 NC Pork Producers Visit Washington, D.C.More than 150 pork producers from around the country came to NPPC's Fall Legislative Action Conference in Washington, D.C., last week where they met with their members of Congress to discuss important pork industry issues.
NC had great representation at the conference. Along with some NCPC staff, NC was represented by former NCPC board member Timmy Thomas, Neill Westerbeek, NCPC board member David Herring, NCPC board president George Pettus, NCPC and NPPC board member R.C. Hunt, and current NPPC president Don Butler.
The NC delegation met with Senator Kay Hagan, Reps. David Price, Brad Miller, G.K. Butterfield, Bob Etheridge, Walter Jones, and staff from the offices of Sen. Richard Burr and Reps. Heath Shuler and Larry Kissell.
The impact that the novel H1N1 flu has had on the pork industry dominated much of the talk at the conference, though it has been clear for months now that humans cannot get H1N1 by handling or consuming pork products.
Producers received updates on legislative issues from NPPC staff. Director of Science and Technology Dr. Jennifer Greiner spoke about the use of antibiotics and how a ban on animal health products would be detrimental to pig health and well-being. She also reminded producers of the importance of urging Congress to strengthen the country's food- and animal feed-safety system, using sound science to take a risk-based approach.
Chief Environmental Counsel Michael Formica addressed the audience on climate change, and Vice President and Counsel for International Trade Policy Nick Giordano talked about the importance and impact of pending free trade agreements while reminding producers that China is still not importing American pork due in part to the U.S. ban on imported cooked Chinese chicken.
Guest speakers at the conference included Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas, R-Okla., and National Journal political columnist Charlie Cook.
The conference wrapped up with the widely known and well attended "Rack of Pork" congressional reception on Capitol Hill for members of Congress, their staff and pork producers. Guests at the reception enjoyed an abundance of pork products and talked with fellow producers and the many members of Congress who came in to enjoy a pork chop and good conversation.
Photo above in front of US Capitol Building: LR- Timmy Thomas, Don Butler, George Pettus, RC Hunt, and Deborah Johnson.
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 Westerbeek Selected for Pork Leadership Academy
Neill Westerbeek of Murphy-Brown, LLC, is one of 20 pork producers from across America selected this year to be a part of the Pork Checkoff's Pork Leadership Academy (PLA).
The Pork Leadership Academy participants are selected by their individual states and represent different production styles. The Checkoff provides initial leadership training, as well as long-term support in preparing presentations and interviews. The Pork Leadership Academy will focus on training producers as spokespeople who can relate the accomplishments of the pork industry to the public and who can communicate with producers one-on-one about issues facing the pork industry.
The year-long program kicked off this summer at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines and the group got together again last week in Washington, DC.
While in D.C., the group visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center where they prepared and served pork chop sandwiches to wounded warriors, their families, and hospital employees. The 850 pounds of pork loin was donated by Tysons Foods and cooked in the kitchen of Pork Checkoff's "We Care" trailer.
Other corporations involved in the effort included PepsiCo, Kellogg's, Farmland, ARM & HAMMER and Quaker Oats. (Note: Watch for future editions of Porkline and the Pork Report for a feature article on this event.)
Westerbeek also had the opportunity to meet with members of Congress including his own representative, Congressman Bob Etheridge (pictured above). |
 Herring Featured in Fox News StoryLast week Fox News reporters paid a visit to the NPPC Fall Legislative Action Conference in Washington, DC. The national news network was putting together a story about how the media's misuse of the term "swine flu" instead of H1N1 has had disastrous consequences for the U.S. pork industry.
The Fox news crew interviewed two U.S. pork producers including NC producer, David Herring.
Below is a story from the reporter's blog but also look out for the actual story on the Fox News Channel as we were told, at the time of taping, that it might air sometime this week.
Two Words That Could Bring Down an Industry
September 18, 2009 - 5:04 PM | by: Brooks Blanton
American hog farmers and companies that process and package pork products are fighting hard to stay afloat. Since April, global demand for pork has plummeted, sending an already shaky industry to the verge of collapse. The industry was already in trouble as the price of pork dropped steadily since 2007, but the introduction of the term "Swine Flu" last Spring has nearly brought this fragile business to it's knees.
"In my personal business alone, I have had to lay off about 40 percent of my workers over the last 12 months," said David Herring, a North Carolina Pork Producer.
Herring was meeting this week in Washington, DC with other pork producers from across the country. Among the discussion from industry experts is how to keep the media from using the term "Swine Flu" when addressing the H1N1 flu virus. The use of the phrase has created myths that the virus can be spread by eating and handling pork products. Initially, 26 countries banned US and Mexican pork imports amid fears that people were getting the newly emerging virus from tenderloins, bacon and ham. Those bans of US produced pork in places like China has cost the industry a combined $991 Million from mid-April to August alone.
"This industry is in dire straits," says Herring. "If we don't see some economic changes in the next 12 to 18 months, the only pigs we are going to see in this country will be in a zoo."
A major part of the strategy to reverse the tide of losses in the pork business, is to replace the use of the term "Swine Flu" with the scientific term H1N1. But Pork Industry leaders say the continued use of "Swine Flu" in headlines and on National News Broadcasts is making it hard for them to stop the losses. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack lashed out at media outlets still using "Swine Flu," saying the job of news outlets was to get it right and start calling the virus by it's correct H1N1 name.
"I want folks who are in the business of conveying messages," said Vilsack during a September 10th conference call with reporters. "To understand that behind that message is a family today...wondering how in the hell they are going to pay the bills when they continually sell pork for less than what it costs to produce."
Some media have stopped using "Swine Flu" altogether, while others use a combination of both with the idea of preventing confusion. Some forego "H1N1" entirely, and stick with "Swine Flu" when talking about the looming pandemic. In fact, the National Pork Producers Council tracked broadcast, print and media outlets and found that almost half of all internet and broadcast reports in August used "Swine Flu" while nearly 40% of newspaper and magazine reports used the phrase.
"The only people that can't get it right is the media and that continues to cause us difficulty," said Bobby Accord a consultant to the National Pork Producers Council. "We continue to harp on the message that this is not Swine Flu, it's H1N1."
But that message isn't sticking and changing it might be an uphill battle for the Pork Industry. Georgia State University
Professor of Marketing Chris Lemely says H1N1 is too scientific and too hard for most people to remember.
"Once something emotionally connects with a person, a name emotionally connects with a person, they tend to remember it. The emotional connection here is a threat," Lemley says. "That just has a strong emotional tie to people. The name 'Swine Flu' came out with that threat and we just encoded it."
Farmers like David Herring fear another threat...the use of the phrase "Swine Flu." And he worries the resulting death just might be farms like his and the American Pork Industry itself.
"We need to keep calling out the media and say get it right. Please get it right."
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Status of State General Permit for Swine Waste Management System
The current State General Permit for swine waste management system operation will expire on September 30, 2009. The Division of Water Quality is currently getting the new permits (certificates of coverage) ready for mailing and plan to have them in the mail to you by the last week of September. In the event that you do not receive your new certificate of coverage by October 1, 2009, you will continue to be covered under your current permit until such time as you receive the new certificate of coverage.
If for some reason you did not submit an application for coverage under the new permit, you would not be covered after September 30, 2009. Anyone in that situation should immediately contact the Division of Water Quality regional office for assistance in resolving that situation.
If you have not received your new Certificate of Coverage by October 15th, it is suggested that you notify the Division of Water Quality regional office staff.
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2009 Pork Chop Shop at the NC State Fair
Sign up for your shift at the Pork Chop Shop!
Click here to access a printable flyer, sign up sheet, map and link to the NC State Fair website. |
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. | |
