The 2019 Iowa Pork Congress will be held Jan. 23 and 24 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. This event, organized by the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA), is North America's largest winter swine trade show and conference.
It features seminars, a keynote address each day, training sessions, social events and youth activities. Each day, Iowa Pork Congress opens at 9 a.m., and closes at 5 p.m. on Jan. 23 and at 4 p.m. on Jan. 24.
"We're excited about our lineup of seminars and presenters. We strive to present seminars on timely subjects, and on issues of importance to pork producers and stakeholders," said IPPA President Gregg Hora, a pig farmer from Fort Dodge.
The trade show includes more than 300 exhibitors, which Hora says "is a major draw," adding "every year, attendees have the opportunity to visit with representatives from companies that serve the pork industry. These companies come from Iowa, the U.S. and around the world to offer solutions that help our pork producers become more efficient, profitable and successful."
There is also a strong lineup of business seminars. They include one on Iowa regulations by attorney Eldon McAfee; a price and profitability outlook by Dr. Steve Meyer and Joe Kerns; a panel in which producers share their experiences with environmental stewardship practices, another on solving ventilation issues, and a third about on-farm experiences with mycoplasma.
The keynote speaker on Wednesday, Jan. 23, is Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam, an Extension Animal Science Specialist at the University of California-Davis. She runs the Animal Genomics and Biotechnology Laboratory there, and will talk about advancements in agriculture and the implications of using biotechnology to feed the world. Additionally, she will do a separate special presentation that day on the film Food Evolution, which explores the controversy surrounding developments in science and food production.
On Thursday, Jan. 24, the keynote speaker is consultant Mark Jewell, who will talk about ways producers can successfully handle uncertainty in both their business and personal lives.
Training sessions during the two-day conference will give pig farmers the opportunity to obtain or renew their PQA Plus® and TQA® certifications. A certification session for confinement site manure applicators is also being offered.
For youth, the annual Youth Swine Judging contest will be held on Thursday, Jan. 24, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. There, registered 4-H and FFA members can learn more about the industry and compete for valuable scholarships.
Other activities and events will be held in association with Pork Congress. The association's annual meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 22, followed by a reception and auction for the IPPA Scholarship Foundation. The Pork Congress Banquet is on Wednesday evening.