Message from Steve Weaver, National Pork Board President: Dear fellow pork producers,
From nightly network newscasts to online blogs, I'm sure you've heard and seen numerous reports about the H1N1 flu virus. The Pork Checkoff, through the National Pork Board, has been working nonstop with other industry partners to remind consumers that pork remains safe to eat. While getting the facts to our customers is very important, I want to take a few moments of your time to tell you about how the H1N1 outbreak relates to your operation.
At first, the virus was spreading only from person to person, but we now know that it can infect pigs. In Alberta, Canada, pigs in a single herd reportedly became sick with the H1N1 virus after being in contact with a worker who had flu-like symptoms after returning from Mexico. The virus caused mild illness in the herd, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has reported that the pigs and the worker are recovering.
At this time, the H1N1 virus has not been found in any U.S. pigs. However, the Canadian incident shows that we all need to take extra precautions to help ensure that the virus does not enter our herds. I have stepped up the biosecurity measures at my Elk Grove, Calif., farm, and I urge you to do the same at your operation.
Please read through the biosecurity practices recommended by the National Pork Board by clicking on the Internet link below and join me in helping to protect the U.S. herd.
Biosecurity Recommendations for Producers
Sincerely,
Steve Weaver
National Pork Board President
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 State House Member Wins 2009 Pigskin Pig-Out Pig Cookin' Contest
Rep. Arthur Williams (D- Beaufort) secured the first place trophy in ECU's Pigskin Pig-Out Pig Cookin' Contest in April.
Contestants' pigs were judged based on appearance, brownness of meat, skin crispness, moisture, meat & sauce taste, and overall completeness.
Rep. Williams is serving his 4th term in the NC House of Representatives but has been cooking pigs for even longer than he's been politickin'. And, although this was the first time he took home the first place trophy, Williams knows a lot about the art of barbecue. He was recently certified by NCPC as an official NC barbecue judge and is a certified judge in other states as well.
We appreciate Rep. Williams's support of NC's pork industry and congratulate him on his first win! |
 Want to Become a PQA Plus Advisor?
Who could be a PQA Plus advisor?
You could be a veterinarian, an extension agent or an ag educator with a Bachelor of Science degree. You could also be someone with the equivalent of a degree in animal science or a related field, who has two years of recent, documentable swine production experience.
If you meet the above criteria and want to become a PQA Plus advisor, you are in luck! Several trainings will be held over the next two months, the first of those will be in Goldsboro on May 21st.
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News from WashingtonFind out what's going on in Washington that affects the pork industry. Click here to keep up to date on NPPC's press releases. | |
