okPORK PAGES Winter 2016

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

Volume 20 | Issue 4 | Winter 2016

Happy Holidays!

Contents Winter 2016

3 | President Speaks 4 | Executive Review 5 | Bacon & Bourbon 6 | Celebrating Pork Month 8 | Taste of Elegance 10 | 2017 Pork Congress Details 12 | Reaching Tomorrow’s Consumers Today

14 | ODWC Part of Effort to Deal with Feral Hogs

15 | okPORK Membership Form

okPORK PAGES Winter 2016 | Volume 20 | Issue 4 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS President | Cathy Vaughan, Rosston President Elect | Phil Olipahnt, El Reno Vice President | Joe Popplewell, Stillwater Treasurer | Sara Linneen, Holdenville BOARD MEMBERS Keith Reiner, Enid Paris Robinson, Holdenville Tina Falcon, Tecumseh Robbie Woods, Enid EX OFFICIO Dr. Scott Carter, Stillwater Wathina Luthi, Gage Brett Ramsey, Jones Rob Richard, Oklahoma City STAFF Executive Director Roy Lee Lindsey, Jr. | rllindsey@okpork.org Office Manager Donna Jackson | djackson@okpork.org Director of Marketing and Promotions Nikki Snider | nsnider@okpork.org Event and Outreach Specialist Lloyd Hawkins | lhawkins@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 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. 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. All Pork Pages inquiries should be directed to the okPORK office or communications@okpork.org

On the Cover The winning dish at Taste of Elegance was Pork Three Ways created by Chef Gayland Toriello.

Writers | Lindsay Tasos, Nikki Snider Designer | Nikki Snider Editor | Donna Jackson

Photo by Nikki Snider 2|

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PRESIDENT SPEAKS

Count Your Blessings, Always

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by Cathy Vaughan

This time of year I find myself thinking about not only what I’m thankful for but what a blessing it is to work in this industry. As I have shared before, both my husband and I work together in this industry and for the same company.

Not many couples can peacefully work together but it seems to work for us!

I think back to when we moved to northwest Oklahoma and the changes that presented. We were both used to a much larger city with the conveniences of shopping, restaurants and movie theaters. Laverne, Okla., is a one stop light town with only a couple of restaurants that are only open during the work week and one grocery store. The initial move was an adjustment to say the least. I must be honest - I didn’t think I could live here very long. Low and behold rural Oklahoma, and Laverne in particular, welcomed us with open arms and this has become home. I am very thankful for our small community and all the wonderful people we live with and work with every day.

I am blessed to go to work in an industry that I know makes a difference. We in this industry feed our country and the world. What an awesome feeling that is! We were recently charged with the task of supporting and promoting the Right to Farm campaign and we knew it would be a tough fight.

Unfortunately, we lost that fight. But, we got up and went back to work doing what we do every day. In my opinion, losing this campaign should just reinforce what most of us

already know and that is that the majority of Oklahomans just don’t understand what we do. The pork industry has done a lot of work trying to make ourselves more transparent to consumers. Now more than ever it is important to continue to talk about what we do and how we do it. We are environmentally responsible and we take care of our animals and our employees. It is time for all of agriculture to come together and share our story. I will do my best in my little corner of the state and I challenge you to do the same where you are.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Roy Lee Lindsey for his tireless efforts toward Right to Farm. I greatly appreciate the time spent in this worthwhile cause. I also would like to thank Donna Jackson, Nikki Snider, Lindsey Tasos and Lloyd Hawkins for keeping things rolling in and out of the office during this campaign. Your efforts and support are appreciated. Thank you to all the board members that stepped up their social media time, fundraising efforts and for literally knocking on doors. Even with losing I know we made an impact. Thank you to all producers large and small in Oklahoma. Keep doing what you’re doing as we all have an important job!

Stay focused on our blessings this holiday season. We live in one of the greatest states in America! Thank you for working in this industry! •

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EXECUTIVE REVIEW

Lessons Learned

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by Roy Lee Lindsey

I had always hoped that when I wrote this column I would be telling you the great things we had accomplished and that would be happening in the future with the passage of SQ777 – Right to Farm. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know SQ777 did not pass and now we are faced with answering questions about what lessons did we learn and what happens next.

The most common question I get is what happened. I wish I had a better answer but it appears to me the opponents of SQ777 did a better job confusing the public than we did explaining what we were trying to do. I assure you our opponents did not work any harder than we did. Supporters of SQ777 worked tirelessly to raise money and we raised the amount of money we thought we’d need to be successful. We spoke at forums and to groups all across the state. Supporters of SQ777 engaged in social media promoting our efforts and we told the story of agriculture. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough.

As for what happens next, that’s a much more difficult question to answer. In immediate terms, the legislature is unlikely to turn against agriculture so it is very unlikely the animal rights activists will be successful in any initiatives at the State Capitol. We will be more vigilant that ever as new legislation is requested and introduced and the importance of our presence at the Capitol has never been greater.

But there are a few rays of sunshine shining through this cloud. The brightest of those rays is the engagement of agricultural producers with members of the community about what you do every day on the farm. We have preached the importance of engagement with the general public about what we do until we are blue in the face. We have begged and

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pleaded with our members and hog producers to interact in your communities. And in the case of SQ777, you listened and you engaged. Not with an occasional Facebook post, but with a plethora of posts, sharing each day the values we have in common with the public and the risks that we see around the corner from animal rights activists.

Was this enough to win the battle for SQ777? Clearly it wasn’t, but it did open lines of communication between agriculture and our end-customers – the folks that buy our products and feed them to their families.

When I contemplate what’s next, I come back to the challenge laid out in front of me when I started at okPORK 18 years ago. That challenge was to put a face on our industry, to demonstrate we are active participants in our communities, to talk about our priorities of caring for our land and our animals, to talk about and demonstrate the values okPORK members have, and to share with our neighbors and fellow Oklahomans. okPORK is already working toward this goal and we’ll have a more concrete plan for you by the time you get to Pork Congress in February. But for now we need you to continue to engage with your friends, family and neighbors.

As I traveled across the state I saw Oklahomans that believe in farmers. I saw farmers with a pride in what we do every day. What we need to do to be successful in the future is to show that pride, demonstrate that commitment, and continue to tell our story. okPORK will do our part. Can we count on you to do yours? •

Bacon & Bourbon story and photos by Lindsay Tasos

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t’s not everyday you get the option to get dressed up and go to a fancy dinner. But when the fancy dinner involves juicy bacon and tasty bourbon the “option” becomes a “must.” I mean who wouldn’t want to eat dinner on top of the famous Devon Tower?

On November 18, 2016, at Vast, the sixth installment of the Bacon & Bourbon dinner began. The dining room was surrounded by pork lovers and a stunning view of downtown Oklahoma City from 50 floors above.

Cowboy hats, starched jeans, suit coats and fancy dresses filled the room with anticipation of what this year’s delicious menu items would taste like.

Chef Patrick Williams excitedly welcomed everyone to the event and began speaking about the amazing plates that were about to come. And before anyone knew it, the first course was being served.

Course one consisted of roast beets with arugula, candied pecans, blue cheese, Dijon vinaigrette and of course bacon.

Conversations began to soften and the sound of forks and plates began filling the room. It was paired perfectly with sweet Wild Turkey American Honey bourbon.

After the first course was cleared the second choice of bourbon was introduced as the Russell’s Reserve bourbon that was aged for 10 years. A warm, delicious sweet potato clam chowder followed the drink and its savory flavor mixed in with apple wood smoked bacon fit perfectly with the stout liquor.

After two different courses with two completely different drinks, no one knew what to expect for the third course. A beautiful piece of monkfish appeared before our eyes and did I mention that it was bacon wrapped? The tasty fish was served on top of a butternut squash puree and Brussels sprouts with a balsamic reduction. This main course was paired with what we thought was the stoutest drink of them all, a Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit.

Next on the menu was Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof bourbon and what else would work with this smooth drink other than pork? Braised pork that is. Bacon and cheddar smashed turnips with bacon gremolata joined the meat and created something magical in terms of a dinner plate.

One more course was to be delivered to the tables and for some this one was the most anticipated. Who would want to miss a dessert? The aroma of cherry bread pudding quickly filled the room and to make this dish stand out it was topped with no other than peppered bacon and bourbon caramel, and on the side a glass of Wild Turkey 81.

Full bellies and satisfaction were the end results of the event. okPORK has continued the long-lasting tradition by hosting these dinners to celebrate how versatile bacon is not only in Oklahoma but the entire world. Don’t miss the opportunity next time to join us and celebrate with pork, delicious dinners and a talented Oklahoma City chef. •

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Celebrating Pork Month

Falcon finds a local, unique way to bridge the farm-to-fork gap

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or many years, producers have celebrated October Pork Month in their own way. Last year Tina Falcon, pork producer from Tecumseh, Okla., began celebrating it by hosting a luncheon featuring pork dishes.

This event is a way for Tina to bridge the farm-to-fork gap with a few people in her local community and talk to them about what happens on her farm while they enjoy the quality pork products she produces.

“My goal for this luncheon is really simple. I want to promote the pork industry and I think Pork Month is a great opportunity to do that,” Falcon said.

In 2015 the event started with 8 people in her home enjoying a five course meal, each course featuring pork in some way. She wanted to make a bigger impact this year since pork month occurred right before the vote on State Question 777, the Right to Farm Amendment. So Tina asked her mother to host the event in her Shawnee, Okla., home and was able to accommodate 15 people. This new location also enabled people to stop in over their lunch break and not have to take time off work to drive to her farm in Tecumseh.

Due to the larger audience, Tina decided to approach the menu differently. She chose seven pork appetizers since the state question up for discussion was number 777. Each appetizer featured bacon so the event name became Bacon Bash.

The full menu included Bacon and Bean Soup, Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, Bacon Wrapped Pork Kabobs, Blue Cheese

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and Bacon Dip on Toast, Cranberry Bacon Walnut Celery Sticks, Bacon Jalapeño Popper Cheese Ball and Chocolate Covered Bacon Pretzels.

“It was fabulous! The menu was delicious and hard to believe that everything had pork in it. My favorite was the pork cream cheese celery sticks and the chocolate pork covered pretzels,” said Lynn Touchette. “The fellowship with the ladies was delightful. We loved our pork bags, what a treat. Tina outdid herself, as always.”

With belly’s full of bacon goodness, the ladies began to discuss the right to farm amendment, SQ777.

“I had some questions about the recent state question and Tina was able to give us information so that we could make informed decisions on our vote,” said Vicki Fleming.

Cathy Crosby also attended the event and said she appreciated being able to learn about State Question 777 from someone who farms for a living and thought the fellowship with the other ladies was great.

Fleming agreed that the fellowship of the afternoon was wonderful and added: “The food was fabulous and it gave us ideas on how to use pork in different ways.”

“I will hold this event annually and I think it will look different each year. But I’m committed to reaching out to my community,” Falcon said. •

Bacon Jalapeno Popper Cheeseball 12 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1 tablespoon dried parsley Pinch of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce For the outside: 6-8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled or chopped 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted 1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, finely diced

In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add the cheddar cheese and mix until just combined. Sprinkle garlic powder, cumin, parsley, pepper and Worcestershire sauce over the cheese mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.

With lightly greased hands, pat the cheese mixture into a ball. In a shallow dish, toss together the pecans, bacon and jalapeños. Roll the cheeseball into the mixture, pressing the pecans, bacon and jalapeño lightly into the cheeseball as you go.

Place the cheeseball on a plate and refrigerate, covered lightly with saran wrap, until ready to serve. This cheeseball can be made and refrigerated, covered, for several days in advance.

Bacon-Cranberry-Walnut Stuffed Celery 12 celery stalks, cleaned, cut into portions 1/2 lb crispy cooked bacon, drained and crumbled 8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup glazed walnuts, chopped 1/2 cup craisins, chopped 2 green onions, finely chopped 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Cook bacon (crispy), drain on paper towels. Chop walnuts, Craisins, and green onion. In a small bowl, combine: Cream cheese, bacon, walnuts, Craisins, green onion, heavy cream, and garlic powder. Stir until mixed well.

Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes (to combine flavors). Clean celery and cut into desired portion size.

Stuffing Celery: Carefully spread cream cheese mixture into each portion of celery. I personally use a piping bag with a LARGE tip. You can do the same with a Ziploc bag with a large hole cut in a corner. Refrigerate until time to serve, keep chilled.

Homemade Bean and Bacon Soup 8 oz hardwood smoked bacon 3 cans (15 oz each) great northern beans 1 cup Carrots 1 cup Celery

2 cloves Garlic 1 cup Yellow onions 4 cups Chicken broth 1 can Tomato sauce Salt and pepper

Cook the bacon in a soup pot or Dutch oven until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease.

To the hot bacon grease, add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook over medium heat until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute. Stir in the chicken broth and beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a bubble then reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for 1 hour.

Remove half of the soup to a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Return the puree to the soup pot and stir into the remaining soup. Add the tomato sauce and ¾ of the reserved bacon and stir to combine. Taste and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let the soup simmer until it is heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve topped with the remaining bacon. |7

Taste of

Elegance story and photos by Nikki Snider

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t’s always fun to go out for a great meal. It’s amazing to be able to head out to a meal that includes pork dishes from 12 of Oklahoma’s top chefs. Enjoying great food AND helping a great charity, the March of Dimes, makes the evening extraordinary.

That was the exact experience at the 2016 Taste of Elegance on September 27. As the doors to the banquet room at the Embassy Suites in Norman opened, the savory smells beaconed the guests to come in and begin sampling. A quick welcome from the emcee, Scott Mitchell of KOKC’s Mitchell in the Morning radio show barely slowed down the crowd making the rounds, collecting the delicacies.

“It was a fabulous event. The chefs went all out with their pork creations and it was fun to try cuts of pork that I haven’t eaten often,” said Jamey Allen, director of Market Development at the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

“The food was all delicious and I loved how excited the chefs were to be there and participate in the event.”

As the evening progressed, Roy Lee Lindsey, okPORK executive director, took a moment to congratulate the chefs on their great work, talk about Oklahoma’s pork industry and explain why okPORK partners with the March of Dimes.

“One of the ways Oklahoma’s pork producers exhibit their commitment to Oklahoma is to help groups that serve Oklahoman’s successfully,” Lindsey said. “What March of Dimes does to help Oklahoma families with premature babies is extraordinary. We are proud that every cent of ticket sales to this event will go back to March of Dimes to continue their work.”

Nearly 200 people attended Taste of Elegance and the sale of those tickets helped March of Dimes raise more than $4,000.

“One in ten babies in Oklahoma is born too soon. Because of partnerships like the one we have with the Oklahoma Pork Council, we are able to fund programs of research, education and advocacy,” said Laurie Applekamp, executive director of Market Development for the Central Oklahoma Chapter of March of Dimes. “Roy Lee Lindsey and his team put on a topnotch event that our donors are thrilled to support and attend year after year. We are grateful for this unique opportunity and it is our hope that it will continue for years to come.”

In addition to raising money for charity, Taste of Elegance is a competition among chefs. Earlier in the afternoon, Judges Don 8|

Thiery, Platt College, Mitchell, Michael Johnston with Lakeland Marketing and Dave Cathey, the Oklahoman’s Food Dude, sampled each dish and evaluated them based on flavor, creativity and presentation.

At the very end of the evening, attendees learned that Gayland Toriello, from Ember American Tavern, had won first place in the competition with his dish Pork Three Ways. As the evening’s top chef, Toriello received a $1,000 prize. Henry Boudreaux of Eagle Milling Co. took second place honors and a $500 prize for his creation Spiced Brined Pork Loin, with sweet corn and scallop puree, roasted tomato and plum chimichurri.

Rounding out the winners’ stand was Caleb Byers, Taste Culinary Innovations and his third place dish, Pork Belly Pastrami. Byers received a $250 cash prize.

“This year’s dishes were all very nice! They were so good in fact that we had some difficulty finding first, second and third,” Thiery said. “There were some complicated dishes and it was great to see the chefs incorporate four or five different flavor profiles. But there were also some simple dishes that were really, really good.”

The winning chef, Toriello, is a Taste of Elegance veteran. He also won the event in 2009. Even so, he said he was still nervous when he saw the caliber of this year’s competition.

“I’ve been there before, so I knew what I needed to do,” he said. “These chefs are all really good and I was excited to be able to go up against them again and see how I could do.”

And the event attendees also had one job to do during their sampling. They were tasked to make note of which dish they liked best and cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award. A tally of those votes left Josh Partain, Rococo Restaurant & Fine Wine, and his dish cured pork belly with a fresh spinach ravioli stuffed with ricotta and herbs and a smoked tomato and leek butter with the title of People’s Choice and a prize of $100.

Another great aspect of Taste of Elegance is that the pork goodness isn’t just contained within one night. Many of these chefs use their pork dishes on their restaurant menus or feature them as specials.

“I love cooking with pork and we use it in the restaurant quite a bit. It’s a flavor that so many people like but don’t always use at home, so we have great luck putting it on our menu,” Toriello said.•

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2017

Friday, February 24, 2017 Embassy Suites Hotel & Conference Center 2501 Conference Dr, Norman, OK 73069

Tentative Agenda 9 a.m.

Registration

10 a.m.

NPB Update, CEO Bill Even

10:45 a.m.

NPPC Update

11:30 a.m.

okPORK’s Investment in Oklahoma’s Youth

Noon.

Lunch and guest speaker

1:30 p.m.

okPORK Update from Roy Lee Lindsey, Executive Director

2:15 p.m.

Legislative Update, James McSpadden

3 p.m.

Annual Meeting

4 p.m.

Keynote Speaker

5 p.m.

Reception

6 p.m.

Awards Banquet and Auction

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Auction Items Needed!

Calling all those with a dab hand for shopping! okPORK plans to hold the annual silent and live auctions during the 2017 Oklahoma 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 community!

Donations are needed of all kinds! Some ideas of past donations are: • Hunting trips and supplies • OSU and OU memorabilia or tickets • Tickets to other local events • Restaurant gift cards • Home décor and crafts • Farm Supplies • Anything “pig” related • Jewelry 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. •

Public Notice by Oklahoma Pork Council And the National Pork Board The election of pork producer delegate candidates for the 2018 National Pork Producers (Pork Act) Delegate Body will take place at 3 p.m. on Friday, February 24, 2017 in conjunction with the Oklahoma Pork Congress and Annual Meeting which will be held at the Embassy Suites Norman Hotel & Conference Center in Norman, 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. Nominations will be accepted from the floor.

For more information, contact the Oklahoma Pork Council.

Telephone: 888-SAY-PORK (729-7675) or 405-232-3781.

New okPORK Board Member Needed At the okPORK Annual Meeting, the membership of okPORK will elect three members to the okPORK Board of Directors. The east district seat that is open is held by Tina Falcon. Falcon is not eligible for reelection. The open at-large seat is held by Phil Oliphant who is eligible for reelection. The open west district seat is held by Cathy Vaughan and she is eligible for reelection.

The west district is composed of counties west of I-35 and includes those counties which contain I-35. The east district

includes all counties east of I-35. Any paid okPORK member in Oklahoma can run for and vote for the at-large board seat.

If you are interested in running for the Board of Directors please submit a photo and bio to okPORK by February 1st. We will publish your bio for the Pork Congress participants to review before the election. We will also take nominations from the floor during the meeting and candidates will have the opportunity to address the okPORK membership prior to the election. • | 11

Reaching Tomorrow’s Consum

story by Nikki Snider photos courtesy of Donna Mackiewicz

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ne of the ways okPORK bridges the farm-to-fork gap is by awarding Ag in the Classroom grants to Oklahoma teachers. With less than two percent of the population involved in production agriculture, many consumers believe their food comes from the grocery store and don’t think about the process it takes to get it there.

Having the opportunity to reach young consumers while they are still in elementary school and giving them a peek into the world of agriculture is invaluable. The prospects are high that they will carry that knowledge with them when they start buying the groceries and making decisions about their food.

Knowledgeable consumers are only one perk of this program. Helping Oklahoma teachers obtain resources for classroom activities is so important in our current situation of school budget cuts and teachers spending more and more of their own cash in the classroom.

In the Fall of 2016, okPORK awarded $5,700 of grants to 21 Oklahoma Teachers.

“When I hear from these teachers that work with our Ag in the Classroom grants, I can hear the appreciation in their voice,” Hawkins said. “It makes me proud of this program because I know the teachers have such a tough job and we’re able to make it just a bit easier by providing them resources.”

One of those appreciative teachers is Donna Mackiewicz, the Beyond the Classroom/KaleidEscape Director at St. Mary’s Episcopal School – Edmond. Mackiewicz sent okPORK photos and stories of her students using their AITC funds to learn about soil by going out to dig up soil, sift through it, add glue and water and then paint a picture with the mixture.

“At St. Mary’s Episcopal School we have about 40 students

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attending our before and after school programs and I use Ag in the Classroom all the time,” Mackiewicz said. “We bake bread, we grow and pick fruits and vegetables and just this past month we made paint from dirt and painted beautiful pictures. I have 3-year-olds making breadsticks and alphabet soup on days when school is out – they love it!”

Mackiewicz said she has always loved nature and she happened to meet Dana Bessinger, a past Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom coordinator and Dana’s passion for these lessons prompted her to check them out. She was instantly drawn into using them and she’s been telling others and their enthusiasm for the program is growing.

“Educators are always seeking resources – these are free and so fun to present. The lessons are hands-on and the topics are so interesting. Where else can you learn about the breeds of cattle and horses – things we see every day but never really think about. It’s so wonderful to hear that a student saw a Longhorn or a Hereford on the way home instead of just saying they saw a cow.

When these lessons are taught it makes such a change! Once I asked how do we make a donut and got the answer “a donut shop.” Ask the same student after a lesson and they can tell you it took someone to milk the dairy cow, grow the wheat and sugar, process everything, measure it, mix it, bake it, ice it and then it goes to the store.”

This wonderful story from St. Mary’s Episcopal School is just one of many such stories played out in classrooms all across Oklahoma. And it’s exactly the reason okPORK continues it’s commitment to helping teachers bring agriculture into the classroom.•

mers Today

Fall 2016 Grant Recipients

Zena Lewis, Owasso 6th Grade Center Kim Shockley, Edison Elementary, Bristow Debra Deskin, Orvis Risner, Edmond LaRonna Hurt, Will Rogers Jr. High, Claremore Chris Magie, Liberty, Sallisaw Keri Thompson, Bryant, Moore Jenny Montgomery, Edison, Bristow Amber Bales, Morrison Elementary Christina Reis, Key Elementary, Tulsa Teresa Brunnemere, Morrison Elementary Colette McClure, Barnard Elementary, Tecumseh Amanda White, Zion Janet Howard, Friend, Chickasha Kim Cox, Bill Wallace, Chickasha Karen Wood, Edison, Bristow Johnnie Keel, Truman Elementary, Norman Lori Newmark, Oakridge, Moore Lisa Storm, Kingfisher Heritage Juanita Sherrell, Frink-Chambers, McAlester Connie Copenhaver, Green Vale, OKC Jenae Tindell, Crutcho, OKC

okPORK Chop Shop at the Okla. State Fair Stopping by okPORK’s Chop Shop for a pork sandwich is a yearly event for many Oklahoma State Fair goers. And this year when they stopped by, there was a new sandwich on the menu.

The Hawgzilla, this year’s new sandwich offering, is a mammoth meal that includes a pork chop, pulled pork AND a pork burger between two buns. The sandwich sold for $15 each.

“The Hawgzilla was a nice surprise,” said Lloyd Hawkins, okPORK Community Outreach Specialist. “We did not anticipate that we would sell so many.”

Another unplanned but fortuitous circumstance for this year’s booth was a slight change in location. The booth was shifted one space to the right so it was closer to the road that leads into the circle drive we’ve historically sat in. This allowed traffic coming up the drive to see the booth better and gave the okPORK Chop Shop more visibility.

“The traffic in front of our booth was definitely better than previous years,” Hawkins said. “We also continued our booth improvement to try and make our area more appealing and

cleaner than ever.”

Running the booth successfully would not be possible without the help of many great volunteers. A huge thank you goes out to everyone that gave their time to come to OKC and spend time in the sandwich booth.

“We love volunteering for the okPORK Chop Shop at the Oklahoma State Fair. The staff members are great and professional,” said Phil Oliphant, okPORK board member, who volunteered with his wife Cathy. “It is such a great opportunity for us to meet people and answer their questions about the Oklahoma Pork Council and pork products.”

After the smokers were cleaned and put away and the numbers were counted, it became clear that several rainy days had caused sandwich sales to dip from last year. But the opportunity to interact with the public, host a couple of radio remotes from the shop and serve the public great products made this another successful year for the Pork Chop Shop. •

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NEWS YOU CAN USE ODWC Part of United Effort to Deal With Feral Swine from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Along with the Wildlife Services Division of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is taking positive steps to address the feral swine situation in Oklahoma.

Feral swine have become a concern across Oklahoma because of their expanding numbers and the damage they inflict to the landscape. Feral swine have been detected in 70 of the state’s 77 counties, but they are most prevalent across the southern parts of Oklahoma. They are also most active at night.

Feral hogs congregate in “sounders,” as the large groups are called. Each sounder can tear up several acres every night looking for food, which can include cropland, pastures, golf courses and even residential lawns. They will eat about 4 percent of their body weight daily.

Besides destruction of property, other concerns about feral swine are: Population growth. Feral swine have high reproductive potential, and piglets become sexually active at about 6 months old. An estimated 600,000 to 1.5 million feral swine are in Oklahoma.

Disease transmission. Feral swine can be infected with brucellosis and leptospirosis, which can be passed to people.

Pseudorabies is found in about one-third of the feral swine population. This disease can spread to dogs, cattle, goats and sheep. Feral hogs also can carry and transmit other diseases.

Threat to wildlife: Native species are being stressed by the activities of feral swine. They compete for food resources that also support deer, raccoons, black bears and opossums. Wildlife can contract many diseases from feral swine. Feral swine have few natural predators, and in some cases, the feral swine have begun pursuing wild animals as prey items.

State agencies and landowner groups are highly interested in what can be done to control the feral swine problem. Experts have determined that the best methods are trapping ­-- especially whole sounder trapping -- and aerial gunning. Other forms of control are largely ineffective and can actually reduce the effectiveness of trapping.

Landowners who have experienced depredation due to feral swine can contact the state Agriculture Department’s Wildlife Services Division at (405) 521-4039.

Jeff Pennington, a biologist with the Oklahoma Wildlife Department, said eradication is not realistic on a landscape level.

A realistic landscape goal is to slow the spread and reduce the density of feral hogs by the use of trapping and aerial gunning.

The Wildlife Department views feral swine as vermin and

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maintains they should not be glamorized in any way, even though feral hogs are desired by some people as target animals on hunting lands. Last year, the Wildlife Department declared it illegal to take feral hogs alive from wildlife management areas.

The Wildlife Department supports the Agriculture Department’s creation of a “swine free zone” where feral swine cannot be transported, along with measures to require accountability from anyone who transports feral swine in other parts of Oklahoma.

People who are having problems with feral swine without a depredation issue are encouraged to use the most effective methods including trapping. A secondary, less effective option is night shooting of feral swine, which the Wildlife Department believes should be a method of last resort because of the issues it creates that affect safety.

In response to Gov. Mary Fallin’s executive order in May 2016, the Wildlife Department has instituted a procedure to allow people to obtain exemptions from existing hunting regulations that prohibit night shooting. The new procedure became operational Nov. 1, and its goal is to provide landowners relief from feral swine while also protecting wildlife.

Only a deed-holding landowner (or a designee with written landowner permission) can register a property for a night-shooting exemption. The exemption procedure provides immediate approval for a landowner (or a designee with landowner’s written permission) to shoot feral swine on the property at night.

A landowner shooting feral swine on his property at night must carry his or her exemption number. Anyone else shooting feral swine at night is required to carry the property’s exemption number and written permission from the landowner or the landowner’s single designee. Rules are more stringent during the 16-day deer gun hunting season, limiting eligible shooters to the landowner, members of the landowner’s family, or the landowner’s single designee.

Feral hog night-shooting exemptions are available by: • Filling out information on the Wildlife Department’s

website, www.wildlifedepartment.com.

• Downloading the “OK Hog Shooting Exemption” mobile

app for Apple or Android.

• Calling, e-mailing or texting the game warden based in

the county where the property is situated, or the game

warden in an adjacent county.

Read the complete feral swine night-shooting exemption rules at www.wildlifedepartment.com. •

910 N. Lincoln Blvd., Suite 380 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104-3206 405-232-3781office 888-729-7675 toll free 405-232-3862 fax www.okpork.org

Check membership type:  Producer  Producer $100 – Before 1/1/17 $75

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COMPLETE AND RETURN THIS FORM TO OPC WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP PAYMENT. PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY! Membership Description Producer: Individuals, partnerships, corporations or firms that are actively engaged in the production of swine in Oklahoma.

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Type of production:  Farrow only # of sows __________________  Farrow to feeder # of sows __________________  Farrow to finish # of sows __________________  Nursery only # of pigs ___________________  Finisher # of hogs __________________  Other (please describe)________________________

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Please check all that apply & sign below!  Please commit ALL of my membership dues to okPORK’s Political Action Committee.

(If you do not check here, your dues will stay in the OPC Membership fund.)  I would also like to contribute $ ________ to okPORK’s Political Action Committee.

The contribution was freely and voluntarily given by me from my personal property. I have not directly or indirectly been compensated or reimbursed for the contribution.

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

Pork with Chiles and Lime Prep: 25 min | Cook: 75 min | Serves 6 Ingredients 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, or boneless pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 3 tablespoons jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 14 1/2-oz can chicken broth 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 1/2 teaspoon lime zest, grated Lime wedges, as garnish

Cooking Directions Season pork cubes with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven and sautĂŠ pork in batches until nicely browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate. Stir in onion, chiles and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until onion is soft. Add pork back in along with broth, cilantro, zest and juice. Bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 1 1/4 hours, until meat is fork-tender and liquid has thickened.

Serve garnished with lime wedges and chopped cilantro with warm tortillas and black beans on the side.

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