okPORK PAGES Fall 2014

okPORK PAGES official magazine of the Oklahoma Pork Council | www.okpork.org

Volume 18 | Issue 3 | Fall 2014

Chefs Compete with Pork and Everyone Wins

CONTENTS

6

10,000 Cans, One Big Pig

okPORK needs your help to gather cans for a food drive and an enormous pig exhibit at Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City.

8

My okPORK Internship

Justine Reeves-Barth spent the summer working as the okPORK intern. She shares her experiences and what she learned about the pork industry.

10

Looking Into the Future Class III of the Youth Leadership Camp was a smashing success. Twelve students and an ag teacher traveled the state and experienced many aspects of pork production.

18

Tee’d Up For Fun and a Good Cause

The okPORK Open Golf Tournament is much more than a great day on the golf course. The money raised is critical to support okPORK’s non-checkoff budget and activities.

20

Taste of Elegance

Twelve metro chefs developed amazing pork recipes and competed for top honors.

But the Oklahoma March of Dimes and the babies they help were the real winners.

2 • Oklahoma Pork Council

Fall 2014

Fall 2014 Volume 18 • Issue 3 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS President | Dottie King, Calvin President Elect | Keith Reiner, Enid Vice President | Tina Falcon, Tecumseh Treasurer | Darren Appleton, Enid BOARD MEMBERS Bert Luthi, Sharon Phil Olipahnt, El Reno Cathy Vaughan, Rosston Chris Wallis, Allen Robbie Woods, Enid EX OFFICIO Dr. Scott Carter, Stillwater Wathina Luthi, Gage Brett Ramsey, Jones STAFF Executive Director Roy Lee Lindsey, Jr. • rllindsey@okpork.org

November 21, 2014 | Gaillardia Country Club 5 Courses & 5 Bourbons | Tickets $100 | 405.232.3781

Event and Outreach Specialist Mark McGinnis • mmcginnis@okpork.org Office Manager Donna Jackson • djackson@okpork.org Communications Specialist Kristin Alsup • kalsup@okpork.org

Let the Mouthwatering Begin!

Oklahoma Pork Council 901 North Lincoln Blvd., Suite 380 Oklahoma City, OK 73104-3206 Phone 405.232.3781 • Fax 405.232.3862 Toll free in Okla. • 888.SAY.PORK WEBSITE www.okpork.org ON THE COVER From the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, Chef Mark Brown presented “Oklahoma City Pork Duo” at Taste of Elegance on August 19.

Photo by Kristin Alsup.

Programs are made available to pork producers without regard to race, color, sex, religion or national origin. The Oklahoma Pork Council is an equal opportunity employer. okPORK PAGES is the official publication of the Oklahoma Pork Council and is published four times per year in March, June, September and December by the Oklahoma Pork Council.

The Pork Chop Shop opens soon!

Making mouths and stomachs happy at a state fair near you!

Oklahoma State Fair – September 11-21.

Tulsa State Fair – September 25 - October 5.

All Pork Pages inquiries should be directed to the okPORK office or communications@okpork.org Writer Kristin Alsup Designer Nikki Snider Editor Donna Jackson

Stay Connected : search okpork •3

FROM THE PRESIDENT | DOTTIE KING

A New Farm, New Way of Thinking, and Working Together I have recently finished opening a new farm. It has taken a lot of hard work, time and patience. In this column, I thought I would share some of the information and lessons we’ve learned in the process with you all.

Opening Mansion Farm was very different from the jobs we’ve tackled in the past. To begin with, Mansion farm is more than double the size of the two previous farms I’ve owned in terms of animals. Having 3,000 sows instead of 1,250 is quite a jump and requires more of everything – people, paperwork, time, training and patience.

Mansion Farm is also a multiplier for the Tyson Pork Group. We are proud to be raising our own replacement girls and the girls to replace sows throughout the system.

The biggest change for us when opening this farm was the decision to house the sows in group pens. In the

beginning I can say I hated the pens with a passion. After the first few weeks, I fell in love with them. I will never put individual stalls in my barns again.

More than simply changing the housing of the sows, the group pens caused many changes from our older farms. The electronic sow feeding system requires new training for the employees and the sows alike. Training each of the sows how to use the feeding system is an important factor.

It was nerve-wracking at first. With the individual stalls you always knew when you left for the night that the pigs would have plenty of water and food available to them. None of the other pigs could keep them from getting to it.

In the new system we were worried the pigs would not have access to what they needed when they needed it.

We have learned now that each pig is still getting what they need, and we

can see a computerized list of exactly what is going on with each sow’s diet.

The organization of the barn is also more difficult to handle. Moving the pigs in groups instead of individually is a completely different mindset. If one sow has to be separated from the group, that sow will often have to become part of a different group. It requires a different way of thinking to manage this arrangement.

In the end, we are glad to have the new farm up and running. We are excited to have three of our kids working with us as well. Having help that grew up with this, moving away and coming back means the world to us. Having younger family members involved helps a bunch. We are glad to have them and couldn’t have gotten the farm running like it is without them.•

Dottie and Alan King’s Mansion Farm pictured at their open house last winter, before sows were moved in.

4 • Oklahoma Pork Council

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | ROY LEE LINDSEY, JR.

Bits & Pieces So Long Summer Where did the time go? It seems like only yesterday kids were leaving school for a long summer break and recently I had to take Elizabeth back to school for her first day of classes in the 2014-15 school year. It has been a remarkable summer at okPORK and there is so much more to come as we move into the fall. Here are a few of the highlights.

Youth Leadership Camp This summer saw the third rendition of our Youth Leadership Camp. You’ll find more information about the camp later in this issue.

Camp continues to be one of the most successful programs at okPORK. We continue to see motivated young people with a desire to learn more about the pork industry. Our hope and goal is that some of our campers will decide a career in the pork industry is the right choice for them. We are optimistic that many of our YLC will be future leaders of our organization and industry once they graduate from college. Check out the story on page 10 for insight into this year’s camp and the outstanding group of campers.

Get your pork chop sandwiches!

With September here, that means the state fairs aren’t far behind. There are lots of exciting changes in store for the Oklahoma State Fair Pork Chop Shop. As we are preparing for the OSF,

we have made plans for upgrades to our booth in Oklahoma City. We’re adding new signs to the top of our trailer, replacing the awning on the front of the trailer, and building a new counter. We’ve incorporated the colors from our logo into the booth and it will modernize the look of the space.

In addition to the improvements in the appearance of the booth, we have brought in a new group of volunteers to help make and sell sandwiches. We will be partnering with a U.S. Navy training unit stationed at Tinker Air Force Base to provide our volunteers.

We are providing some funding to the unit to help with their morale activities including summer picnic and a Christmas party. While we haven’t made it through the fair, yet we are optimistic this could evolve into a longterm relationship. Giving back to our community is an ethical principle for our industry and nothing supports our communities more than supporting our men and women in the military.

Be sure to stop by the Pork Chop Shop in Oklahoma City and let us know what you think about the new look of the space and say “thanks” to our volunteers – both for helping us in the booth and, more importantly, for serving our country.

The Big Pig is Headed to OKC Another of the features in this issue of the magazine is information on

our project to build a giant pig out of canned food. We are working with a company called Canstruction to build a pig that will be more than nine feet tall in the middle of Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City. The cans used to build the pig will be donated to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. Several of our members along with 4-H clubs and FFA chapters are helping us collect the cans and/or raise money to purchase cans to build the pig. We will be building the pig on Sunday, October 12, and it will be on display Monday – Sunday, October 13-19. We will be on the north end of Penn Square in front of Macy’s.

We will need volunteers to help tend to the pig while it is on display and we’ll be promoting this project across our social media platforms in the weeks leading up to building the pig. Look for more details on page 6 and watch for updates on our Facebook and Twitter pages. #realpigfarming In a continuing effort to connect modern pig production and the people who purchase our products, the National Pork Board has launched social media initiative #realpigfarming.

If you’re on Facebook or Twitter, please like or follow them. And more than just liking or following, get involved in the discussions. Many critics of our industry are actively commenting and trying to influence what consumers think of continued on page 7 •5

10,000 Cans One BIG Pig okPORK needs you to donate cans for a food drive and exhibit and Penn Square Mall

P

lans for building a giant pig are underway, but help is required to get it done. This fall during the Governor Mary Fallin’s “Feeding Oklahoma Drive” okPORK will be using canned food to construct an extremely large pig inside Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City. However, the plans to build the pig require approximately 10,000 cans of food. Not only does it take cases upon cases of food to build, but the required cans are extremely specific.

During brainstorming sessions the idea was born to ask our members and friends to get involved in the project by collecting cans. The response from Oklahoma’s farmers, FFA and 4-H was not only yes, but a very excited yes.

During the months of August and September the plan is to collect as many of the Bush’s Baked Beans, Del Monte French cut green beans and Del Monte leaf spinach as possible.

To help motivate the different groups to participate, three different contests were created, one each for the FFA chapters, 4-H clubs and for the farmers. The group that wins the FFA and 4-H contests will win the meat donated for their annual banquet. The

6 • Oklahoma Pork Council

group who comes in second in both of those contests will win 50 pork burgers each. The contest among the groups of farmers is a little different and the winner will receive ten $25 gift cards.

When the contests are over and the winners have claimed their prizes the real fun will begin. Beginning October 13, the company hired to build the pig will begin to put the structure together in front of Macy’s at the mall. As it is being constructed and after it is finished the pig will be on display through October 19.

This interesting and exciting project will be promoted in many ways. One avenue will be through okPORK’s social media accounts. There will be posts from okPORK on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Instagram.

People not following okPORK will miss out on a ton of updates about the pig.

In addition to the posts from okPORK, contests will also be held during the pig’s time in the mall for shoppers to get involved in the fun.

One of the contests will be available for anyone who wants to take a picture of themselves with the pig and post it to social media. Another contest will

randomly draw one name from those collected who are interested in receiving Pork Fan Confidential.

In the end when the whole project is said and done the best part of the deal is the final donation to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. A donation of more than 10,000 cans of food will go a long way to feed the hungry in our state. •

NEWS YOU CAN USE It’s Almost Time to Renew Your Membership It is time to start thinking about renewing your okPORK membership today! It won’t be long before the end of the year, and you wouldn’t want to miss out on the deal this year.

You may remember the okPORK Board of Directors approved a new membership dues schedule at the June 20, 2012 board meeting. Increasing

the membership dues was thoroughly discussed at the meeting, including the fact that dues had not increased at that time since 2003. The Bylaws gives the Board of Directors the authority to increase dues by a maximum of 100 percent at any time up to $100.

The dues for 2015 will be $75 and for 2017 will be $100. However, if dues

are paid prior to January 1, 2015, the dues will be at the 2014 rate of $50. This reduction rate will also be available for 2017. Renewal notices will be mailed at the end of November, after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Keep your eyes peeled and don’t forget to get yours back quickly to save a few dollars! •

From the Executive Director - continued from page 5 our industry. The best responses to those comments come from producers.

Comments from the people raising pigs help develop the dialogue the sites are trying to promote. You don’t have to be an expert on social media to represent your farm and industry. You are the experts on raising pigs and sharing that expertise is the purpose of these sites. So never hesitate to join the conversation.

OALP & okPORK Congratulations are in order for Kristin Alsup who has just been accepted into Class XVI of the Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program. This two-year program will take Kristin to all corners of our state to learn about different agricultural enterprises; to Washington, D.C., and the Oklahoma State Capitol to interact with elected

officials and government agencies; and, ultimately, on a trip abroad to see agriculture in another part of the world.

As a member of Class X OALP, I know how much she will experience and learn over the next two years. Look for reports from Kristin about her adventures in OALP in the future. •

Mark McGinnis Ends His Tenure with okPORK The Board of Directors and Staff at okPORK thank Mark McGinnis for his seven years of service. We will miss your sense of humor and the time spent together during events. We wish Mark good fortune in all his future endeavors and look forward to seeing what comes next for him. •

Stay in the loop!

Join our email list to get the latest issue of okPORK PAGES delivered to your inbox. Just send an email to communications@okpork.org and we’ll add you to the list.

•7

My okPORK Internship May:

by Justine Reeves-Barth

A week after graduating from Oklahoma State University I started my internship with the Oklahoma Pork Council. The first few days consisted of learning hours and hours of information. During the first week, every time I left for the day, I was afraid I would forget the information I had learned. I really appreciate the patience and the warm welcome from the staff at okPORK. My first event was a board meeting, which was a perfect way to start my internship. I was able to hear about big issues facing the industry and how the council deals with them.

It helped me feel more comfortable during the meeting when I realized I was learning along with two new board members. Together we went through new board member orientation.

June:

This was my favorite month. As the month began I was able to attend the World Pork Expo for the first time. During my time there I was instructed on the internship process.

Learning about the internship process and about the functions of the National Pork Board was interesting.

I thought the different job opportunities were very interesting. PQA Plus certification was also part of my experience during World Pork Expo. This was my first time in Iowa as well as at a hog show of this magnitude. It was more than being able to watch some of the hog show, I also attended different lectures to learn more about the industry.

One of the lectures I sat in on was about pain management. It was interesting to hear what colleges around the country are developing to make the castration process less stressful and painful. The speaker explained how they measure the different levels of stress and different pain management medications.

Upon returning to the okPORK office I completed one of my first projects. I began to contact grocers statewide.

With information provided through the National Pork Board I gathered information from the stores.

The goal for this project is to get promotional point of sale products out to the grocery stores. The stores will receive quarterly kits, which included a coupon for pork loin/chops, meat case signs and recipe brochures. okPORK now has a working list of the stores that would like to participate each quarter, and all it takes is for someone to update and send the list of stores to the National Pork Board.

Finishing off the month I assisted with the okPORK Youth Leadership Camp. This was so much fun. Traveling with the students, I was able to learn right along with them. What was

8 • Oklahoma Pork Council

amazing to see was the support from the producers and industry leaders. Every single place we traveled to was welcoming and glad to have the group there and learning. Many other states do not have this very unique experience for their youth and I was proud to have experienced it firsthand.

July:

July was full of different events. Each and every one was very different from the others. It was during this month I experienced another first.

I was able to attend Oklahoma State University’s historic Swine Field Days.

It was amazing to be a part of the large group of students with the drive to improve their judging skills. Following the judging in the Animal Science Arena, okPORK held their 11th annual Youth 4 Pork Speech contest.

During the contest I helped by signing students in for the contest and was given the pleasure of announcing the winners of the contest. All of the students who competed did a remarkable job of representing the pork industry. I would recommend any 4-H or FFA member to compete. Another big plus is the possibility to win up to $200.

August:

This month has tested my knowledge about golf. I can say I have now spent a day on a golf course. August 8 was the Oklahoma Pork Council’s golf tournament. I learned a lot of terms related to golf at the event. This was also scheduled to be my last event with the Oklahoma Pork Council.

I would like to thank the staff at the Oklahoma Pork Council. They invested so much of their time and resources into my education.

Going forward, what I will take away from this experience is a better understanding of how to represent the agricultural industry to the public to increase awareness and support. •

•9

Looking Into the Future

photos and story by Kristin Alsup Class III of okPORK’s Youth Leadership Camp - Back row: (L to R) Amber Conrady, Jasmyn Davis, Josh Davis, McKayla Malone, Grant Wilbur, Cassie Kilgore, Sadie Higgins, Courtney Hendershot, Logan Holt, Emily Franke. Front row: (L to R) Robert Johnson, Austin Kirk, Cheyenne Gaff.

W

ould you believe it if someone told you for five days you would share a hotel room with a stranger, ride on a bus for hours, be caught on video talking about an uncomfortable subject and still have the time of your life? If you don’t believe this could be true, just ask one of the 13 Class III Youth Leadership Camp alumni. They experienced it all.

As the okPORK staff had planned, the camp participants began trickling into the Hampton Inn in Stillwater, Okla., around 8:30 a.m. on June 23. Shy grins were passed around the room as chairs were chosen and name tags were discovered. The scheduled agenda didn’t begin until 9 a.m. and by the time it rolled around on the clock several of the braver camp participants had struck up a conversation.

Amber Conrady, Jasmyn Davis, Emily Franke, Cheyenne Gaff, Courtney 10 • Oklahoma Pork Council

Hendershot, Sadie Higgins, Logan Holt, Robert Johnson, Kassie Kilgore, Austin Kirk, McKayla Malone, Grant Wilbur and Josh Davis began a journey like nothing they would again experience. The day began with simple introductions and a list of expectations for the next few days. An overview of okPORK and the pork industry in Oklahoma rounded out the morning.

After a hasty lunch, participants and chaperones alike were ready to jump on the bus and hit the road. It was a short drive to Hennessey to meet with Darren Appleton who escorted the group on a tour of a Seaboard sow farm.

The sow farm was the first experience to figuratively get the campers brains moving. Showering in and out of the farm was a foreign concept to most of the participants.

Seeing the effort it takes to keep up with biosecurity, disease prevention and

nutrition brought on lots of questions from the participants.

“I would definitely say that my favorite part of camp was getting to visit the farrowing houses at the sow farm,” Wilbur said. “I was so excited to get to be able to see the production side of the industry and how it all works.”

As the farm tour came to an end and everyone began to file back into the bus, formal questions about the experience were required to be submitted from each participant. The questions would help all of those involved understand what they experienced more thoroughly.

Upon arriving back in Stillwater, a dinner of Hideaway Pizza was served.

As the campers enjoyed slice after slice, media training began. Speaking on camera about agriculture was something very few of the participants, like most students their age, had experienced.

Andy Barth from Oklahoma

Youth Leadership Camp students gain new experiences, new friends and new perspecitves about swine production.

Horizon and Kristin Alsup from okPORK spent time talking about why it is important to share the agricultural message as well as appropriate means of doing so. They shared example videos and discussed tactics.

The group split into three teams and each team was given a scenario where the media might contact them to give an interview. Throughout the week the teams had the opportunity to ask questions of people in the industry, gather information and practice tactics for talking to the media. At the end of the week each camper was interviewed on camera about their scenario.

Tuesday morning started early with a trip to the Food and Ag Products Center on the Oklahoma State University campus. Each of the teams chose a live animal and spent time learning about live evaluation from John Staude, assistant swine herd manager.

Once the teams had the data gathered from the live evaluation they dressed in the required gear and entered the meat science lab. Each team then learned what it was like to harvest an animal. Each camper gained hands-on experience on how to convert their live animal into a useable protein source for the U.S. food supply.

After thanking the instructors and graduate student group leaders for their help, it was time to board the bus again and head toward Hennessey.

Once there, the group enjoyed a homestyle lunch and a discussion about genetics. Joe Popplewell, production manager for Seaboard Foods, spent the lunch period talking about practices Seaboard uses when dealing with breeding and genetics.

“We had the opportunity to have lunch with Joe Popplewell who works with the genetics at Seaboard and has

the knowledge about the industry,” said Johnson. “It is something I am looking forward to getting into in college and getting to spend the time with him learning how he got his career started gave me some ideas of how to enter the career I want.”

The campers finished asking questions of Popplewell, finished lunch and hopped aboard the bus for the trip to Guymon. During the trip to Guymon camp staff was able to answer questions and discuss the media scenarios with the campers. Dr. Scott Carter, Rusty Gosz, Kristin Alsup and Justine ReevesBarth helped to lead discussions about everything the camp had covered.

Tuesday evening in Guymon was a real treat. Jason Hitch of Hitch Enterprises made time to meet the campers at Hunny’s. The restaurant was closed to the public, so the

continued on next page

• 11

participants had the entire dining room to themselves. Pulled pork, ribs, and sausage filled plates.

While the campers ate they asked questions and had a discussion with Hitch. He spoke on a number of topics including what it is like to run a multigenerational family farm. Water issues, animal safety and making business decisions as a family were all important topics, but the favorite topic was advocacy for agriculture.

Hitch stressed how important it is to get involved in your community and to talk with people about modern agricultural practices. He was helpful to the campers who asked about their scenarios. He demonstrated how to use the tactics when they asked questions and helped everyone to have a better understanding of how to answer difficult questions.

Wednesday morning began early with breakfast and conversation about careers in the pork industry with David Watkins, the recruiting manager for Seaboard Foods. The conversation helped to get the campers minds focused for the day and brought up possibilities and people they didn’t know existed.

“I found myself really interested while talking with David Watkins,” Hendershot said. “That discussion really broadened my idea of the pork industry.

You don’t have to work on the farms to be a part of the swine industry.”

As the campers loaded the bus the level of excitement was palpable. After 12 • Oklahoma Pork Council

a short bus ride from the hotel, the bus pulled into the parking lot of the processing plant. Once everyone was dressed in frocks, hard hats and safety glasses the group split in half and the tour began.

During the tour, each person experienced every phase of the plant.

From the kill floor to the freezers and from the harvest floor to the packaging lines, the campers were able to see it all. There wasn’t a single camper who was unimpressed with the speed and efficiency of harvesting approximately 19,000 hogs each day.

When the tours finished, the plant provided lunch and provided the campers with a quiet room in which they could ask questions. The discussion lasted another hour and when time was up, the bus was once again loaded and headed back to Stillwater.

During the ride back to Stillwater Gosz began certifying the campers in Youth PQA+. The campers discussed the proper practices for caring for their animals and what it means to be responsible for the safety of meat which will enter the food chain.

Wednesday night ended at Stillwater’s jumping little juke joint on Elm Street. Sitting at two tables on the patio at Eskimo Joe’s, the campers were able to unwind over cheese fries and burgers. The weather was mild and conversations covered camp topics and their animal projects at home.

Thursday morning started earlier

in the morning than any other day of camp. The campers scrambled sleepily onto the bus. There was a hot McDonald’s breakfast waiting and then as the bus headed east to Springdale, Ark. the bus was quiet with naps.

Upon arrival at the Tyson Discovery Center one of the most interesting conversations about careers took place.

As the campers toured the facility, they heard about product testing, focus groups, recipe development, test kitchens and the people who worked in all of these areas.

The tour ended in a test kitchen where the group tasted several products and enjoyed lunch. Chefs and food scientists spent time with small groups and discussed their jobs.

On the bus trip back to Stillwater, the Youth PQA+ conversation continued.

Once back in Stillwater campers and staff circled around a table in a video conference room to discuss contract farming in Oklahoma.

John Thomas, general manager at Tyson Foods, and Jeremy Dickinson, director of operations for The Pork Group, joined camp on a video conference and explained how contract farming works. Questions were asked about contracts, responsibilities and the logistics of how contract farming works.

“My favorite part of camp was getting to discuss contract farming with the people who know about it,” Kirk said. “ I enjoyed getting to see how someone who has a knowledge

and passion for livestock can get into contract farming.”

The last day of camp took the campers back to OSU’s campus and into the meat lab. Throughout the morning each team received hands-on experience breaking the carcass into primal cuts and learning how to grade the meat.

“My favorite part of camp was going to the Food and Agricultural Products Center and getting to really get the meat into a product you can buy at the grocery store,” Kilgore said.

After leaving campus, it was finally time for the media-style interviews. Each camper took turns interviewing in the Oklahoma Horizons studio. When the interviews were completed everyone gathered in the studio to critique and learn how to do better in the future.

With the stress of the media interviews in the past, the campers

enjoyed a tour of Gallagher-Iba Arena and Boone Pickens Stadium. Seeing the new turf on the field, the suites and the memorial to the 10, the campers prepared to tell their families about the camp experience.

As the parents arrived and filled the banquet room in the O Club introductions were made and boisterous conversation could be heard up and down the hall. Each of the team leaders introduced their team members and everyone took a turn talking about their favorite and most memorable experience from camp.

Myrl Mortenson of Roberts Ranch spoke to the assembled group about making goals and achieving them.

The room was silent as he shared his experiences and imparted the knowledge he has gained during his years working in pork production.

It was apparent as the banquet ended that each student was carrying home an experience unlike any other they had ever experienced. Emotions ran high as parents thanked the staff and Board members from okPORK for hosting the camp, and campers said their goodbyes to their new friends.

“I would tell kids they should try to attend not only for the knowledge they can gain but also because it will broaden your horizons,” said Josh Davis, the ag instructor from Bethel High School.

“It will give you a chance to explore a ton of career possibilities. It gives you more insight about college and shows so many paths you can take. The sky is the limit and you can really see the vastness of the industry and that there is something for everyone in the swine industry.” •

YLC 2014

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In Their Own Words

Amber Conrady — Woodward, Okla.

My favorite part of camp is the underlying educational value.

It is the camp I have learned the most from and I have been to quite a few. I enjoyed learning so much more about the pig industry and what goes on. I enjoyed seeing the things I pictured one way and then it was nothing like I thought it was going to be. You don’t realize how much goes into the pig industry — how much progress there has been and how much work goes into it — until you are standing there watching them work. It is more than throwing feed or scooping poop.

Jasmyn Davis — Mangum, Okla.

I really have two favorite parts of camp. I truly enjoyed getting to attend the Tyson Discovery Center. The other was getting to tour the Seaboard Foods facility in Guymon, Okla., I was surprised by how many people work there and how clean they are able to keep it. They could move so fast. I would tell people it was a great experience and then show them all of the pictures. I would explain to them that I made 11 new friends my age who I will never forget. I was not ready to go home.

Emily Franke — Covington, Okla.

My favorite part of camp was the Tyson Discovery Center in Springdale, Ark. This was a great way to get involved with the pork industry and I made 12 friends I will never forget. There is nothing about this camp that I wish I hadn’t done.

14 • Oklahoma Pork Council

Cheyenne Gaff — Jet, Okla.

I enjoyed getting to tour the farm and meet one-on-one with the farmers. Also, was really interesting talking with David Watkins, the recruiting manager from Seaboard Foods.

That discussion really broadened my idea of what the pork industry is. You don’t have to work on the farms to be a part of the swine industry. This is actually the fourth camp of my summer so far and it is by far my favorite. It is the best one of my high school career. These people aren’t fake and these friendships are real and it is a good feeling.

Courtney Hendershot — Tecumseh, Okla.

When we went to the Food and Agricultural Products Center and harvested the pigs we live evaluated — it was the highlight of camp for me. Everyone should try to come to this camp because it is the chance of a lifetime. You learn a lot about the pork industry and how the meat we eat gets to the grocery store. It is amazing how it all works. I wasn’t expecting any of this at all honestly.

Sadie Higgins — Cement, Okla.

My favorite part of camp was not only the knowledge that I gained but also meeting the people who have been involved.

I now feel like a family and we have the same interests and passion. If you want to be around a group of people where you are so comfortable and where you can be yourself, this is

the camp to come to. You gain so much knowledge in a short period of time and you meet people who are interested in helping you become what you want to become.

Logan Holt — Shattuck, Okla.

My favorite part of camp was getting to tour the sow farm.

This was a good experience and I now have more knowledge about how things work than I ever have before.

Robert Johnson — Choctaw, Okla.

The sow farm was one of the most interesting pieces for me. I also enjoyed the lunch with Joe Popplewell who works with the genetics at Seaboard and has the knowledge about the genetics of the industry. It is something I am looking forward to getting into and getting to spend the time with him and how he got his career started gave me some ideas of how to enter the career I want. I thought I knew a lot about the swine industry and coming to this camp really changed my mind about a lot of things. I now know to look at things differently and you learn a lot of different skills. Not just in the pork industry but also about communication skills and you get to attend a ton of neat places.

Kassie Kilgore — Porter, Okla.

My favorite part of camp was going to the Food and Agricultural Products Center the last day and getting to really get the meat into a product you can buy at the grocery store.

Camp is an awesome once-in-a-lifetime experience and you get to see what the pork industry is about. Anyone who is interested in pigs should try to come.

Austin Kirk — Yukon, Okla.

My favorite part of camp was getting to discuss contract farming with the people who know about it. I thought it was an awesome part. I enjoyed getting to see how someone who has a knowledge and passion for livestock can get into contract farming. I think this would be an awesome way for anyone to gain knowledge about the industry.

Kayla Malone — Big Cabin, Okla.

My favorite part of camp was getting to make connections with people my own age who are also interested in the swine industry. I just feel like the bonds we made this week don’t come from other places. This whole experience has been awesome. First off — this is not a camp atmosphere. We are a family. We do everything together and don’t do things alone and there is really good food.

Grant Wilbur — Cheyenne, Okla.

I would definitely say that my favorite part of camp was getting to visit the farrowing houses at the sow farm. I was so excited to get to be able to see the production side of the industry and how it all works. This is easily the most educational camp you will ever experience during high school. I have been to several FFA and leadership camps and that is why I was so impressed with how an educational and leadership camp could be so much fun. We sponged our brains and learned so much. But it has been fun and we’ve grown with people and usually it doesn’t work like that. It’s usually either all fun or all leadership.

Josh Davis — Ag Instructor, Bethel, Okla.

I cannot put anything we did above anything else. To see the sow farm, the Seaboard plant and the Tyson Discovery Center — getting to see inside so much of the pork industry — really is a gift. Then getting to interact with the kids and get to see them get an in-depth look at the pork industry and how much of our life it really touches is an experience I will never forget. I would tell other ag teachers they should fill out the application and try to go because it will open your mind and maybe change some preconceived notions of what the pork industry is. It opens up a broader spectrum of how to explain things to your students. I would tell kids they should try to attend not only for the knowledge they can gain but also because it will open your horizon and give you a chance to explore a ton of career possibilities. It gives you more insight about college and shows so many paths you can take. The sky is the limit and you can really see the vastness of the industry and that there is something for everyone in the swine industry.

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The Blue & Gold Sausage Team on the putting green.

Tee’d Up

for Some Fun and a Good Cause

story and photos by Kristin Alsup

The first place team was OK Longhorn Co. 16 • Oklahoma Pork Council

The second place team was Roberts Ranch of Ok #1.

I

t isn’t often when you go to work you get to spend the day playing golf, unless you work on a golf course. For those who work in fields associated with raising pigs — a work day on the golf course is a blessing. okPORK enjoys providing opportunities like the okPORK Open for supporters to get together to network and enjoy activities among other people interested in the same areas.

This day of fun occurred on August 8, at the Turkey Creek golf course in Hennessey, Okla. Fourteen teams were registered to play in this four person scramble. Following a quick registration, the teams jumped into their golf carts and sped away to their assigned tee-box.

The official start at 9 a.m. prompted each team to make their way around to each of the 18 holes. The teams laughed and joked and took advantage of the four mulligans per person they are allowed to purchase and use. Who can know what the scores might be without those mulligans.

“It is nice that pork producers and other industry individuals can get together on a wonderful golf course to relax and enjoy such a great day of golf as we had this year,” Mark McGinnis, okPORK Outreach Specialist said. “The

okPORK golf tournament is always one of the most fun events for producers and friends of okPORK.” In two locations on the course lunch in the form of pulled pork sandwiches and chips was provided. At the club house one could stop to eat or continue on to the back side of the course where there was a tent with food as well. As people stopped for lunch, the topic of the weather was popular. With the clouds and the intermittent rain showers, it made for an interesting golf day in August.

The results are listed below: 1st: OKC Longhorn Company 2nd: Roberts Ranch #1 3rd: Kretchmar Distributing Inc. Men’s Longest Drive: Aaron Ream Women’s Longest Drive: Chelsea Harden Men’s Closest to the Hole: Bill Arndt Women’s Closest to the Hole:

Chelsea Harden Each year there is only so much money available with which okPORK can develop programs and events. Fund raisers provide the much needed funds for okPORK to plan events that the restricted funds from the Pork Checkoff will not cover.

There are several ways for friends of okPORK to get involved and help to raise money through the okPORK Open.

The most fun way to get involved is to bring your team out to the golf course.

Another way to show your support for okPORK is to commit to sponsor one of the 18 holes. Each hole sponsor is recognized in the information passed out at the beginning of the tournament.

In addition, each hole has a sign to tell who is sponsoring that specific hole.

This year, each hole had a sponsor, while some sponsors hosted more than one hole.

If neither of the previous opportunities appeal to you, you can sponsor the prize for the hole-in-one, longest drive or closest to the hole. If those options aren’t enough you can also be a lunch or drink cart sponsor.

With so many ways to get involved, there is no reason not to enjoy a day away from the normal hustle and bustle of your job. Even for people who don’t play golf regularly, this is a fun day out on the course.

Don’t wait too late and regret your lack of involvement. okPORK looks forward to seeing you there next year. •

Many Thanks to Our Sponsors Generous sponsors help offset the costs of the okPORK Open golf tournament. This allows us to raise more money for promoting the pork industry and pork products. We are grateful for the support of our sponsors: Automated Production Systems (GSI); Big Dutchman, Blue & Gold Sausage; Byford Buick, Inc.; DNA Swine Genetics; Gilliam Hog & Cattle Inc.; Hog Slat Inc.; Longhorn Services Companies; Okemah Chamber of Commerce; Oklahoma Farm Bureau; Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association; PIC, Phibro; P & K Equipment; The Pork Group, Inc.; and Robinson Family Farms.

The third place team was from Kretchmar.

All the teams await the shot-gun start.

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(Left) Certificates await the winners of the Youth for Pork Speech Contest. (Right) Mark McGinnis presents the Overall Award and prize money to Maddi Nation from Saplupa, Okla. (Circle, L to R) Tory Huff from Durant, Okla. (1st in Sr. FFA Division), Maddi Nation from Sapulpa, Okla. (Overall Winner and 1st place in Jr. FFA Division), James Perdue (2nd in Jr. 4-H Division), Elizabeth Perdue (1st in Jr. 4-H) both from Kingfisher, Okla., and McKayla Malone from Chelsea FFA (2nd in the Sr. FFA Division).

FACING FEAR, SPEAKING UP

4-H and FFA students learn about pork industry issues and practice public speaking at the Youth 4 Pork Speech Contest

T

he fear of public speaking surpasses all other fears according to several studies available online.

It surpasses even the fear of death. There is an old joke which says something along the lines of “most people would rather be lying in the ground, than speaking at the funeral.”

It is one reason why learning at a young age to speak in front of a group is so important. It is why when people are considered for their leadership qualities that the ability and willingness to talk in front of a crowd is so highly regarded.

Hosting the Youth 4 Pork speech contest in Stillwater, Okla., during the annual Swine Field Day simply makes sense from okPORK’s point of view. okPORK helps the next generation learn more about pork while gaining experience in public speaking and it will help the pork industry moving forward.

As the young speakers arrived and began to register, one noticed the age range was large. Each participant was placed either into the 4-H or FFA 18 • Oklahoma Pork Council

category and then placed in the junior or senior division of their category.

Each category and division has specific requirements for the speech.

This year there were both familiar and new faces among the assembled speakers. The speakers then broke into their groups and waited their turn. No one but the judges are allowed in the room during the speech. When each division is finished the judges tally the score and the winners are announced.

It is at this time the division winners go head-to-head in front of the entire assembled audience for the chance at the Overall Youth 4 Pork speaker. Three speeches were given and each showed the speakers unique talents, flair and research. Some tears were shed, words were stumbled over and giggles were stifled. When each contestant was finished speaking, they filed into the hall to let the judges discuss their opinions.

In the end Maddi Nation from Sapulpa, Okla. took home the title of Overall Youth 4 Pork speaker and

the $100 prize. Her speech on Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus was well researched and well delivered. Although her competitors were no easy competition her speech was chosen as the winner.

Each summer okPORK hosts the Youth 4 Speech contest. Anyone in 4-H or FFA is allowed to enter. No props or copies of speeches are needed and neither is official dress. It is a laidback speech contest to get students to research the pork industry and learn something new while gaining a valuable life skill.

Do you know a member of 4-H or FFA who might be interested? Don’t forget to let them know about it next summer. It always falls during the Swine Field Day in the Animal Science building on Oklahoma State University’s campus. •

stories and photos by Kristin Alsup

YOU BE THE JUDGE

T

he longest running field day in the United States is right here in Oklahoma. In fact, it is the Swine Field Day at Oklahoma State University. Historically speaking, breeders used to come together to look at and discuss the hogs as well as decide what the industry needed to do to improve the quality of the animals raised.

It is true that the event has evolved during the course of its existence. Today you can find hundreds of students from across the state in attendance. Swine Field Day has become a part of the Big Three Field Days at OSU. 4-H and FFA members from across the state jump in vans and ag trucks early in the morning to travel to Stillwater to catch the experience of judging swine, cattle and sheep. During

the competition each day the assembled judges gain deeper understanding of how to function as a member of the judging team while moving among the classes of hogs.

Students are exposed to the animals and are taught the skill to decipher the small differences between each animal.

The differences are prioritized and each pig is given its place among the others in its class.

The students also have the ability to learn a little bit about speaking, decision making and oral reasoning.

It isn’t hard to understand why an experience like this is so popular or why so many attend. Employers and colleges are excited to see this event on resumes.

It won’t be long before these kids move into positions as members of the agricultural industry in Oklahoma. Are you ready to meet them? •

Students evaluate hogs and take notes at the Swine Field Day judging contest. This historical event brings 4-H and FFA studetns from accross Oklahoma to learn more about swine judging.

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photos and storiy by Kristin Alsup

Taste of Elegance

Taste of Elegance

20 • Oklahoma Pork Council

Chefs Compete with E

ating delicious food never gets old. Just because you ate good food yesterday, doesn’t mean you don’t want good food today.

Showcasing how versatile and delicious pork can be is one of the benefits of Taste of Elegance.

The 12 chefs brought together by this event at Remington Park in Oklahoma City on August 19, showed ticket holders very different dishes. Each dish was a show piece, and each chef represented their restaurant with pride.

Emily Foy of Silks Restaurant, Caleb Byers of Republic Gastropub, Mark Brown of the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, Chad Willis of The George Prime Steakhouse, Patrick Williams of Vast, Ryan Lawson of Cheever’s Catering and Events, David Henry of the Coach House,

Jonathan Groth of Lobby Bar, Henry Boudreaux from the Museum Café, Beau Stephenson of Bin 73 Wine Bar, Bruce Rinehart of Rococo Restaurant & Fine Wine and Mike Harvell of North Park Grille competed during the afternoon.

Four people took on the responsibility of judging the dishes prepared by this talented slate of chefs. Dave Cathey, also known as the Food Dude and the food editor for The Daily Oklahoman; Mark Dunham, director of culinary arts at Francis Tuttle Technology Center; Don Thiery, instructor of culinary arts at Platt College Culinary Program; and Shane Ward, director of specialty pork programs for Smithfield/Farmland ultimately made the decision about who would take home the first prize placing.

As each plate of food was delivered

Roy Lee Lindsey, okPORK Executive Director, presents Chef Chad Willis, The George Prime Steakhouse, with top honors at the 2014 Taste of Elegance. Willis will attend the National Pork Summit next spring.

Pork and Everyone Wins for judging, pictures were snapped and a round of applause was heard throughout the kitchen.

As the competition came to an end, the chefs prepared sample sized portions of their competition dishes to share with ticket holders. Moving from table to table, diners enjoyed small bites of each chef’s plate. Before the end of the night each ticket holder was asked to vote for their favorite dish.

At 8:30 p.m. the awards portion of the event kicked off with emcee Scott Hines from KFOR. He called each chef to the front, introducing them to the crowd as he went. Roy Lee Lindsey, okPORK executive director, explained about the awards. Lindsey explained how the People’s Choice Award had resulted in a tie — and that both Boudreaux with this southern pork tasting and Lawson with

his deconstructed ramen, would receive a knife set, $100 gift card and plaque.

The awards for the competition were then announced beginning with third place. Lawson, from Cheever’s Catering and Events also took home third place and $250. Finishing in second place was Groth from Lobby Bar with his chipotle pork belly sliders. First place was awarded last and went to Willis from The George Prime Steakhouse for his Asian inspired pork belly with jade sauce, cabbage and peanuts.

Taste of Elegance not only showcases pork and restaurants from around the area, but it also raises funds for charity. This year okPORK partnered with the Oklahoma Chapter of the March of Dimes.

“This event is a wonderful way to celebrate not only pork’s flavors and

versatility but also the talent of local chefs,” Lindsey said. “Beyond those things though it provides okPORK with a way to get involved with the community and donate to charity on a local level.”

The Oklahoma Chapter of March of Dimes helps moms have fullterm pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies. According to the March of Dimes website 1 in 9 babies are born too soon. The money raised through Taste of Elegance will benefit babies in Oklahoma.

In one night chefs, pork farmers, friends and family shared an excellent meal to show how much they care about their community – will you join us next time? •

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NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 8 OKLA. CITY, OK

901 N. Lincoln Blvd., Suite 380 Oklahoma City, OK 73104-3206

Autumn Apple, Ham and Goat Cheese Salad Prep: 15 minutes | Serves: 8-12 6 ounces ham, cut into match-stick size strips 3 (5 oz) bags spring mix greens 3 Gala apples, cored and thinly sliced 1 cup pomegranate seeds, OR dried cranberries 1 (7 oz) package glazed walnuts, OR 1 1/2 cups toasted walnut pieces 1 /2 small red onion, thinly sliced, halved and separated into pieces 2 /3 - 3/4 cup champagne, OR balsamic vinaigrette 1 /3 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Combine salad greens, apples, pomegranate seeds, walnuts and onion in very large salad bowl. Pour vinaigrette over mixture; gently toss until lightly coated.

Spoon salad mixture onto individual salad plates. Top with ham; sprinkle with goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 to 12 side dish salads.