COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Pork Council kicked off their 2020 schedule of events with the annual Ohio Pork Congress, held Feb. 11 and 12 at the Crowne Plaza North in Columbus, Ohio. The event, which provides valued information for farmers and industry professionals, attracted more than 450 attendees and 72 trade show exhibitors.
“Each year, Ohio’s pork producers have the opportunity to learn from industry professionals about innovative products and methods to positively impact their farming operations”, said Ohio Pork Council President Dave Shoup. “Thanks to our panel of speakers and trade show exhibitors, attendees of Ohio Pork Congress gained valuable information that can be implemented in their daily profession.”
Tuesday’s Employee Symposium featured industry professionals who provided insights on pork industry work culture and employee attraction. Guest speakers included Scott Caine of Aimpoint Research and Jonathon Hoek, Kasey Sheldon, and Valerie Duttlinger, of Summit SmartFarms. Tuesday evening’s program included the Live Auction and Reception, generating over $26,000 to benefit non-checkoff activities.
On Wednesday, Ohio pork producers heard from nationally-recognized experts on pork production about a variety of pertinent topics – from water quality, to supply chain demands, biosecurity and African Swine Fever.
Guest speakers for Wednesday’s program included Tyler Bettin of National Pork Producers Council; Jordan Hoewishcer of Ohio Farm Bureau; Dr. Scott Brown of University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources; Ron Cegnar of CEO Partners Inc.; Dr. Tom Gillespie of Performance Health, PC; and Dr. Pam Zaabel of National Pork Board. Wednesday’s program also included Keynote Speaker Dr. Henry Zerby of Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Co-op Inc., who provided insights on the global protein supply.
During the annual Pork Congress Luncheon, numerous deserving individuals were awarded for their contributions to the pork industry. Presentation of awards for the 2019 calendar year are as follows:
- 2019 Pork Industry Excellence Award – Jim Heimerl, Johnstown, Ohio
- 2019 Ohio Pork Council Service Award – Tony Nye, Washington Court House, Ohio
- 2019 Swine Manager of the Year – Bill Knapke, Fort Recovery, Ohio
- 2019 Pork Promoter of the Year – Morrow County Pork Producers
- 2019 Friend of Ohio Pork – Dr. Andrew Bowman, Milford Center, Ohio
During the two-day event, Ohio Pork Congress strives to provide attendees with valued information, resources and networking opportunities for the success of their operation and herd.
— Ohio Pork Council
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