May 2007

Direct Line Keeping Our Members Informed

kpa@kspork.org • www.kspork.org

Volume XXVIII

2601 Farm Bureau Road • Manhattan, KS 66502 • (785) 776-0442

Pork Retail Kits Displayed in Commissaries

The Kansas Pork Association, along with the National Pork Board, provided pork nutrition retail kits to thirty DeCA commissaries in the Southern, Central and Midwestern United States. These point of sale materials, including recipes, along with retail cut posters provide consumers with updated information on the nutritional content of pork.

“We appreciate the KPA and NPB’s assistance. These materials provide DeCA with tools necessary to help focus on customer’s health and wellness and provide an exciting shopping experience,” Barb Hail, Sarvis Inc., said.

“It also helps DeCA promote the commissary benefit which improves military quality of life, and has a positive impact on the recruitment, retention, and readiness of today’s military. The commissary benefit is rated as one of the top non-pay benefits,” continued Hail.

Retail kits in Kansas were placed in the meat departments at the Ft. Leavenworth Commissary, the Ft. Riley Commissary and the McConnell AFB Commissary. Materials were also disbursed to the following defense commissary agencies in these states: Michigan, Florida, Indiana, Georgia, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Missouri, Nebraska and Colorado.

More Lean. Less Blah.

Based on 3-ounce cooked servings (roasted or broiled), visible fat trimmed after cooking. Reference: US Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, 2006. ©2006 National Pork Board, Des Moines, IA USA

The Kansas Nutrition Council Conference Serves Pork

The Kansas Pork Association sponsored pork for the luncheon of the 2007 Kansas Nutrition Council Conference, Accepting Size Diversity, Thinking Outside the Box, held Thursday, April 12, 2007, in Salina.

May 2007

The Rib Pirates won the tailgate division and Albert’s Ash-Kickin’ Barbecue earned the state champion title and an invitation to the American Royal Barbecue Contest in October in Kansas City, Mo.

More than 125 participants attended the event and were served Pan-Seared Chops with Pear and Soy-Ginger Glaze, a pork recipe, provided by the National Pork Board and www.theotherwhitemeat.com.

Attendees also received an updated health professional white paper in CD format covering pork’s role in a healthful diet. It included a recipe brochure featuring healthful cuts of pork, also listing the recipe they were served.

Attendees also received an educational program DVD developed for 7th and 8th grade Family and Consumer Science classrooms that focuses on meat and protein in your diet.

KPA Sponsors BBQ Contest The Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned KSU Wildcat BBQ Contest kicked off early Saturday morning, April 21, in Cat Town near Bill Snyder Family Stadium, as part of the pre-Spring football game events. The Kansas Pork Association sponsored the competition taking place in both the professional and tailgate categories.

This year, 66 judges tasted BBQ from 64 teams. The participants traveled from six states, including North Dakota and Minnesota, to try their recipes in four categories: chicken, pork shoulder or butt, beef brisket and pork ribs.

Congratulations to the following: 1st place - Albert’s Ash Kick’n BBQ (Jerry Albert) of Overland Park (pictured above) 2nd place - Broken K BBQ (Brock Kerr) of Dodge City 3rd place - Pig In! Pig Out! (Derek Cochran) of Wichita

Pork Producer hosts Ag Day for Students More than forty second graders from Elk County spent the day at Mike and Peggy Bellar’s farm, in Howard, on Wednesday, April 18.

Participating schools included Severy Grade School, Moline Elementary, Elk Valley Grade School, and Friends Grade School.

The Elk County Farm Bureau and West Elk FFA organized the day’s events and stations.

“This is the fifth year we’ve organized an Ag Day on the Farm.

This is the second time the Bellars

Rooks, Gove, Miami, Douglas, Cherokee, Brown, Shawnee, Dickinson.

* System configuration and technology selection

Anaerobic Treatment of Agricultural Wastes

* Cost sharing and support opportunities

This conference will be held May 21 - 22, 2007 at the Hotel Fort Des Moines, Des Moines, Iowa.

have hosted the event,” Polly Juaire, County Coordinator, said.

Students arrived at Bellars around 9 a.m. and rotated among 14 stations.

Some of the stations included the following: swine, cattle, goats, horses, wheat, wildlife, and ag machinery.

“We enjoy hosting these types of events. It is a great hands on way for kids to see what farm life is really all about. Their favorite thing to do is to hold the baby pigs and pet the smaller animals,” Peggy said.

“We were really impressed with the intelligent questions the kids asked.

Even though we live in a very rural county, most of the kids are not from farms.” She continued.

Bellar’s son, Ben, also participated in the days events. The West Elk FFA Chapter, helped lead the groups around to the different stations.

Students were also fed lunch and then completed the afternoon with a nature walk in the prairie pasture.

“This is a wonderful way for them to learn first hand about their community and how important agriculture is to them and to Kansas,” Peggy said.

On their way back to school, they received goody bags filled with different items from the different stations. The Kansas Pork Association provided the students in attendance with pig erasers, bookmarks, and coloring books about pork production.

The KPA supports Kansas Ag Days on the Farm by providing hand out materials to participating teachers and students. The KPA has sponsored items to the following counties: Geary, Elk,

The course is offered by Iowa State University, organized by the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. Visit www.abe.iastate. edu and search Anaerobic Treatment of Agricultural Wastes for agenda and registration. For more information, contact Lara Moody, 515.294.7355, lmoody@ iastate.edu.

As energy costs have continued to rise, there has been increased interest in anaerobic digestion of animal manures to generate energy. This interest has included the direct use of biogas on the farm, centralized digestion systems, co-digestion facilities, and digestion of manures as an energy source at ethanol plants. Increasingly, agricultural producers are requesting information and decision making advice on topics related to anaerobic treatment of agricultural waste.

This course has been developed with the intention of providing the necessary information and tools you as a consultant, decision maker, system reviewer, or information provider can use to assist agricultural operators. This short course has been designed to walk you though the unit processes of anaerobic treatment, from fundamental principles to case histories. The course instructors have been selected from industry and academia based on their leadership and success in this area. The case history presentations will demonstrate full-scale anaerobic treatment technologies in agricultural settings, and will allow for questions regarding specific problems encountered and solutions developed.

Those attending will learn about: * Introductory information on anaerobic digestion * Current status of manure anaerobic digestion

* Biogas production rates, collection and handling * Direct use of biogas * Electricity generation with biogas * Marketing of carbon credits * Anaerobic digestion and biogas use at ethanol plants * Use of centralized digestion facilities This course will provide up to 12 hours of continuing education (1.2 CEUs) toward the Professional Engineering continuing education requirements.

3rd Annual Agroforestry Field Day Scheduled Landowners, farmers, ranchers, researchers, foresters and other natural resource professionals will be gathering on Thursday, May 31 from 9 AM to 3:30 PM in Washington, Kansas for the 3rd Annual Agroforestry Field Day. This year’s event features a ½ day of presentations in the basement community room of the First National Bank located at 101 C Street. A glass wall runs the length of the meeting room which looks out on a beautiful flower garden, sculptured fountains and a waterfall. The afternoon session will be held at Wildhawk Farms, owned by Scott Bokelman and located 2 miles south of Washington and ¾ miles west of Highway 15 on 15 RD. The day will begin with the presentation of the 2006 Kansas Agroforestry Award to Roy and Cherry Brown, from Lebanon, Kansas. Following the awards presentation, indoor sessions will feature some of the nation’s leading researcher’s who are providing innovative solutions for contentious issues. Dr. John Tyndall, Department of Natural Resources and Ecology, Iowa State University, will lead a session in the role windbreaks can play to reduce odor from livestock operations. According to Tyndall, windbreaks can ameliorate livestock odors by diluting gas concentrations, filtering

dust and aerosol deposition and acting as a “sink” for the chemicals that carry odors.

Tyndall will also share the most effective windbreak designs for odor mitigation.

Jim Brandle, Professor of Forestry, University of Nebraska, brings over 30 years of research and expertise on the economic and environmental benefits field windbreaks provide. Brandle’s research has documented increases in crop yields from 5 to 45% when windbreaks are properly designed and maintained. Despite the visible loss in crop yields immediately adjacent to windbreaks, yields in the rest of the protected field more than compensate for those losses.

Agroforestry is the integration of trees and shrubs into modern agricultural systems to improve productivity while sustaining the environment. The five most common agroforestry practices are riparian forest buffers, windbreaks, alley cropping, silvopasture and forest farming.

Dusty Walter, a Senior Research Specialist responsible for agroforestry education and Michael Gold, Associate Professor and Director at the University of Missouri’s Center for Agroforestry, will lead a session describing innovative agroforestry ideas for landowners to consider.

Before heading to Wildhawk Farms, a hot lunch will be provided by Ricky’s Café. A 5-star rated restaurant, located in the little town of Hanover, Ricky’s catering is well-known for the quality of their home-style cooking and for making sure no one goes away hungry.

The afternoon out-door program at Wildhawk Farms features four concurrent rotating sessions. Charles Barden, KSU Extension Forester, will share research he is conducting on Ash Creek, regarding riparian forest buffer design and the benefits of tree shelters for growth and protection from deer damage. Jim Strine, Kansas Forest Service District Forester, will use a mature windbreak to provide suggestions in how to practically renovate and improve the function of the trees.

Clint Thornton, Wildlife Biologist, KS Department of Wildlife and Parks, will discuss native grass management and

how to enhance wildlife habitat for specific species. Thad Rhodes, Kansas Forest Service District Forester, will discuss proper design and maintenance of homestead windbreaks using a young windbreak that surrounds the Bokelman’s home.

A $10 registration fee will help cover the cost of the meal and other expenses.

Checks should be made out to the Kansas Forest Service and mailed to 2610 Claflin Road, Manhattan, KS 66502. Additional information about the Field Day maybe obtained by calling Bob Atchison 785532-3310 or by e-mail at atchison@ksu. edu.

Taking a New Look at Sow Housing It’s no secret that the longevity and productivity of your sows, as well as your profit potential, are impacted by sow housing systems. The Pork Board relies on the best scientific research available, which indicates there are several types of production systems that can be good for pigs.

“Sow housing has become an emotional topic that can open up a Pandora’s box of decisions, but it also offers a new way to look at things,” notes Bob Dykhuis, president of the 18,000-sow Dykhuis Farms Inc. near Holland, Mich.

Several years ago Dykhuis Farms started housing about half its sows in a pen-type system for gestating animals.

About 50 sows are housed per pen before they are moved to traditional farrowing crates. This system requires different management skills and more animal husbandry, Dykhuis notes, but he believes the system will offer some advantages.

“We need to evaluate our options carefully and realize that the sow housing debate doesn’t have to be something that destroys our industry.”

Investing in science-based knowledge During the last 10 years, the Pork Checkoff has invested more than half a million dollars to support 10 research projects to evaluate sow-housing systems and how they affect the animals’ well

being.

To keep producers updated on the latest information, the Sow Housing Forum Committee will host the Sow Housing Forum at the Downtown Des Moines Marriott on the eve of the 2007 World Pork Expo. The June 6 forum, which runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., will address options for gestation housing, specifically the management aspects for individual and group housing. Topics to be covered include feeding and nutrition, retrofitting, labor, well-being, health care, longevity, and case studies from producers. The Sow Housing Forum Committee is made up of staff from the Pork Checkoff, National Hog Farmer, academia and industry representatives.

In any pork production system, the most important tool a producer can have is the ability to provide for the care of each pig, stresses Paul Sundberg, vice president of science and technology for the National Pork Board. “The body of peer-reviewed scientific papers on the subject supports the contention that the major factor affecting sow well-being continues to be the skill and management of the person taking care of the animal--more than the type of housing the sow is in.”

Analyze your options with the Sow Housing Calculator The Pork Checkoff has also developed three computer-based tools to help you evaluate the production and financial implications between the following types of housing systems for gestating sows: • Remodeling of an existing individual stalls gestation building into a facility that loosely houses sows in pens.

• Building a new gestation facility that loosely houses sows in pens.

• Building a new hoop structure that loosely houses sows in pens and allows you to feed the sows either indoors or outdoors.

The tool allows for two options to

be simultaneously evaluated. These spreadsheets will help you evaluate various group-housing systems under the assumptions you enter.

For more information call the Checkoff’s Service Center at 800-456PORK.

2007 World Pork Expo set for June 7-9 DES MOINES, Iowa, April 9, 2007 — The 19th annual World Pork Expo will be held June 7-9, 2007, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. As the largest pork-industry trade show and exhibition in the world, the expo draws some 30,000 pork producers, exhibitors and visitors from across the country and around the globe.

“World Pork Expo has been getting better and better every year,” says Jill Appell, National Pork Producers Council president and a pork producer from Altona, Ill. “If it has to do with pork production, you’ll find it at World Pork Expo.”

World Pork Expo events will include: * Career Center and Job Fair * Marketing Information Center * Employee Care Center * Environmental Information Center * Educational Seminars * Farm Toy Show and Sale * Breed Shows and Sales * Lunch at the Big Grill on Thursday and Friday

* World Pork Open Golf Tournament * World Pork Open Sporting Clay Tournament Pork producers are encouraged to make a point of staying around for Friday evening’s hog roast, featuring musical entertainment presented street-dance style on the Grand Concourse. Entertainers will include Billy Joe Royal, whose hits include “Down in the Boondocks” and “Cherry Hill Park,” and ‘60s sensations the Buckinghams, with hits like “Kind of a Drag” and “Hey, Baby, They’re Playin’ Our Song.”

“We’re excited about having yet another successful World Pork Expo!”

Appell says. “It’s the best time for pork producers to learn about animal health issues, economic situations that will impact their operations and talk oneon-one with the experts in the swine industry.”

The latest information on entertainment, educational seminars, sponsorship opportunities and more is available online at www.worldpork.org.

A Message from the Editor: Dear KPA Members, My last week as Communications Director for the Kansas Pork Association will be at the end of June. I will be starting a graduate assistantship position as an Assistant Coordinator for Apartment Living with K-State’s Jardine Apartment Complex in July. Along side my assistantship, I will begin graduate school at K-State this August, pursuing a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Student Development. This degree is intended for someone who wants to work in student affairs on a college campus; examples of such departments include career and employment services, admissions, financial aid and housing and dining.

Thank you for the opportunity to work with Tim, the board of directors and the members. I have also really enjoyed getting to know the people who are proud to be serving in the pork industry of Kansas.

I appreciate your support as I face the future endeavors. I am very excited to start school and explore the career possibilities in this new field.

Best Regards, Mandy Gramkow

The Kansas Pork Association is seeking a Director of Communications for its Manhattan office. Responsibilities include the development and distribution of the association’s magazines, newsletters and electronic communications, maintaining the Web site, handling media inquiries, and generating press on relevant issues. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills and be proficient in Microsoft Office, InDesign, and Photoshop. A full job description is available at www.kspork.org. Applicants should send a cover letter, resume and samples of work to the KPA Office.

Direct Line Keeping Our Members Informed