okPORK PAGES official magazine of the Oklahoma Pork Council | www.okpork.org
Volume 18 | Issue 1 | Spring 2014
2014 okPORK Hall of Fame Award Winners
Chuck and Wathina Luthi
CONTENTS
Spring 2014
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okPORK PAGES is Going Digital
okPORK is taking this publication into the 21st Century and will become a (mostly) digital magazine starting with the next issue. Find out how this exciting change will give you more access to the content and allow you to share it over social media.
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A Lasting Legacy
Chuck and Wathina Luthi both come from a heritage of swine production. They are working with their sons in their current operation and will pass the legacy onto the next generation. They are also this year’s Hall of Fame inductees.
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Agvocating Over the Airwaves
Mike Dain continues a lasting career in the Agriculture Broadcasting field. He has worked tirelessly to tell the story of agriculture. That’s one of the many reasons he is this year’s Distinguished Service Award honoree.
14 Oklahoma Pork Congress
is Just Around the Corner By the time this magazine reaches your mailbox, Oklahoma Pork Congress will be just days away. We hope you’ll join us on February 28. Find out all the details and learn more about the speakers and award recipients including the Outstanding Legislators for 2014.
2 • Oklahoma Pork Council
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Spring 2014 Volume 18• Issue 1 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS President | Basil Werner, Kingfisher President Elect | Dottie King, Calvin Vice President | Tina Falcon, Tecumseh Treasurer | Keith Reiner, Enid BOARD MEMBERS Darren Appleton, Enid Darren Kraus, Weatherford Bert Luthi, Sharon David McMullen, Minco 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 Event and Outreach Specialist Mark McGinnis • mmcginnis@okpork.org Office Manager Donna Jackson • djackson@okpork.org Communications Specialist Kristin Alsup • kalsup@okpork.org 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 Chuck and Wathina Luthi are the 2014 Oklahoma Pork Council Hall of Fame Inductees. Photo by Kristin Alsup. Design by Nikki Snider 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.
Oklahoma Pork Open Friday, August 8, 2014 Turkey Creek Golf Course • Hennessey, Okla.
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. All Pork Pages inquiries should be directed to the okPORK office or communications@okpork.org Writer Kristin Alsup Designer Nikki Snider Editor Donna Jackson
8 a.m. registration • 9 a.m. shot-gun start Lunch provided Team registration = $400 • Tee-box sponsorship = $200 For more information contact Mark McGinnis 405-232-3781 • mmcginnis@okpork.org Register online at www.okpork.org
Stay Connected : search okpork •3
FROM THE PRESIDENT | BASIL WERNER
With Heartfelt Thanks I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our producers out there who first elected me to the board and the current and past Board members who believed in me and elected me President. It has been a privilege and honor to have served with all of you. Seven years has passed in a blink of the eye. I would like to thank Roy Lee and his staff for the efforts they put forth every day to improve the image of pork producers in our great state. Those of you who know me well know that I like to talk. Some say a lot. Right now I just want to wish all of you a healthy and prosperous year. As you all know we are about to meet for our annual Pork Congress. I look forward to seeing you all there and reminisce about past and look forward to the future. Good Luck and Best Wishes
Bas Werner
4 • Oklahoma Pork Council
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | ROY LEE LINDSEY, JR.
Bits & Pieces As we move into 2014, there are a number of things going on in the pork industry and Oklahoma that are or will be impacting our industry. Here are a few of those items. Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus With the release of the December Hog and Pig Report, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Services’ numbers reflect what we had feared for months – the overall impact on Oklahoma’s pork producers from Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus has been substantial. In the December report, Oklahoma’s total hogs and pigs fell below 2 million head for the first time since 1998. This dropped us from eighth nationally in total inventory to ninth. We are still fifth in breeding herd with 420,000 head behind only Iowa, North Carolina, Minnesota and Illinois. The impact is felt by our producers and will also be felt by okPORK. Using the average value of market hogs from 2013, I am estimating PEDv has cost Oklahoma pork producers almost $70 million in lost revenue from the sale of market hogs. Additionally, okPORK is looking at a loss of more than $50,000 in checkoff receipts for 2014. These numbers are based on the December 1, 2013, Hog and Pig Report. Obviously if the disease spreads, these numbers could increase significantly.
okPORK encourages all producers to remain vigilant in your biosecurity procedures. Industry organizations continue to invest money into research for treatment options and prevention of PEDv. We don’t have answers today, but researchers are still looking. Right to Farm Ballot Question With the start of the 2014 legislative session and statewide elections coming in November, the legislature is expected to approve a resolution that would create a ballot question to protect modern farming and ranching practices. State Representative Scott Biggs introduced HJR1006 last session and passage of the resolution and the resulting ballot question is the top priority for Oklahoma Farm Bureau. okPORK has been meeting with OFB staff and expects to fully support this effort. As currently drafted, the language in the constitutional amendment reads: To protect agriculture as a vital sector of Oklahoma’s economy, which provides food, energy, health benefits, and security and is the foundation and stabilizing force of Oklahoma’s economy, the rights of farmers and ranchers to engage in modern farming and ranching practices shall be forever guaranteed in this state. The Legislature shall pass no law which abridges the right of farmers and ranchers to employ agricultural
technology and modern livestock production and ranching practices. Look for more information on this issue as the legislative session progresses and as November elections draw closer. Thanks Is Not Enough With the 2014 Pork Congress just weeks away, okPORK will be electing new members to the Board of Directors. A full list of the open seats is included on page 15. This year, we are losing more than 17 years of combined experience with the departure of Basil Werner, Darren Kraus and David McMullen from our Board of Directors. Among them they have served three terms as president and president-elect, one term as vicepresident and one term as treasurer. While we lose board members and their years of experience with each election, I don’t remember a time in my 15 years that okPORK has lost so much leadership and experience at one time. These men helped shape okPORK into what it is today. I am extremely grateful to them for the tireless commitment to okPORK. I hope you’ll join us at the Pork Congress awards banquet to help recognize the contributions of Bas, Darren and David. Again, thanks just isn’t enough to express our gratitude. • •5
NEWS YOU CAN USE Sow Packers To Require PIN Tags New requirement to go into effect Jan. 1, 2015 By Mike King, National Pork Board
To improve pre-harvest traceability and national disease surveillance in the pork industry, many major U.S. packers and processors will require a USDA-approved, official premises identification number or PIN number tag as a condition of sale for breeding stock beginning Jan. 1, 2015. “This is a positive step for our industry as we continue to create a more robust surveillance and traceability system that can help protect our animals, our livelihoods and our customers,” said National Pork Board President Karen Richter, a pork farmer from Montgomery, Minn. “I encourage producers who aren’t already using official PIN tags to register their premises and begin doing so.” According to Dr. Patrick Webb, Pork Checkoff’s director of swine health, the USDA-approved, official PIN tags are
customizable with or without a management number and can be purchased in multiple colors. “Producers can use the official tag in any color as a management tag or wait to apply the tag to sows and boars before leaving the production site to enter harvest channels,” Webb said. Once an animal is identified with an official PIN tag, it should not be removed or given a different official tag in the case of parity-segregated farms. Also, records documenting the
identification and movement of breeding stock should be kept for three years. Allflex USA, Inc., Destron Fearing and Y-Tex Corp. have USDA approval to manufacture official PIN swine tags. When ordering producers must provide the nationally standardized PIN for the breeding farm. If the site does not have a PIN, producers can find out how to register for one at www. pork.org/PINtag. To date, packers that will require PIN tags as of January 2015 are Johnsonville, Hillshire Brands, Calihan Pork Processors, Bob Evans, Pioneer Packing Co., Pork King Packing and Abbyland Pork Pack. •
okPORK Welcomes Associate Members
okPORK is proud to include each of the following organizations as associate members. Each one brings a different perspective to the Oklahoma Pork Council and helps our organization to continue to be a dynamic and active one. Without the support of our associate members okPORK would not be the same organization and okPORK is glad to welcome them as members. • DNA Genetics • Blue and Gold Sausage Co. • Midwest Livestock Systems, Inc. • Envirotech Engineering & Consulting, Inc. • Big Dutchmen •
GET YOUR PORK CHOP SANDWICH ON! MARCH 14-20, 2014
6 • Oklahoma Pork Council
Promoting the Pork Industry okPORK makes it a point to be where the conversations about agriculture are happening. At home, in person and online – where there are impressions to be made for the Oklahoma pork farmers, okPORK will be there. For this reason, each year one can see the KNID Agrifest on the events calendar. The event, held this year on January 10-11, brings truckloads of people from all across Oklahoma, parts of Kansas and even parts of northern Texas together to check out what is new and exciting in the agricultural world. okPORK views this event as special. Geographically speaking, this farm show is near one of the larger concentrations of farms in the state. The residents of the area are neighbors to pork farms and the farm show is a common ground to start conversations between neighbors. “The Enid farm show is really a
place where okPORK can help our neighbors put a face with pork farming,” said Mark McGinnis, the Outreach and Event Specialist at okPORK. “Each year okPORK producers participate in the show and chat with whoever stops by the booth.” Putting a face with the pork industry in Oklahoma is a task of untold importance. The neighbors and friends of the pork industry make up all of our communities. The man buying equipment at the farm show may know nothing about how a pork farm runs – but he will remember a conversation during the farm show when questions about the pork industry arise. Over the years several okPORK members have made themselves available to chat during the farm show and interact with the crowds. Tons of people stop for conversation, a recipe, a pen or to ask a question. Last year
Keith Reiner, treasurer of the okPORK Board of Directors, said the show was a success. He said the people he spoke with were crazy about pork and bacon “is like crack.” With more than 400 booth spaces available, the Agrifest houses one of the largest gatherings of agriculturally related products available any time during the year in Oklahoma. It is a place for okPORK to share information and make friends. The idea is for those new friends to talk to their old friends about what okPORK members are like – and for the word to spread.
Public Notice by Oklahoma Pork Council and the National Pork Board The election of pork producer delegate candidates for the 2015 National Pork Producers (Pork Act) Delegate Body will take place at 3 p.m. on Friday, February 28, 2014 in conjunction with the Oklahoma Pork Congress and Annual Meeting which will be held at the Reed Conference Center, 5750 Will Rogers Road, Midwest City, Okla. All Oklahoma pork producers are invited to attend.
Any producer age 18 or older who is a resident of Oklahoma 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. If you are interested in being a candidate, please prepare a short (1/2 page) biography telling about yourself
and send it to the Oklahoma Pork Council, ATTN: Election Committee, 901 N. Lincoln Blvd., Suite 380, Oklahoma City, OK 73104-3206 to arrive by February 21, 2014. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor. For more information, contact the Oklahoma Pork Council. Telephone: 888-SAY-PORK (729-7675) or 405-2323781. •
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GOING DIGITAL IN 2014 Never miss an issue! Sign up to receive an email notice when each new issue is available. Email communications@ okpork.org today. 8 • Oklahoma Pork Council
E H T O INT ST CENTURY 21 up
by Kristin Als
“
To improve is to change; to perfect is to change often,” is a quote attributed to Winston Churchill. I use the quote to start this story about change to illustrate how important it is for okPORK to keep up with changes in our society and stay at the forefront of technology while staying true to the principles we hold dear. The decision has been made to take the okPORK PAGES into a digital format. From now on, the magazine will only be in printed form for the spring issue – which comes out just before the Oklahoma Pork Congress. In the future, the website ISSUU will host the magazine. The okPORK PAGES is not alone in using this site. Take the opportunity to go on over to issuu.com to see the other magazines there or check out the last couple of issues of okPORK PAGES. Other Oklahoma magazines, as well as agricultural magazines, are making the switch to digital and many are using ISSUU. It is an exciting time to be moving into the digital world. You – our reader – will have access to the okPORK PAGES no matter where you are. With your tablet or your smart phone, laptop or desktop computer, the magazine will always be available and accessible. You will be able to download the magazine and save it for future reading. If you’re so inclined – or simply like to read from a hard copy – the pages can be printed and read that way as well. In addition to the accessibility of
the new format, it also opens doors for more creativity and content. Hosting it on the web, there will be no additional cost to adding more pages or a need to fill a certain amount. The design and the content will both be free to use more space and therefore be more innovative and interesting. One last thing, the digital format makes it simple to share the information. Without having to carry around the paper copy or loan it out – you will be able to share the magazine through a link with any of your contacts, for
to go digital for three of the four issues was not simple and was not done in haste. The okPORK staff and board are excited about our progress and hope you are excited about these changes too. However – we do need your email address. We want to send you the link each time a new issue of okPORK PAGES is available so you know it will be ready. Please contact us at communications@okpork.org and provide us with the best email address to reach you.
any reason. Your friends and family will no longer need to be a subscriber to be able to see what’s going on with Oklahoma’s pork industry. The decision for the okPORK Pages
We look forward to hearing from you about this progress and hope this will be a way for okPORK to keep you all informed of the happenings in Oklahoma’s pork industry. •
e often.” g n a h c to is t c e rf e p to ; e “To improve is to chang Winston Churchill
Be Social! Sh issue from yo are each u or Facebook r Twitter account. •9
OKPORK HALL OF FAME 2014
A Lasting Legacy in the Pork Industry by Kristin Alsup
T
he tale of the contribution made by Chuck and Wathina Luthi to the Oklahoma pork industry begins before they ever met. It begins even before either was born. It is a story steeped in family tradition and it grew with the roots of our state. They are also in the process of passing the farm to the next generation to keep the legacy alive.
Hogs coming from two sides
Wathina grew up in the panhandle of Oklahoma on a farm that raised pigs. She will tell you that her family has always raised pigs and she has always been familiar with raising and taking care of the animals. Chuck’s family immigrated to Oklahoma sometime in the 1800s. His great-grandfather Adolf Luthi, who came from Switzerland, raised hogs. Chuck’s grandfather followed in Adolf’s footsteps and raised his children on a farm near Fargo, Okla., which included hogs.
“You had to have a hog to make it,” Chuck said. “Grandfather hated dealing with them – just hated it. When my dad came along he went into the military and got a job in town. He didn’t go back to the farm until he retired.” After meeting in college and getting
married, Chuck worked with Wathina’s dad and for the first time began working with pigs as a financial venture. Later, when the young couple moved to the Woodward area and Chuck took a job in town, Wathina was home all day at their small farm. “I told him he needed to find something to keep me busy or I was going to get a job in town,” Wathina said. “So we got two pigs – and we were excited. We got two sows and started there.”
The growth of a farm
The Luthi family bought an old granary to use as a barn, and then converted an old chicken house. As the family raised more animals, more work was needed to keep it going. They bought a feed grinder and local grain to make their own feed. “It was Chuck, me, Bert and A.J.,” Wathina said. “It took four of us to do it. Chuck had a job in town – so we did the pigs and when it got to something and we needed Chuck’s help I would hand him a list and tell him ‘here’s what I couldn’t do today,’ and he would do it.” The success of what they were 10 • Oklahoma Pork Council
doing would encourage more growth. However, over time the industry began to change. Their farrow-to-finish operation was no longer working, and neither did the hog buying station. So it was at this time the family decided to pursue a contract with an industry partner to raise more pigs. After securing a contract with Murphy Farms, Chuck and Wathina moved their operation to Chuck’s family land south of Fargo. At that location they built new buildings and completely changed the kind of farm they were operating. “In the early 1990s, south of Woodward, we were a 125 head farrowto-finish operation,” Wathina said. “We ground our own feed, marketed the animals and everything. After contracting with Murphy we built the 3,650 head sow unit. It was farrow-towean with on-site gilt replacement.” Since transitioning into the larger operation, Chuck and Wathina have contracted with more than Murphy Farms. After Murphy, they were contracted with Blackjack and during that time period their operation was centered on being antibiotic free. Now, after Blackjack sold their contract, Luthi Farms is no longer antibiotic-free. They are currently contracted with The Maschoffs. The farm is slightly larger and they now have a 4,900 head sow farm and the weaned pigs mostly travel north to Iowa.
Life away from the farm
Chuck and Wathina don’t settle
with just their life at the farm. They are active both in the community and in the pork industry. There is virtually nothing they won’t help with when asked. In the community they are helpful with the local fire departments, FFA chapters and 4-H Clubs. “Being in the hog business we’re not real popular,” Chuck said. “So we’re sensitive to being accepted into the community. The way you do that is to get involved in the community. You don’t isolate and you become a part of the community. When you acknowledge they’re there – and that they are important – then it starts to feed off each other.” Wathina often works to bridge the gap between the community and the industry with her work with Operation Main Street. She was an early adopter of the program and has given presentations all around the region in which they live. “Just make a difference where you are,” Wathina said. “Start locally. Find what you like to do and pursue it.” Their farm and family has done and continues to be heavily involved in the industry. When asked for service the Luthi family steps up and does what is needed. Not only do they do it willingly – they do it well. From serving on the Board of Directors – even being on the committee which hired the current executive director for okPORK – to starring in commercials, Chuck has done service for the Oklahoma Pork Council on many occasions. Also, Class I of the okPORK Youth Leadership Camp had the opportunity to meet Chuck and Wathina as well as their son Bert. The participants were treated to delicious food and an engaging presentation about the Luthi Farms history and what contract farming is really like. Together Chuck and Wathina work hard to make their farm a place they can showcase to their community, the state and the nation. They agreed to let their farm be showcased as an Environmental Steward and allowed a film crew to shoot everything about the farm. Without farmers who are willing to talk about what they do – people on the outside of the barn would know even less about what pork farmers do. Wathina is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the National Pork
Board and is in her second term. She and Chuck both agree it is an eye-opening experience to learn about the breadth and scope of what the Pork Checkoff provides for the producers. Wathina has two years left of her service as a Board Member and looks forward to deepening relationships among NPB, retail businesses and the foodservice industry. The strength of those relationships is crucial for the pork farmers across the nation and they aren’t able to build them alone.
Induction into the Hall of Fame
When they were told about the award Chuck and Wathina agreed to the feeling of disbelief. They continue to look into the past and see the previous inductees as people to aspire to be. The first married couple to be inducted into the okPORK Hall of Fame, they are quick to tell you they couldn’t do it alone. While Chuck explains how each works in their areas of strength, Wathina will agree by telling you it is simply something they do together. “To say this is an honor would really be short-selling it,” Chuck said. “It goes beyond being an honor and I just really appreciate it. I am humbled that Wathina and I are even mentioned in the same breath as the kind of guys who have been inducted before us.” The okPORK Board of Directors and staff invite you to join in the celebration of Chuck and Wathina’s induction into the okPORK Hall of Fame during the banquet at the Oklahoma Pork Congress February 28. • • 11
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD 2014
Agvocating Over the Airwaves by Kristin Alsup
I
f you were to ask him, Mike Dain would tell you he is an advocate for agriculture. His loyalty and friendship to the Oklahoma pork industry and the Oklahoma Pork Council specifically have never wavered during his career in Oklahoma. It is with both excitement and pride that okPORK honors him as the 2014 Distinguished Service Award recipient. Dain is currently the director of farm programming for the Clear Channel networks but that’s not always been the case.
Growing up
Dain grew up in the small southwestern Kansas town of Furley. “I was a proud member of the Furley 4-H Club,” Dain said. “But you are aware of what a great program that is. I spent my youth as a farm kid helping mom with the bucket calves.” Then, when he was junior high age things changed. His family moved into the town of Newton, Kan. “I was a town kid who longed to live back in the country,” Dain remembered. Graduating in 1965 from Newton High School, Dain then attended a little bit of college but claims he “wasn’t particularly fond of college.” He was just shy of 19 years old and working in Wichita, Kan. when things changed once again. “The Selective Service people decided I was breathing and it was Vietnam time,” Dain said. “I was called up for my physical and joined the Navy because I was going to see the world. I spent 18 months in Guam and 15 months in Saigon, Vietnam.” During his time with the Navy he worked in supply and made E5 in two years. When he finished his tour, he returned home. He had gotten married
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and was working for a friend managing a building supply store. It wasn’t long before his future found him.
Becoming a broadcaster
“My first wife was going to school and I was working,” Dain said. “She signed me up under the GI Bill for a radio broadcasting school. While I was in broadcasting school I was hired as an all-night disc jockey at a radio station in Wichita. So I was doing the stuff in the daytime for the building materials and going to school – and disc jockeying. I
guess I didn’t need much sleep at that age in my life.” At the radio station – KICT in Wichita – there was a man named Larry Steckline. Steckline was a manager and part owner of KICT, as well as the KRFM radio stations. It was after working for Steckline that Dain got started learning the agricultural broadcasting ropes. “They had the Great Plains Farm Show and I would fill in on there,” Dain explained. “It’s kind of how I learned to do a little more of the ag stuff – because although I was familiar with ag, it was
a different world by then. Within six or eight months I was the program director and the morning disc jockey at KICT and did fill in work on the ag stuff.” Dain continued to work in radio for Steckline for a number of years then doing a stint with Farm Credit as a marketing director before going back to broadcasting. In 1994 Dain made the move to Oklahoma after getting an interesting phone call.
The move to Oklahoma
“I got a call from Burt Chambers,” Dain remembered. “He was in Enid and looking to do a little ag. He knew I wasn’t working – I was going to auctioneers school at the time – and he asked me if I would be interested in getting back into radio.” The Hammer Williams companies from northwestern Oklahoma joined with Dain, Chambers and another man named Don Schultz to start the QuinStar Radio Network in Hennessey, Okla. “We were working in Johnny Curran’s office,” Dain said. “We had a temporary satellite dish. We eventually moved to Enid. Don Schultz and I drove the state of Oklahoma looking for radio stations that were not already affiliated with the Oklahoma AgriNet.” Laughing, Dain called QuinStar “kind of a pipedream” but explains that he was there for five years before he joined Ron Hayes at Clear Channel. While the company has changed names, Dain has been with them for 14 years.
A self-titled ag advocate
One only needs to take a listen to Dain talk about the agricultural media’s role to realize he is a dedicated and loyal friend to agriculture. As he talks about how he sees his career and his opinions about how he does it, there are no doubts. “There are about 165 of us farm broadcasters out there,” Dain explains. “I call us ag advocates and we are not news purists. We want to present both sides of the story, but we are almost always going to come down on the side of ag.” He continued to explain that farm broadcasters are not investigative reporters. Then said while these ag advocates were willing to face the tough issues associated with agriculture, they
are often still able to be positive about telling what the industry is going to do to fix problems. “We are going to try to tell the correct story – or the truth,” Dain said. “You can’t ignore the bad stuff; you have to try to be balanced. It’s very difficult to do; you don’t want to alienate both sides.” A friend, an advocate and now a Distinguished Service Award recipient – it was a great day for the Oklahoma agricultural industry when Mike Dain decided to move to Oklahoma. Join us during the Oklahoma Pork Congress banquet in welcoming him to the group of honorees. •
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O K L A H O M A
PORK CONGRESS
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Friday, February 28, 2014 Reed Center • Midwest City, Okla. Agenda 9 am Registration 10 am Update on national issues and programs with NPPC and NPB 11:15 am J.D. Strong, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board Noon Luncheon 1:30 pm okPORK update with Roy Lee Lindsey 2:15 pm Legislative Update with McSpadden & Associates 3 pm okPORK annual business meeting 4 pm Jim Wiesemeyer, Senior Vice President of Informa Economics 5 pm Reception and Silent Auction 6 pm okPORK Awards Banquet 8 pm Live Auction
14 • Oklahoma Pork Council
okPORK needs you to help us find auction items okPORK holds its annual silent and live auctions each year during Pork Congress. The auctions raise non-Checkoff funds for okPORK. The funds help us support legislators and fund activities that are outside the Pork Checkoff scope of work. The more money raised during the auctions – the more impact okPORK can have in our state. Examples of past auction items: • Hunting trips and supplies • OSU and OU sports memorabilia • Tickets to local events • Restaurant gift cards • Home decor and crafts • Farm supplies In our continued effort to improve the auction, we would like to hear from you! We want to know what items you would be interested in purchasing. If you have items to donate or a suggestion of an item that would sell well, contact Roy Lee Lindsey, rllindsey@okpork.org or 405-232-3781. •
New okPORK Board Members Needed At the okPORK Annual Meeting, the membership will elect three members to the okPORK Board of Directors. The east district seat that is open is currently held by Tina Falcon. Falcon is eligible for re-election. The open west district seat is held by David McMullen and he will not be seeking reelection. The open at-large seat is held by Darren Kraus who is not eligible for re-election. The west district is comprised of the counties west of I-35 and includes those
which contain the highway. The east district includes all counties east of I-35. Any paid okPORK member can run and vote for the at-large seat. In addition to any already announced candidates, nominations will be taken from the floor during the meeting and all candidates will have the opportunity to address the okPORK members present. •
• 15
Meet the Speakers J.D. Strong
During discussions about who would speak at the morning session at the Oklahoma Pork Congress this year, several names were mentioned. After a vote from the okPORK Board of Directors, J.D. Strong, the executive director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, was the overwhelming selection. His schedule was open and he will be taking the 11:15 a.m. slot with his Update on Oklahoma Water Issues. Strong was named Executive Director of the OWRB in October 2010. He previously served as Oklahoma’s Secretary of Environment, where he coordinated activities of the Environmental Cabinet, including the Department of Environmental Quality, Water Resources Board, and Department of Wildlife Conservation. Under Strong’s leadership, the OWRB updated the Oklahoma
Comprehensive Water Plan, a 50-year water supply assessment and policy strategy to meet Oklahoma’s future water needs. Strong also oversees administration of Oklahoma’s AAArated $3 billion Financial Assistance Program, which assists more than twothirds of Oklahoma communities and rural water districts in financing water infrastructure projects. Other significant programs under Strong’s direction include the administration of almost 13,000 water rights permits allocating some 6 million acre-feet of stream and groundwater, hydrologic studies, licensure of water well drillers, floodplain management, dam safety, and a water quality management program that includes establishment of standards and monitoring of lakes and streams. Strong represents Oklahoma on the
Jim Wiesemeyer The Oklahoma Pork Congress keynote speaker is a long-time friend of the agricultural industry. Jim Wiesemeyer is the senior vice president at Informa Economics. The okPORK staff and Board of Directors are excited to share in this keynote speech talking about what’s going on in Washington. From his office in Washington, D.C., Wiesemeyer contributes daily to the Informa Economics Morning Comments report, providing clients with the latest information on agricultural policy and trade developments. “Jim has years of experience in
16 • Oklahoma Pork Council
Washington D.C. watching politics and how policy is constructed on the national level,” Roy Lee Lindsey, executive director at okPORK, said. “He has more knowledge and experience than almost anyone in the industry. He is an entertaining and engaging speaker. “When you put all of that together in one speaker there isn’t anyone who would put together a better presentation about what’s going on in Washington than Wiesemeyer,” Lindsey continued. “He will share his thoughts and opinions on the next presidential election and the pending trade agreements as well as how those will shape agricultural policy.” He also is a daily contributor to Informa’s Issue Monitor. He also is a regular speaker at the quarterly held agricultural policy roundtables put on by Informa Economics’ Washington, D.C., office. Since 1978, he has frequently reported on and interviewed senior government officials, including Presidents Reagan and Carter, as well as several USDA Secretaries. He has
Western States Water Council and Chairs its Water Quality Committee, and also serves as Oklahoma’s Commissioner on four Congressionally-approved interstate water Compact Commissions. A fifth generation Oklahoman, Strong grew up in Weatherford and earned a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University. While finishing his degree at OSU, Strong began his career at the OWRB working as an environmental specialist. •
traveled extensively in his assignments and is a frequent speaker on farm policy and trade issues. Prior to joining Informa Economics, Mr. Wiesemeyer was the Washington editor and bureau chief for ProFarmer, Inc. where he still contributes a daily analysis and commentary on policy and trade developments called Inside Washington Today on profarmer. com. Also, while at ProFarmer, he was the Washington editor for Oster Communication’s ProFarmer newsletter and Futures magazine. In addition - Mr. Wiesemeyer was the Washington bureau chief for Futures World News, formerly owned by Oster. Prior to ProFarmer, he was a Washington editor with Doane’s Agricultural Report and Washington editor and managing editor of the Washington Farmletter. Informa Economics, Inc. formerly known as Sparks Companies, Inc. is a world leader in broad-based domestic and international agricultural and commodity/product market research, analysis, evaluation and consulting. •
OUTSTANDING LEGISLATORS 2014
Hickman and Ballenger Honored for Commitment to Oklahoma’s Pork Industry In 2010, the Oklahoma Pork Council determined it was time to designate a specific honor for state legislators who were especially supportive of the pork industry in Oklahoma. Since then, the okPORK Board of Directors chooses an Outstanding Legislator. For the first time this year, two legislators are receiving the honor. Rep. Jeffrey Hickman and Sen. Roger Ballenger both showed unwavering support for Oklahoma’s pork producers and both are more than deserving of this honor. The fifth generation to own farmland in Alfalfa and Woods counties, Rep. Hickman was raised in the Cherokee and Dacoma areas. He married his wife Jana and together they have two daughters and a son. Elected in 2005, Rep. Hickman represents district 58 which includes the counties of Alfalfa, Major,Woods and Woodward. Rep. Hickman was a key member of the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) Task Force in 2006. The REDI Task Force was the first group of legislators to embrace making revisions to some of the most onerous restrictions on hog farms in our state. “You’ll find Rep. Hickman’s name as an author on some of the most important bills okPORK has ever requested,” Roy Lee Lindsey, okPORK Executive Director said. “Exempting testing of dry monitoring wells, eliminating liability for third party use of effluent, and setting a minimum amount of effluent spills that require reporting to ODAFF were among them. Without the support of a legislator from northwestern Oklahoma, these initiatives would have faced uphill battles.” Rep. Hickman is the chair of the A&B Public Safety committee and a member of the Agriculture and Wildlife, Appropriations and Budget, and Energy and Aerospace committees. “The Oklahoma House would be in a great place if we could somehow find 101 Jeff Hickmans,” James McSpadden
Representative Jeff Hickman
Senator Roger Ballenger of McSpadden & Associates said. “His grasp of the issues and calm demeanor make him one of the strongest house members we've seen in a long time. The Outstanding Legislator award
also goes to Senator Roger Ballenger. He grew up in Okmulgee and made his living as an electrical contractor in the Tulsa area while owning and operating a small Beefmaster cattle operation west of Okmulgee. He was the Okmulgee County Commissioner for 16 years and served on the Okmulgee City Council for eight years. Sen. Ballenger quickly recognized the damage caused by feral hogs and the risk they posed to Oklahoma’s domestic hog herd. In his first session at the Capitol, Sen. Ballenger introduced legislation that limited transportation of feral hogs, required registration of trapping and hunting facilities for feral hogs, and eliminated restrictions on shooting feral hogs. “Perhaps Sen. Ballenger’s biggest contribution was just enduring the resistance and criticism that followed this legislation,” Lindsey said. “We had never imagined that anyone would object to this legislation, but after its passage, he received countless calls critical of the effort. To his credit, Sen. Ballenger recognized the need for the legislation and stood firm on this issue.” Not only is Sen. Ballenger the Vice Chair of the General Government committee, he is also a member of the Pensions, the Public Safety, and the Veterans and Military Affairs Committees. He is also involved with the Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural Resources and Regulatory Services. “Being a democrat in Oklahoma isn't an easy task given the current political climate, but I don't know of any member with a more positive attitude than Roger Ballenger,” McSpadden said. “If you go by to see Sen. Ballenger, odds are you'll have a 10 minute conversation before ever talking business, which is why I love to go see him. When he does get down to business, his questions and debates always center on people, not politics. He's there for all the right reasons. If he were half the golfer that he is senator, he'd be on the tour. • • 17
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18 • Oklahoma Pork Council
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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
Apricot-Dijon Pork Salad
Prep: 10 minutes |Cook: 15 minutes | Serves: 4 1 whole pork tenderloin, about 1 pound 1 cup apricot preserves 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 10-oz package mixed salad greens 1 15-oz can apricot halves, drained, sliced 1/2 cup dried tart cherries 4 - 5 ounces provolone cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 8 green onions, sliced 1/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted
In small bowl stir together preserves, vinegar, mustard and ginger. Reserve 3/4 cup for salad dressing. Butterfly pork tenderloin (cut almost in half, but not quite through, horizontally); open and lay flat. Prepare medium-hot fire in kettle-style grill. Grill tenderloin over heat 5-6 minutes per side; brushing with remaining apricot mixture during last 2 minutes on each side until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 145 degrees F. Remove tenderloin to cutting board and let rest for 3 minutes. Meanwhile in large bowl toss together greens, apricots, cherries, cheese, pecans and onions. Divide mixture evenly among 4 plates. Slice pork into 1/2inch pieces. Arrange portions of pork on top of greens on each plate; drizzle with reserved apricot mixture.