Released: Jan. 12, 2017
Swine Profitability Conference set for Feb. 7
'Staying Competitive in the Swine Industry is the theme for the K-State conference.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University’s 2017 Swine Profitability Conference is planned for Tuesday, Feb. 7. This year’s event will be hosted at a new location — the Stanley Stout Center in Manhattan.
Each year the Swine Profitability Conference focuses on the business side of pork production. “Attendees will have a chance to learn ideas for improving their businesses from leading producers, veterinarians and economists,” said Mike Tokach, K-State Department of Animal Sciences & Industry distinguished professor and swine extension specialist. “This conference is designed to help producers stay competitive in today’s swine industry.”
The conference will feature speakers from an array of businesses, including:
- · Brad Greenway, the National Pork Board 2016 Pig Farmer of the Year, will discuss his family business and how he has tried to increase transparency and openness of his farm to build public trust in producers.
- · Barry Kerkaert, vice president of Pipestone Veterinary Services, will discuss how Pipestone works with producers to keep them competitive in a rapidly-evolving swine industry.
- · Kent Bang, vice president of AgStar Financial Services, will provide a pork market strategy update on an increase in pork production and whether new packing plant capacity will be enough for the increased pig numbers.
- · Serving eight years as leadership director of Kansas Smith Farms, Nathan Smith, says he has had an attitude change from thinking working in animal agriculture was boring, discouraging, ungrateful and a stinky industry to now loving hog farming, ag leadership and living in the Great Plains. Smith will share his thoughts on the power of the past, as well as tips for leading people on the farm and surviving an unknown future.
- · The final presentation will be by Chef Alli who will share strategies for advocating in ways that make sense for producers and their operations. With “Rise of Real” sweeping America, she says consumers don’t want producers to educate them, they want the kind of advocacy that tells what the real day-to-day of running a modern farm looks like — how it gets done and why producers do what they do.
The conference’s new location, the Stanley Stout Center is at 2200 Denison Avenue. The day begins with coffee and donuts at 9:15 a.m. and the program starting at 9:30 a.m. Lunch is included in the conference, which will end at 3 p.m.
Pre-registration is $25 per participant and due by Jan. 30. Attendees can register at the door for $50 per participant. More information, including online registration, is available at www.KSUSwine.org or contact Lois Schreiner at 785-532-1267 or lschrein@ksu.edu.
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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.
For more information:
Angie Stump Denton, Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences & Industry
Communication Coordinator, angiedenton@ksu.edu or 785-562-6197
www.ksre.ksu.edu
