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U.S. PORK CENTER OF EXCELLENCE TO HOLD REGIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCES FOR NATIONAL SWINE NUTRITION GUIDE

AMES, Iowa – The National Swine Nutrition Guide will be distributed and explained at a series of regional conferences beginning in February. The guide, consisting of nutrition fact sheets, nutrient recommendation tables and diet formulation and evaluation software, will be included with an $80 conference registration or available for purchase separately for $125.

The National Swine Nutrition Guide, funded by a United Soybean Board grant, was developed in collaboration with land-grant universities, agri-businesses and the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence.

The six regional training conferences will be held in: Moses Lake, Wash. on Feb. 5; Raleigh, N.C. on Feb. 11; Kansas City, Mo. on Feb. 17; Indianapolis, Ind. on Feb. 24; Sioux City, Iowa on March 5; and Owatonna, Minn. on March 11. To register or learn more, please visit www.usporkcenter.org <http://www.usporkcenter.org>  or call (515) 294-2490. Conference registration will be open until two weeks prior to each session.

The training conferences will be administered by members of the National Swine Nutrition Guide Steering Committee. The sessions will focus on the use and application of the guide and also will include a demonstration of the Diet Formulation and Evaluation software program.

“This development effort has been a great collaboration between the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence, several extension nutritionists and all the major feed companies. The result is a reference book and software that will be of great value to the industry for years to come,” said David Meisinger, director of the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence.

The U.S. Pork Center of Excellence was established in 2005 as a public/private partnership to bring together academic expertise in research, teaching and extension related to pork production. The center is housed at the National Swine Research and Information Center on the Iowa State University campus. Center partners include two governmental agencies, the national pork industry associations, 17 state pork producer associations and 24 land-grant universities.
 

 U.S. PORK CENTER OF EXCELLENCE RECEIVES GRANT FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE SWINE EDUCATION 
 
AMES, Iowa – The U.S. Pork Center of Excellence has been granted nearly $300,000 from the U.S. Department of Education to implement the Professional Swine Manager/Technician Certification Program for community college students and pork production workers. 
 
The grant, provided by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), will run from Jan. 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2011, and will cover the implementation phase of the current project funded in conjunction with National Pork Board.
 
The Professional Swine Manager/Technician Certification Program is designed to meet the industry need for consistent, research-based instruction on all phases of pork production.
 
“This new grant fits well with our mission in terms of training and education,” says U.S. Pork Center of Excellence (USPCE) Executive Director David Meisinger. “It complements the work of the Swine Science Online project, which involves four-year institutions, by allowing us to focus on two-year institutions and a certification program for all workers.”

Participants in the program may receive two types of certification: certified technician in breeding, farrowing, and/or grow-finishing, and certified swine manager. Courses will be broadcast in real-time to several sites throughout the country. Certification is obtained by successfully completing an on-line, proctored test. Certification and training records will be recorded by USPCE and National Pork Board in a database accessible to employers.

The U.S. Pork Center of Excellence was established in 2005 as a public/private partnership to bring together academic expertise in research, teaching and extension related to pork production. The center is housed at the National Swine Research and Information Center on the Iowa State University campus. USPCE partners include two governmental agencies, the national pork industry associations, 17 state pork producer associations and 24 land-grant universities.

U.S. Pork Center of Excellence Annual Meeting Held October 7-9 in Kansas City 

USPCE Annual Meeting

The USPCE Annual Meeting was held on the afternoon of Thursday, October 8. Attendees from USPCE committees, as well as Deans, Board members, USPCE staff, and other guests, were present to hear updates on the USPCE projects and programs. Eric Farrand, Husbandry Team Manager with Pfizer Animal Health, also spoke at the meeting, presenting information about “Addressing the ‘Skill’ and ‘Will’ of Doing Good Chores through Husbandry Education.” Farrand explained Pfizer’s “Individual Pig Care” program and their work in improving human capital. Following Farrand’s presentation, keynote speaker Jay Lehr gave his presentation on “The Outstanding Future for Protein Production in American Agriculture.” Lehr spoke to attendees about the public disconnect from modern agriculture and the need to promote the health benefits of protein to the public. Following the presentations, attendees enjoyed a reception sponsored by Pfizer. The USPCE would like to thank Pfizer for their generous support of our Annual Meeting.

USPCE Board of Directors Meeting

The USPCE Board of Directors met on the afternoon of October 9, with twelve Board members present, along with USPCE Staff and other guests. The Board Meeting began with a discussion about the USPCE Annual Meeting and any changes that should be considered in future planning. The Board then held a debriefing on the Deans’ Policy Council Meeting and reviewed the outcomes of the important discussion at this meeting. The Board also talked about new program directions for the USPCE and the overall direction of the Center. Following this discussion, the Financial Report was presented by Treasurer Wendy Wintersteen, and was approved by the Board. The Board meeting concluded with the election of new officers. The 2009-2010 Board of Directors Officers will be:
Chair: Mike Wehler
Vice Chair: Chris Novak
Secretary: Bobby Moser
Treasurer: Wendy Wintersteen

Deans’ Policy Council Meeting

The Deans’ Policy Council met on the morning of October 9, with sixteen deans present or represented, along with USPCE staff, Board members, and other guests. The Deans’ meeting began with a presentation by Dr. Adam Fagen, with the NAS Board on Life Sciences, who presented a speech titled “Transforming Agricultural Education for a Changing World.” Following Fagen’s presentation, the Deans received Organization and Agency Updates from the USDA/ARS, given by Dr. Eileen Thacker; USDA/NIFA, given by Dr. Adele Turzillo; National Pork Board, given by CEO Chris Novak; and National Pork Producers Council, given by CEO Neil Dierks. The Deans then heard an update on congressional activity, and followed this with a discussion on the “Addressing Grand Challenges through Science” workshop. This meeting provided a great opportunity for the Deans to discuss their opportunities to collaborate and how the USPCE could be the facilitator for this collaboration.

PIG Domain Editors' Meeting

The Pork Information Gateway Domain Editors met on October 7 and 8 prior to the USPCE Annual Meeting. During the two-day meeting, much of the discussion focused on how PIG can impact more pork producers and how we can measure this impact. Domain Editors helped develop a survey that will be administered to current and potential PIG users in an effort to determine how PIG is being used and what aspects of PIG are the most beneficial to producers. In addition, several new marketing tactics were discussed that could help to increase the use and impact of the Pork Information Gateway. PIG Domain Editors also gave updates on the status of each domain area, and they spent time discussing the need to develop documents that crossed the barriers between domains. The PIG Domain Editors plan to meet again in March, where we will follow up on the survey and marketing ideas that were developed.

Swine Science Online Curriculum and Steering Committee Meetings

Both the Swine Science Online Curriculum Leaders and Steering Committee met in conjunction with the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence Annual Meeting.  Both committees learned of the progress of the program and discussed the evaluations from the courses that were beta-tested this past summer.  They also learned that the Swine Science Online program has received program approval from Ag*Idea.  The curriculum committee reviewed current distance education learning management systems and current video capture software.  The steering committee discussed how the program will continue forward after the completion of the Higher Education Challenge grant.

National Swine Nutrition Guide Steering Committee Meeting

The National Swine Nutrition Guide Steering Committee met on October 7 and 8 prior to the USPCE Annual Meeting. The committee members spent significant time during this meeting developing the program for the Regional Education Training Sessions that will begin in February 2010. The committee members also gave updates on the status of the Factsheets for the Guide, and reviewed the Diet Formulation and Evaluation Software. The committee has plans to meet again several times before the launch of the guide with the first Regional Education Training Session in Washington on February 5, 2010.

2009 Pork Industry Handbook Now Available from Purdue Extension

The 2009 Pork Industry Handbook and DVD are now available from Purdue Extension – The Education Store. The handbook, in its third edition, is a cooperative effort of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, Pork Checkoff and the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence. It has new and improved content, including industry statistics and historical data and new information on human resources, swine welfare, genetics, environmental stewardship and worker health. Also new for 2009 is a DVD version of the handbook that not only includes all of the information contained in the print version, but also color versions of all photos and graphics contained in the handbook. It also includes more than 30 how-to videos and more than 20 interactive swine management worksheets producers can use on their own farms.

Pork Industry Handbook Order Form

Pork Industry Handbook Press Release

Comprehensive Livestock Environmental Assessments and Nutrient management plans (CLEANmp) Funding Available to Producers

The Environmental Resources Coalition (ERC) – a non-profit group that works on water quality issues – has been awarded federal dollars to help livestock operators west of the Mississippi River prepare nutrient management plans and environmental assessments. The CLEANmp project is free and confidential and will benefit producers. Any producer who would like an independent environmental assessment and/or a nutrient management plan, at no cost, is welcome to apply for these services. The nutrient management plan that will be developed under the CLEANmp-West Program contains all the components of a NRCS CNMP and EPA NMP.  This all inclusive approach to developing a nutrient management plan was implemented to produce a product that would have the greatest possible value to a producer.

For more information about the project, visit http://www.erc-env.org/CLEANMP.htm or http://www.cleanmp-west.org/homepage/home-main.aspx.

For more information about the ERC, visit http://www.erc-env.org/.

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