In late January, the National Pork Board announced Dr Pam Zaabel, DVM, as Director of Swine Health to work on the Pork Checkoff’s Swine Health and Production objectives and priorities. Zaabel previously worked at the National Pork Board as Director of Swine Information and Research (2006-2008) and most recently as a Veterinary Specialist at the Iowa State University Center for Food Security and Public Health, where she was responsible for projects focusing on swine diseases and swine health. Zaabel has worked extensively on African swine fever and the Secure Pork Supply Plan. She lives in Kellogg, Iowa with her husband, Roger, and five children.
For more information, contact Dr Pam Zaabel at pzaabel@pork.org or 515-223-2600.
Checkoff announces key task forces for 2020
In its bid to become more nimble and outcome-focused, the National Pork Board has gone from a committee-based structure for its research planning to one of task forces on specific objectives. In the science area, these include the Swine Disease (National Swine Disease Council), Euthanasia, Public Health Implications of Live Production, Water Quality and Soil Health, and Air Quality task forces. The first two in the list will have a heavy focus on African swine fever in 2020. According to the board of directors, this change is designed to move on priority areas of the industry more quickly. This change will still be led by pork producers but will have greater involvement from staff and outside subject matter experts. To help expedite potential solutions to the key objectives of each task force, the board has approved much larger budgets than most previous science-based committees have had in the past.
For more information, contact Dr Dave Pyburn at dpyburn@pork.org or 515-223-2634.
Pork’s sustainability continues upward trek
The Checkoff recently released its new sustainability report, Commit and Improve: Pig Farmers’ Approach to Sustainability, and updated porkcares.org website. The report and website share firsthand accounts and data supporting pig farmers’ progress toward sustainability through the We Care ethical principles.
“As pig farmers, we are committed to producing safe food, protecting the environment and caring for our pigs by following the six We Care ethical principles,” said David Newman, president of the National Pork Board and a pig farmer representing Arkansas. “These new resources were developed to share relevant information and metrics and to lay a foundation for continuous improvement in the area of sustainability.”
The new report demonstrates the progress pig farmers have made toward the We Care ethical principles of food safety, animal well-being, the environment, public health, our people, and communities. Data for the report was gathered from governmental agencies, the pork industry’s life cycle assessment, and pig farmers from across the country. Highlights that demonstrate the pork industry’s commitment to the We Care principles include:
- According to the Environmental Protection Agency, pork production contributes just 0.46% of US greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere.
- More than 71,000 individuals are Pork Quality Assurance Plus certified, representing roughly 85% of US pork production.
- The pork value chain has come together to develop and use the Common Swine Industry Audit, which is certified by the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization.
- The most recent life-cycle assessment, A Retrospective of US Pork Production, shows a significant reduction in the use of natural resources during the past 55 years. Per pound of pork produced, US pork producers have reduced land use by 76%, water use by 25%, energy use by 7%, and their carbon footprint by more than 7%.
- More than 94% of pig farms keep detailed medical and treatment records, which shows pig farmers’ commitment to responsible antibiotic use.
- In 2018, pig farmers donated 3.2 million servings of food, volunteered more than 54,000 hours, and donated more than $5.5 million to local charities.
For more information, contact Dr Brett Kaysen at bkaysen@pork.org or 515-223-2600.