Recently, we had a picture perfect example of how these outreach dollars connect consumers with our industry at a truly grassroots level. Through our “Pork Donation Request” webpage, an outreach proposal came in to sponsor the Seiling FFA Grill-n-Chill Barbeque Cookoff on April 5, 2025. The request was for Oklahoma Pork to provide ribs for FFA students from various chapters to grill for evaluation as they improve their pit master skills.

Not only is Seiling a proud pork production community with several pig farms nearby, but it also happens to be the hometown of our wonderful board member Roy Cansler of Seaboard Foods. So fulfilling this request meant that Roy, with assistance from Oklahoma Pork’s Matti Carlile, was able to donate 24 racks of Prairie Fresh pork ribs he helped produce directly back into his own community. What a beautiful full circle opportunity to tell pork’s Oklahoma grown story! Shout out to Seiling agriculture education instructor Ben Fisher for making the request, and for starting this fun competition to train a new generation of expert pork cooks.

If you have a cool idea for Oklahoma Pork partnering to donate products in your hometown, click here to fill out the outreach request form for 2025. Stay tuned for other outreach stories that will make you even more proud to help feed your neighbors in Oklahoma and around the globe!