Conference to help pork producers deal with changing industry

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A Purdue Extension workshop will help pork producers deal with economic, regulatory and production challenges they face in an uncertain and ever-changing industry.

The Central Indiana Pork Conference will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Feb. 2 at Rossville High School, 1 Robert Egly Drive, in Rossville.

"2010 was the first year pork producers have made a profit as an industry since 2007," said Curt Emanuel, Purdue Extension educator in Clinton County. "However, rising feed costs resulting from the recent rapid increase in corn and soybean prices are threatening balance sheets again in 2011. This conference will help producers explore the existing opportunities for improving profitability."

Included will be a 2011 pork industry outlook by Purdue Extension agricultural economist Chris Hurt. Brian Richert, Purdue Extension swine specialist, will present "DDGS: How High Can You Go and How Much Does It Save You?"

Sessions also will cover up-to-date methods to deal with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and the current regulatory climate and its impact on producers.

Additional speakers include Dave Murray, vice president of livestock procurement at Indiana Packers; John Nagle, manager of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture's Certified Livestock Producer Program; Josh Trenary, director of business development at Indiana Pork; and Brian Payne, professional services veterinarian for the swine division at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica.

"Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with other producers and with leading pork industry professionals," Emanuel said. "The sessions will offer tools to help producers enhance their competitiveness in the coming year, and the speakers will help them understand the state of the industry, political initiatives and challenges, trends for the coming year, and production issues like herd health, feeding and nutrition."

Registration, due Jan. 28, is $20 per person and includes conference materials, refreshments and lunch. Late registration is accepted, but lunch is not guaranteed. Registration forms and additional conference information are available online at ag.purdue.edu/counties/clinton/Pages/CIPC.aspx

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