July 2008

Direct Line Keeping Our Members Informed

kpa@kspork.org • www.kspork.org

Volume XXVIII

2601 Farm Bureau Road • Manhattan, KS 66502 • (785) 776-0442

Public notice by Kansas Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board The election of pork producer delegate candidates for the 2009 National Pork Producers (Pork Act) Delegate Body will take place at 1:00 p.m., Friday, July 25, 2008, in conjunction with a Board of Directors meeting of the Kansas Pork Producers Council at the Wendell Moyer Office Building, 2601 Farm Bureau Road, Manhattan, KS 66502. All Kansas pork producers are invited to attend.

Any producer, who is a resident of the state and has paid all assessments due may be considered as a delegate candidate and/or participate in the election. All eligible producers are encouraged to bring with them a sales receipt proving that hogs were sold in their name and the checkoff deducted. For more information, contact Kansas Pork Producers Council, 2601 Farm Bureau Road, Manhattan, KS, telephone 785.776.0442.

Checkoff Working to Promote Pork in the Domestic Market While exports have recieved the media attention (see back page), the Checkoff is also focusing on domestic marketing by promoting pork at home.

The Pork Checkoff launched The Other White Meat® Tour to celebrate pork’s positive benefits targeting consumers through cooking demonstrations, product sampling and one-on-one interactions. The tour will be stopping at 23 high-trafficked consumer events across the U.S. that reach a large percentage of the Checkoff’s target audience, females 25-49 years old who have children at home and want to be better cooks.

“A total of 250 million pounds of pork have been sold as a result of Checkoff retail programs during the first and second quarter,” said Steve Murphy, National Pork Board.

“Of that, 52 million pounds are incremental increases compared to the same time period last year.”

Murphy continued.

“From grilled breakfast sandwiches at 1,000 Panera Bread Bakery locations to a new Butcher’s Block line of fresh and frozen pork at 77 Sysco distribution centers, putting more pork on the menus continues to be a focus.”

July 2008

KPA Begins New Service for Producers Based on requests from producers, the KPA has initiated the KPA Producer Classified section on our website.

This page will provide space free of charge to producers who are looking for a way to advertise to other producers. To see this week’s listings, log on to http://www. kspork.org/Producers/KPA%20Pro ducer%20Classifieds.shtm.

To add your listing to the page, please contact Tim Stroda at the KPA office at 785.776.0442 or e-mail to kpa@kspork.org

Pork Chop Open Golf Tournament

The Annual Pork Chop Open Golf Tournament will be held Friday, September 5, 2008, at Cedar Hills Golf Course in Washington. Registration for the 18-hole, 4-man scramble will begin at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. The charge is $250 per team with a meal included.

For more information, contact the KPA office.

US Pork: Another Export Record Set US - Export sales continue to provide welcome news for the U.S. pork industry.

“The shortage in the global meat supply, combined with record pork production in the United States and the continued weak dollar are putting U.S. pork in a very advantageous position in many export markets,” said Erin Daley, manager of research and analysis for the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

port volume was up 95 percent compared to May 2007 and 12 percent more than the April 2008 record. This put January-May pork (including variety meat) exports at 825,800 metric tons (1.8 billion pounds) valued at $1.86 billion, up 60 percent and 51 percent respectively from the same period last year.

China/Hong Kong was the largest destination for U.S. pork exports in May, with exports totaling Daley noted that China/Hong 55,293 metric tons or 121.9 milKong has emerged as a key lion pounds (a new record for the market for U.S. pork since the region surpassing 42,331 metfourth quarter of last year since ric tons [93.3 million pounds] in that country’s pork production has April) valued at $99.4 million, up declined. “It’s not so much that from just 10,706 metric tons (23.6 consumption is up,” said Daley. million pounds) valued at $15.7 “Rather, production is down, and million in May last year. For JanuU.S. pork remains undervalued.” ary-May, exports to China/Hong Agenda : Russia is the exception, however, Kong totaled 200,093 metric tons 8:30 Registration (Animal Science Farm) where is –up, but (441.1 9:00 pork Whyproduction we are here Implementing yourmillion NMP pounds) valued at not9:15 enough to keep pace with ris$343 million, up 336 percent and Collection and care of manure and soil samples ing10:00 consumption.

410 percent, respectively.

JanuUnderstanding and utilizing your soil and ary-May exports to China/Hong manure test results The for pork Kong surpassed annual exports new monthly - Nutrientrecord crediting (including variety meat exports) for (N the&whole

- Environmental considerations P) of 2007. was set at 196,118 metric tons equipment or 10:30 Calibration of manure 432.4 million pounds (valued at spreader, Exports

- Center pivot, Box/side etc.to Japan exceeded 40,000 nearly $452 million) in May. Exmetric 12:00 Lunch (Weber Hall, KSU Campus) tons (88.2 million pounds)

Direct Line Keeping Our Members Informed

again in May after setting a record in March (40,853 metric tons) and were valued at $132 million. For January-May, exports totaled 184,962 metric tons (407.7 million pounds) valued at $592 million, up 19 percent and 22 percent respectively — still the largest market in value terms.

Mexico rebounded in May to 29,034 metric tons (64 million pounds) to put the January-May total at 132,716 metric tons (292.6 million pounds) valued at $213 million, up 16 percent and 18 percent respectively, but January-May exports remain 15 percent below the record levels of 2006.

Russia nearly kept the pace of the record level set during April, with May volumes at 18,122 metric tons (39.5 million pounds), up 124 percent from May 2007. For January-May, exports totaled 76,456 metric tons (168.5 million pounds) valued at $158.9 million, up 137 percent and 142 percent, respectively, over last year.