Industry News

Former OPC President elected to Ohio Agriculture Hall of Fame

As one of four Ohioans to receive the honor, former board member and president of the Ohio Pork Council, Randy Brown, was named to the 2021 class of the Ohio Agricultural Council Hall of Fame. Brown will join Monte Anderson, Tim Corcoran, and Keith Stimpert as members of this year’s class of inductees, joining a group of more than 240 recipients dating back to 1966.

A native of Nevada, Ohio, Brown has been highly involved in the pork industry for over four decades. During that time, Randy has worked alongside his dad, David, his brother, Tom, and his son, Kyle, to continue the legacy of their family farm, Maken Bacon Farm.

Throughout his tenure in the pork industry, Brown has maintained a high level of involvement at the local, state and national levels.

Locally, Brown has served as the President of the Wyandot County Pork Producers. At the state level, Brown has served as the President of the Ohio Pork Council (OPC), and on the Awards, Budget, Executive and Scholarship committees. Additionally, Randy has served on the Ohio Livestock Coalition. Nationally, Brown has served on the National Pork Board (NPB), where he served on the Producer Services, Environmental, Domestic Marketing and Audit committees, the NPB Plan of Work and Budget Task Force, and the Environmental Stewards sub-committee during his six-year term. He also was appointed to the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence Board of Directors.

In addition to these involvements, Brown has participated in numerous promotional and educational programs within the pork industry – such as NPB’s Operation Main Street Program, in which he has reached over a thousand people through his speaking engagements since 2005. He has also hosted many students, media, legislators and key leaders on his farm for personal tours, including members of the Ohio House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

In 2005, Maken Bacon Farm received NPB’s National Environmental Stewardship Award. Additionally, Brown was awarded OPC’s Pork Industry Excellence Award in 2012 for his passion to promote Ohio’s pork industry.

Brown, Anderson, Corcoran, and Stimpert will be inducted in the OAC Hall of Fame on Friday, August 6, 2021.

2021 Ohio State Fair Updates and Information

After two years of waiting and deliberation, the Ohio State Fair will return to Columbus in 2021, with a bit of a twist.

Unlike years prior, the 2021 Ohio State Fair will not be open to the general public. Instead, it will focus on the educational and agricultural side of the festivities, giving 4-H and FFA exhibitors an opportunity to enjoy what they have worked so hard to achieve. At this time, livestock and educational competitions will begin on Monday, July 19, and will conclude on Sunday, August 8 at the fairgrounds, with exhibitors, family members, and guests permitted to enter.

For 2021, the Ohio Pork Council’s food stand will be located under the pavilion next to the Dairy Products Building, south of Taft Coliseum. OPC will be serving their famous pork dishes beginning Monday, July 26 until the conclusion of the fair on August 8.

Like years past, though, the OPC staff and volunteers will assist in the preparing and serving of different pork products, such as the fan-favorite pork loin sandwich, bacon bundles, and pork chop on a stick.

The Ohio Pork Council is excited to return to the Ohio State Fair in 2021 and we can’t wait to see you there! had reduced their consumption or were planning to reduce their consumption of pork products due to production and health concerns.

NPB took the results of this study and knew it was time to change the pork industry’s narrative, so what better way to do so than to partner with an award-winning actor and proven influencer. That is where Eric Stonestreet comes into play.

Stonestreet is not a face unfamiliar to the public, as he is best known for his roles in the popular tv series’ Modern Family and CSI. Despite his dedicated consumer fan base and immense popularity, many don’t know that his childhood leads him right back to the pork industry. Stonestreet grew up on a farm in Kansas, where he raised and showed pigs. While his fame is sure to help push the message to as many consumers as possible, his tried-and-true agricultural background will help break the barriers authentically.

Telling the “real pork” story is precisely what consumers are in search of. There is no doubt that consumers love pork, but they still have questions that need to be answered. The partnership between NPB and Eric Stonestreet is meant to help break down the barriers, answer the tough consumers’ questions, and more importantly, it is meant to portray those answers as far and wide as possible.

OPC Pork Stand at the 2018 Ohio State Fair

Real Pork Mythbusting with Eric Stonestreet

Those involved in the pork industry came from around the world to gather at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines for the 2021 World Pork Expo. Following a two year cancellation, it left the event highly anticipated by all.

One secret led to an exciting buzz throughout the more than 20,000 pork producers and agricultural professionals in attendance. This secret was expelled when National Pork Board (NPB) announced that they would be partnering with Eric Stonestreet for an upcoming social media series about all things “real pork.”

The social media series is set to focus on dispelling misconceptions that surround pork production. The series will help overcome the myths that lead to concerns among consumers that were brought to the attention of NPB during a recent Checkoff-funded study. The study results showed that 1/3 of consumers

Let’s tell a story

By Curt Ashcraft Communications Director

It’s safe to say that I have always been a talker. I am the first person to start a conversation, and I have never met a stranger. I can even remember setting up a mock broadcast studio as a kid and announcing anything and everything that crossed my mind. I began telling stories before I even realized it.

Growing up, I was passionate about two things - sports and agriculture. Agriculture was the obvious choice as the son of a grain farmer, where my interests led to many years of experiences with 4-H and the National FFA Organization. On the other hand, I didn’t grow up with much of a sports influence, but my passion ran deep. I loved the competition, the excitement, and the emotions that it created. So when it came to my passions, I did what I do best, I started to talk.

My journey began in the sports world as a broadcaster at a number of colleges across the country, before turning into athletics communications at Denison University, where I not only covered the games but I also told their stories. Stories of triumph, failure, family, and life. Stories that reach much further than the sports world. It just depends on who is holding the pen.

While my venture into athletics was a dream come true, I realized that it was time to tackle another dream. A dream that started at my grassroots as a passion that never truly left. As a child of agriculture, I was always taught the importance of livestock production in our great state, especially Ohio’s pork industry. Ohio’s pig farmers are built on hard work, support, family, and a love for what they do. Nobody is more committed to the health, knowledge, and success of their craft, and I promise to be committed with you the entire way.

So, with the pen in my hand, it is time to tell a story. It is time to tell the story of the Ohio pig farmer, a story that deserves to be told. The Buckeye State is one of the industry leaders in pork production, which doesn’t happen by accident. Ohio’s pig farms are made up of families and dedicated employees who are passionate about what they do. It’s that passion that makes us who we are and makes pork a cornerstone of our state.

Excited to serve and support the future of Ohio’s pork production, I couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity to join the Ohio Pork Council. My passion for the pork industry is an easy match for the career in communications that I have been lucky to build and look to continue to grow. I am ready to learn, ready to listen, and ready to start talking. It’s time to tell your story.

PIGTEK HERO™ FANS

COLLECT DATA

HERO™ Fans paired with Chore-Time’s PigCentral™ Control: • Control Energy Consumption • Collect Fan Performance Data • Optimize Barn Ventilation

COLLECT SAVINGS

REDUCE ENERGY COSTS UP TO 90%

When Fans Run at 30% of Speed • Qualifi es for energy rebate

Chore-Time PigCentral™ Control

To Optimize Your Barn’s Environment

LEARN MORE AT PIGTEK.NET

PIGTEK AMERICAS 574.658.5000 SALES@PIGTEK.NET

CTB ADVERTISING PT-2630D-QV/202105 PIGTEK AMERICAS Ohio Porkline ONE STOP SHOP

NEW BUILDS, REMODELS & RETROFITS

• Feed & Watering Systems • Medicators • Ventilation • Motors • Curtains & Inlets • EVAP Cooling Systems • Heating Solutions • Lighting • Animal Handling & Identification • Biosecurity • Gating & Penning • Building Supplies & Delphi Board • Pest Control • Workwear & Footwear

PROJECTS | SOLUTIONS | EQUIPMENT | SUPPLIES QCSUPPLY.COM 800.433.6340

INDIANA RETAIL LOCATION

1576 US-421 Delphi, Indiana 46923

800.382.7903 Secure Pork Plan: Here’s how OSU can help you write it

Preparing for foreign animal disease starts on the farm. No matter the size of your swine operation, every pig farmer plays a vital role in FAD Preparedness.

Developing a Secured Pork Supply Plan (SPS) for your farm is your responsibility. We know it is a big job, but you do not have to do it alone. Made possible through the USDA APHIS grant, Dr. Andreia Arruda, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and OPC secured funds to assist Ohio pig farmers in developing SPS Plans.

If foot and mouth disease (FMD), classical swine fever (CSF), or African swine fever (ASF) is found in United States livestock, regulatory officials will limit the movement of animals and animal products to try and control the spread of these very contagious animal diseases. The SPS Plan for Continuity of Business provides ways to prepare and request a movement permit for premises with animals with no evidence of infection.

Dr. Arruda and her team take the anxiety out of writing an SPS plan by streamlining the process for you. Tap into their knowledge and expertise to get your SPS written today.

Here’s how it works 1. Contact Dr. Arruda, (614) 688-3277 or arruda.13@osu.edu to set up consultations. 2. Make sure you include your herd veterinarian in the process. 3. Your data is secured. All participants will be asked to sign a confidential agreement outlining the protection of the farm’s data. 4. Provide OSU team with prudent information. 5. OSU team will assist with generating the SPS Plan. 6. The plan’s final version must be reviewed and approved by an accredited veterinarian, preferably your herd veterinarian. 7. Decide how to safely secure your SPS Plan through various options like AgView.

indUstry news

Ohio Pig Farmers continue

Pork Power Tradition

The Ohio Pork Council continues to lead efforts throughout Ohio to provide pork products to local food banks. In April, Ohio pig farmers provided support to the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank in Toledo, Ohio. This impactful and purposeful donation provided over 17,500 meals to those connected to the food bank.

This partnership with Toledo Northwestern allowed residents from Fulton, Defiance, Henry, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, Williams, and Wood counties to receive over 1,300 Daisyfield hams. These hams were produced by J.H. Routh Packing Company, located in Sandusky, Ohio.

It is not out of the ordinary for OPC to partake in partnerships across Ohio, as this donation was a part of the annual Pork Power program. Since the initiation of OPC’s Pork Power program, there have been more than 1.6 million protein-packed meals donated to Ohio food banks.

As the COVID-19 pandemic lingers, it continues to leave Ohio families struggling to find the resources to put food on the table. The Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank has served as an integral part in distributing food to those in need and those affected by the pandemic. Organizations like the Ohio Pork Council take pride in providing the necessary support to those in need while partnering with Ohio pig farmers.

Meet the Intern: Long joins OPC as 2021 Communications Intern

The Ohio Pork Council is pleased to welcome Kayli Long as the 2021 communications intern.

Long will create social media content, assist with event planning, and work on educational projects in this role. She will also work on highlighting producer and consumer projects through the Porkline magazine, social media, and other outlets.

As the internship begins, Long looks forward to a summer of promotion and engagement within the Ohio pork industry. “I am hopeful to attend in-person events that will allow for face-to-face connections with Ohio pig farmers and those surrounding the industry while serving as the OPC intern”, said Long. She is most excited to continue educating those in the public about her agricultural passions while learning about all things pork.

Long is a senior at Wilmington College, where she is a double major in agricultural education and animal science. During her time at Wilmington College, she has been an active member in the Sigma Alpha Professional Agriculture Sorority, the Aggies Club, Ag Ed Society, and Collegiate Farm Bureau. Long is from Marion, Ohio where her passion for involvement in the agricultural industry stems from her time spent in the Marion County 4-H program and the Ridgedale FFA Chapter.