumers and farmers through per-sonal engagement and advocacy. It involves nearly 35partners including the Iowa Pork Producers Association.

“Iowa farmers have long sought to rally a diversifiedgroup of food and ag stakeholders around the value ofmaintaining strong and vibrant farms,” said IPPA Pres-ident Bill Tentinger of Le Mars. “Since its launch just 18months ago, the Iowa Food & Family Project has takenthis concept and made it a reality.”

“Seeing is believing” is the essence of the Iowa FFP. Aspresenting sponsor of the Iowa Games and supporter ofLive Healthy Iowa, the Iowa FFP engages more than125,000 Iowans about the continuous improvements infarming and the dedication of farmers to providingwholesome food for everyone.

In July, more than 4,000 Summer Iowa Games partic-ipants attended the Iowa FFP “Fields of Champions”Cookout in Ames. The event included a complimentarypork and beef burger dinner and numerous ag aware-ness activities. Fifteen farmers, including several porkproducers, mingled with participants, sharing informa-tion about their farms and encouraging people to submitag conversation cards. Nearly $4,000 was contributed tothe Iowa Food Bank during the event, providing nearly12,000 meals to people in need.

Other signature ag awareness events are coordinatedby the Iowa FFP throughout the year. In August, theIowa FFP hosted the largest food build ever constructedin Iowa at the Iowa State Fair. The “Back to the Farmer”exhibit celebrated the continuous improvements of farm-ers.

To capture the attention of fairgoers, a DeLorean wassculpted from 14,000 canned and packaged food items.

Nearly 250,000 fairgoers viewed the exhibit includingmore than 4,000 people who registered for prizes andopted in to learn more about the continuous improve-ments of farm families.

Following the fair, all food items and $7,000 con-tributed by fairgoers were donated to Iowa’s food banks.

Also this year, the Iowa FFP:

Launched “U on the Farm,” a contest conducted quar-terly providing Iowa FFP Facebook followers an oppor-tunity to win a farm tour and experience farm life upclose and personal;

Partnered with the Machine Shed Restaurant to create“Talkin’ Farming at the Shed.” The event, to be held fourtimes annually, launched in September and offers Ma-chine Shed patrons the opportunity to visit with a farmerand participate in ag-related activities. A family that spe-cializes in pork production will be the featured guestsfor the December event;

Increased its social networking with consumers – dur-ing 2012, the number of Iowa FFP Facebook followersincreased from 289 to nearly 1,300 (www.facebook.com/foodnfamilies); and on Twitter, participation doubledfrom 310 to more than 630 (@foodnfamilies); and

Created an 18-member advisory team to guide the or-ganization’s work. The group includes IPPA ConsumerInformation Director Joyce Hoppes.

Research conducted in May with the support of IPPAshows that the Iowa FFP is achieving results.

A survey of nearly 500 affluent and highly-educatedIowans measured consumer attitudes toward farmingand awareness of the Iowa FFP. The study then meas-ured correlations between Iowa FFP awareness and therespondents’ attitudes toward farming. It found that:

18% were aware of the Iowa Food & Family Project88% supported the mission and goals of the Iowa FFPThose who indicated familiarity with the Iowa FFP

were:14% more likely to say that farmers are environmen-tal stewards11% more knowledgeable about farming6% more trusting of farmers to adequately care for thewell-being of livestock6% more trusting of farmers to do things right“The Iowa Pork Producers Association is proud of its

involvement with the Iowa FFP because it unites so manydiverse yet like-minded partners in pursuit of one re-sults-oriented goal,” said Tentinger.

“It was a banner year for the ag awareness initiativeand we look forward to playing a key role in its contin-ued success.”

For more information, go to www.iowafoodandfami-ly.comor follow it on Facebook,www.facebook.com/food-nfamilies.

Iowa hog farmers takepride in industry improvementsYears of continuous improvement highlightedthrough National Pork Month

October is a time steeped in tradition for swine farm-ers. Historically, it was the time of year when pigs werejust the right size to go to market. Decades later, Octo-ber is still recognized as National Pork Month.

Hog farmers and industry leaders around the country,including Iowa Pork Producers Association President BillTentinger from Le Mars, are using October Pork Monthto remind consumers of all the great things pork has tooffer.

“Pork is a versatile and nutritious protein that can beused in thousands of recipes, many of which can befound at www.porkbeinspired.com,” Tentinger said.“Pork loin is low in sodium and ounce for ounce as leanas skinless chicken breast.”

The cooking temperature for pork has been lowered to145 degrees F with a three-minute rest period. This hasopened the eyes and taste buds of consumers to the pos-sibilities of pork.

Providing the world’s most widely consumed meattakes hard work and dedication from farmers. That ded-ication takes center stage in the We Care initiative andthe six ethical principles that it encompasses. The WeCare initiative is an affirmation of farmers’ dedication toanimal well-being; producing safe food; protecting pub-lic health as well as the environment and natural re-sources; keeping workers safe; and contributing to a bet-ter quality of life in their surrounding communities.

“Farmers recognize that to be successful in all aspectsof what they do, they not only have to be committed todoing the right thing but we have to be sustainable aswell,” said Tentinger.

Research comparing production benchmarks from1959-2009 shows just how much more sustainable theindustry has become. Today, farmers can produce 1,000pounds of pork with five pigs, an amount that requiredeight pigs in 1959. There also has been a 35 percentdrop in pork’s carbon footprint, a 41 percent decrease inwater usage and a 78 percent reduction in land neededto produce a pound of pork in that same timeframe.*

More than 30 million pigs were raised in Iowa lastyear on 8,300 farms throughout the state. Though sizeand type of farm varies, the value of the pigs producedin Iowa was nearly $5 billion.

“I am proud of the strides the industry has made insustainability and social responsibility while contribut-ing to a better quality of life for ourselves and thosearound us,” Tentinger added.

*Source: A 50-Year Comparison of the Carbon Foot-print and Resource Use of the US Swine Herd: 1959 –2009, Garth Boyd

From Iowa Pork Producers Association (www.iowa-pork.org)

Page 12: Celebrating Pork

PAGE 12 CELEBRATING PORK OCTOBER 19, 2012

Since 1959

to our Farmland Foodscustomers for choosing

our products . . .

to our area PorkProducers for raisingfine, quality pork . . .

and to our FarmlandFoods employees forhelping us produce

high quality porkproducts!

Farmland Foods

would like to say

“Thank You”

Visit our website atwww.farmlandfoods.com

for money-saving coupons &

easy & delicious recipes for

any occasion

1-PORK (PORK MONTH 2012-FARMLAND) FM