WOODLAND — Deena Parks, a pig farmer from Woodland, served as a delegate to the Pork Act Delegate assembly March 3-5 in Indianapolis, Ind. She was appointed as a delegate by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
“It was important to me to represent pork producers from across the United States as a Pork Act delegate,” said Parks. “As an industry, we are committed to ‘elevate U.S. pork as the global protein of choice by continuously and collaboratively working to do what’s right for people, pigs and the planet.’ This was reinforced throughout the Pork Act delegate meeting.”
Parks was one of 160 delegates who traveled from 46 states across the country to represent pork producers and importers who sell pork products in the United States. The duties of the delegate body include nominating members to serve on the National Pork Board, establishing how much of the Pork Checkoff is returned to state pork organizations, and providing direction on promotion, research and education priorities funded by the Pork Checkoff.
America’s pork producers contribute 40 cents of every $100 of sales to the Checkoff. Importers use a sales formula to contribute a similar amount. The funds are targeted to promote and enhance consumer demand for pork on a global basis, as well as invest in research designed to improve production practices and safeguard the pork supply, the environment and animal well-being. Building consumer confidence and educating America’s pig farmers about livestock production practices through training and certification programs are also key priorities.
Checkoff money helps fund national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and foodservice marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, science and technology, swine health, pork safety and sustainability and environmental management.
The National Pork Board earlier approved a 2016 budget for national spending of $64 million for promotion, research and education programs. The strategic direction of the Pork Checkoff is centered on building consumer trust, driving sustainable production and growing consumer demand, both in the United States and globally.
“It has never been more critical that we work together as producers, processors and food chain partners to make a collective difference to pork’s consumers,” said Parks.
