Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
5/29/01
Contacts:
Dave Stender, Cherokee County Extension, (712) 225-6196,
dstender@iastate.edu
Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4496,
shoyer@iastate.edu
Dealing with Risks in Today's Swine Industry Seminar Set for June 21
CHEROKEE, Iowa -- Pork producers interested in learning more about recognizing and handling a variety of risks are invited to a seminar to be held in Cherokee June 21. "Dealing with Risks in Today's Swine Industry" will run from 4 to 6 p.m. at Western Iowa Tech Auditorium, 200 Victory Drive, in Cherokee. Cost for this program, which includes a meal, is $20 per person. Registration is due June 20.
The program, sponsored by Iowa Pork Industry Center, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and the Iowa Pork Producers Association, will address current concerns of swine producers. ISU Extension swine field specialist Dave Stender will coordinate the program. Stender said one issue for producers is how to deal with market risks. "Will there be an open market price?" Stender asked. "How will the new generation of packer marketing contracts work? Is oversupply likely to happen again? If so, when?" ISU agricultural economist John Lawrence will lead this discussion relating to market risks.
Producers also want to know if foot and mouth disease (FMD) can be kept out of the United States, how it will be handled if it arrives here and what it will take to eradicate it, Stender said. John Carr, professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine at ISU's veterinary medicine college, gained first hand knowledge of the disease during a recent trip to England. Carr will describe the war against FMD in England and how the U.S. would respond to an outbreak.
And, ISU Extension agricultural engineer Kris Kohl will address issues regarding the disposal of dead animals. Rising costs to remove dead animals has increased interest in composting, according to Kohl. He will talk about the economical aspects of mortality disposal through composting.
An evening meal will follow the sessions. After the meal, a meeting to inform livestock producers about proposed changes to federal environmental regulations for individual operations will be held at the same location. Livestock producers will learn about the proposed changes and are encouraged to share their comments with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) following the meeting. The deadline for submitting these comments is July 30. The evening session is open to all at no charge.
Preregister for the risk seminar by contacting your county Extension Office or by calling Dave Stender at (712) 225-6196.
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.