Oklahoma Well Represented at U.S. SHIP Meeting

Pork producers from across the nation spent the last few days working on the United States Swine Health Improvement Plan (U.S. SHIP) to better prepare for a potential Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) outbreak.

Last week, nine voting representatives and two members of the Oklahoma Pork team provided valuable perspective on behalf of our state's swine industry at the United States Swine Health Improvement Plan (U.S. SHIP) House of Delegates Meeting in Minnesota.

U.S. SHIP exists to bring producers and government partners together to create a "National Playbook" of technical standards related to Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) preparedness for African Swine Fever (ASF) and Classical Swine Fever (CSF). As a refresher, Oklahoma's voting delegation included:

• Cristina Carmona - Prestage Farms

• Dr. Steven Clifton - Tyson Foods

• Dr. Suzanne Genova - Red Dirt Veterinary Services

• Dr. Rod Hall - ODAFF

• Dr. Alicia Gorczyca-Southerland - ODAFF

• Noel Williams - Seaboard Foods

• Dr. Jon Tangen - The HANOR Company

• Travis Vaughan - Smithfield Foods,

• Koe Wolfe - JBS.

The House of Delegates focused on U.S. SHIP's key tenets: biosecurity, traceability and disease surveillance. Delegates also participated in break-out sessions to dig deeper on questions related to traceability and animal movements, feral pigs and other serious biosecurity risks, and transportation and live haul sanitation. Overall, our Oklahoma crew felt the meeting was worthwhile with new information for our producers and government partners to consider.

Sharing Accurate Stories About Pigs and Pork

Oklahoma Pork member Jessica Ingo, Oklahoma Pork executive director Kylee Deniz, and Oklahoma Pork business coordinator Matti Carlile all visited classrooms in their home communities to teach children about pork production.

---

Oklahomans across the state committed to spreading fact-based agricultural stories with hundreds of students in a fun and helpful way this week. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF)'s Agriculture in the Classroom program held its annual "Read An Accurate Agriculture Book Week" to encourage more transparency of the food and fiber system among youth.

Many teachers pledged to read an educational agriculture story in their own classrooms, and dozens of volunteers in counties throughout Oklahoma went into schools and early childhood centers to help promote agriculture's message. Volunteers included elected officials, 4-H and FFA officers, and industry representatives. Oklahoma Pork members and staff enjoyed this opportunity to teach swine production's story, reading accurate pork books to young students in our communities.

Are you looking for ways to promote our industry close to home? Click here to review some online pork production and pork nutrition resources our team recommends to Oklahoma teachers looking to share more about pork in their classrooms!

Oklahoma Attending U.S. SHIP Meeting Next Week

Next week, pork producers and government partners from across the nation will gather in Minnesota for the 2023 United States Swine Health Improvement Plan (U.S. SHIP) House of Delegates Meeting. Individuals involved with U.S. SHIP continue to work toward a "National Playbook" of technical standards centering on prevention and demonstration of freedom from disease outside control areas in support of animal health, commerce and trade related to threats like African Swine Fever (ASF) and Classical Swine Fever (CSF).

The Oklahoma Pork Council is excited for our state to be well represented at this critical meeting. We have diverse delegate representation from our pork production companies and industry segments, in addition to Oklahoma Pork's Kylee Deniz and Matti Carlile attending the event. Oklahoma will have 9 voting delegates participating in this worthwhile discussion.

Oklahoma's voting delegation headed to Minnesota next week includes:

• Cristina Carmona - Prestage Farms,

• Dr. Steven Clifton - Tyson Foods,

• Dr. Suzanne Genova - Red Dirt Veterinary Services

• Dr. Rod Hall - ODAFF

• Dr. Alicia Gorczyca-Southerland - ODAFF

• Noel Williams - Seaboard Foods

• Dr. Jon Tangen - The HANOR Company

• Travis Vaughan - Smithfield Foods

• Joe Wolfe - JBS

If you have input that will help these delegates represent our industry in key decisions for Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) preparedness and traceability, let them know! Additionally, if you are interested in digging into the U.S. SHIP conference topics for discussion, click here to view the 71-page House of Delegates booklet with proposed updates and program standards.

Come Golf with Oklahoma Pork in October!

After making the tough call to postpone our annual golf tournament earlier this summer, Oklahoma Pork's Board of Directors can now officially announce the new date for our 2023 "Oklahoma Pork Open" at Hennessey's Turkey Creek Golf Course.

Join us Friday, October 20, for a beautiful fall day of golf with Oklahoma Pork members, sponsors and friends. Check-in will begin at 8 a.m. before the shotgun start at 9 a.m. Lunch and drinks will be provided for all players. Click here to register your team of four (with or without mulligans) on the Oklahoma Pork website. Closer to the tournament, we will also need registered teams' player names to help streamline registration on the course.

As our Oklahoma Pork staff and board plan for this member-favorite event, we are actively recruiting sponsors for prizes, drinks and more. If your company is interested in supporting the Oklahoma Pork Open through a fun sponsorship at our upcoming golf tournament - OR if you work with an allied industry company you think should step up to sponsor the 2023 Oklahoma Pork Open, click here to review the unique golf tournament partnership opportunities. Available options range from sponsoring one individual hole or player award, all the way to one title sponsorship for the tournament.

For more information about the upcoming Oklahoma Pork Open, contact Matti Carlile. We are counting down the days until Friday, October 20, 2023!

Award Spotlight: Greg Stephens of Prestage Farms

From time to time, the Oklahoma Pork Council presents a career achievement recognition known as the Golden Pig Award. This accolade is reserved for leaders who exhibit a longstanding example of character, knowledge and dedication within pork production. For 2023, one producer who finished his distinguished career earlier this year perfectly embodies the “Golden Pig” benchmark.

After more than 30 years with Prestage Farms, Greg Stephens recently began a well-deserved new life chapter of retirement. At the recent Oklahoma Pork Congress, Greg was announced as the 2023 Oklahoma Pork Council Golden Pig Award recipient for his hard work and devoted leadership.

In 1991, Greg moved from Florida to work in Prestage’s North Carolina Swine Division. There he was instrumental in the expansion and success of the company’s farrowing, finishing, nursery and service operations.  With experience in nearly all segments of the business, Greg was called upon in 2011 to lead Prestage’s newly acquired Oklahoma Swine Division. He and his wife Kathy made Oklahoma their home over the past 12 years while Greg oversaw every component of Prestage’s Oklahoma footprint. His employees and their pigs have achieved high performance under Greg’s tenure. Additionally, the Oklahoma Pork Council has continually benefitted from his wisdom and perspective. In retirement, Greg plans to spend more time with his family and enjoy outdoor experiences like hunting and fishing.

Congratulations to Greg Stephens on his retirement and this special honor from his peers!

Help Recruit OSU Students for Pork Industry Group - Applications Due Sept. 15

If you know any OSU students studying agriculture, encourage them to apply for Pork Industry Group this fall. The program, led by the Oklahoma Pork Council and Dr. Scott Carter, is an eight-week learning experience for Ferguson College of Agriculture students who want to better understand the swine industry and expand their network of agricultural professionals in Oklahoma.

Students will grow their knowledge of commercial pork production, diverse career opportunities, agricultural advocacy, professionalism and more. Each weekly session will also include a free dinner, door prizes and helpful advice from industry experts. The group will hear from dynamic speakers with a variety of pork-related careers and take part in an exciting two-day trip to visit a commercial sow operation and a large-scale pork processing plant. Pork Industry Group will culminate with a final banquet at which students will present their ideas to help solve a current issue faced by Oklahoma’s swine industry to Oklahoma Pork's Board of Directors. Scholarships will be awarded to outstanding participants.

Applications are due Friday, September 15, through the Oklahoma Pork Council website. Each applicant must also submit their resume and one recommendation letter via email to be considered for this experience. Check out the program schedule and other helpful information on the Oklahoma Pork Council website. If you have questions or comments about Pork Industry Group, please contact Oklahoma Pork's Ashton Mese Johnston.

Our team is excited to pour into another group of next generation pork industry leaders this semester!

Introducing Our New President Tom Layne

“From cooking up delicious meals at Oklahoma Pork Council events to representing our industry at the State Capitol, Oklahoma Pork’s new president Tom Layne brings a heart for service to his position for the upcoming year.”

Every August, the Oklahoma Pork Congress marks the transition to a new membership year and new leadership of the Oklahoma Pork Council. Beginning this month, our board of directors is led by 2023-2024 board president Tom Layne of Enid.

Tom has worked in the pork industry for more than 25 years. After proudly serving in the U.S. Army, Tom originally began his agriculture career with the Pig Improvement Company (PIC) before joining The HANOR Company in 1998. As HANOR's Director of Human Resources, Tom's work impacts the company's 650 employees located across seven states. When he is not working, Tom enjoys spending time with his wife Nancy, their four adult sons, and their five grandchildren. Tom's family background in the restaurant business and his military experience have both ingrained a deep value for service.

"This board exists to serve all pork producers in the state," Tom shared. "The show pig folks, the niche producers, and the commercial farmers are all in this together. My message to every Oklahoma Pork Council member is to be proud of what we do. We do a good thing, and we provide a product people want. Our industry is full of people who are dedicated to our animals and to feeding people. I take that very seriously, and I'm looking forward to the year ahead."

To recruit and onboard new employees throughout production, Tom is proud to share he has performed nearly every role on the farm. He sees serving all members, developing strong board relationships, and making decisions with the entire industry in mind as key priorities for his term.

Oklahoma Pork's remaining officer positions will be elected at the upcoming September board meeting. To familiarize yourself with the full board after elections at Pork Congress, check out Our People on the Oklahoma Pork Council website via the link below.

Thanking Our Two Incredible Summer Interns

Kate Jackson from Mountain View and Braden Burns from Kingfisher spent the past 12 weeks serving Oklahoma's pork producers as valued members of the Oklahoma Pork Council staff.

Mid-August closed a helpful and fun chapter for the Oklahoma Pork Council as our 2023 summer interns completed their experiences. They are both headed back to Oklahoma State University (OSU) where they will continue working toward their bachelor degrees in agriculture.

Kate Jackson, who served as Oklahoma Pork's communications intern this summer, will graduate in May with her Agricultural Communications degree. Kate was extremely helpful on a variety of projects, including: photography, award video development, show pig student education, and event planning. Kate shared her biggest takeaways were how important Oklahoma Pork's service is to the success of our producers, how rewarding it is to be on a supportive and successful team, and how significant the role of pork production is to the state of Oklahoma.

As a thank you to our board and members, Kate wanted to share this message: “I had the most wonderful internship experience ever! I am beyond thankful to have worked with the Oklahoma Pork Council this summer. My passion for pork continues to grow by the wonderful people I have met in this industry.”

Braden Burns, who served as Oklahoma Pork's outreach intern this summer, begins his junior year at OSU next week where he studies Agribusiness. Braden contributed to many successful projects the past 12 weeks, including: managing community donation requests, preparing for the Oklahoma Pork Congress, and leading several interactive events for 4-H and FFA audiences. Braden said his most important takeaways of the summer were better understanding how our state's pork industry works throughout the supply chain, seeing the true value of agricultural producer organizations, and expanding his network of agricultural role models and resources.

When asked what he would like to share with our board and members on his last day, Braden said: "This was an amazing summer becoming engulfed in all things pork! I have never been so proud to be from Oklahoma and get to be a small part in a great industry that reaches people across the world!"

To both these talented students, we share a heartfelt thank you for their hard work! We are proud of their service and their professional growth in three short months. Our team will miss having Braden and Kate with us every day, but we look forward to future opportunities to work with them both as they continue their successful agricultural career paths!

Incredible Leadership in Outgoing Board President

August 4th marked Oklahoma Pork's favorite day of the year as 100 industry leaders and supporters came together for the annual Oklahoma Pork Congress in Oklahoma City. When the Oklahoma Pork team recaps the bests of the 2023 Oklahoma Pork Congress, the list undoubtedly begins with our organization's leadership.

We owe a sincere thank you to our outgoing board president Angie Johnson of Holdenville. As a community bank president and a partner in her family's pig farm, Angie has brought incredible perspective and heart to her year leading the Oklahoma Pork Council. She has made our board and staff laugh, grow and consider another point of view during her presidency. Angie makes every meeting fun, and she has represented Oklahoma's pork industry with honor during a year filled with change.

Thank you to the smart, sincere and stylish Angie Johnson for your service to Oklahoma's pork industry the past year. We are grateful for you!

House Agriculture Committee Finance Bill Markup

Oklahoma Pork Council interns expanded their horizons on Capitol Hill this summer by learning about all things federal policy! Among the opportunities Kate and Braden enjoyed in Washington, DC, was the chance to meet with legislators, learn about the federal government, and sit in on a House Agriculture Committee bill markup.

On Thursday morning, Oklahoma Pork’s group watched as the Financial Innovation and Technology of the 21st Century Act was debated heavily from both parties. “Today's introduction of the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act marks a significant milestone in the House Committees on Agriculture and Financial Services efforts to establish a much-needed regulatory framework that protects consumers and investors and fosters American leadership in the digital asset space,” said House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson (PA-15).

It seemed strange that members of the House Ag. Committee were arguing topics like Bitcoin and the FTX bankruptcy, but because of the committee’s role governing commodities, digital commodities like blockchain currency remain under jurisdiction of the body. Among other topics within the bill, the ranking member argued the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) needed more resources to carry out its newly outlined responsibility on top of a recent $100 million dollar increase to the agency. Ranking Member David Scott (GA-13) also warned the bill would encourage increased vertical integration, putting the U.S. finance industry at risk.

Chairman Thompson, however, claimed members of the committee have reached a bipartisan compromise of what could be very beneficial in modernizing how the United States regulates digital assets as a commodity or security. Nonetheless, amendments were made and debated by both sides before the bill ultimately passed out of the House Ag. Committee. This act will set the framework for how commodities and securities are defined in relation to American digital assets. The bill sets up funding for the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to collaborate on joint rulemaking for the digital asset marketplace.

The Oklahoma Pork team got a front row seat of how government is run in the House of Representatives. Click here to learn more about the Financial Innovation and Technology of the 21st Century Act.