Finally, it’s official

I have worked for OPC for almost eight years and I can’t begin to count how many times I’ve had people ask me how to cook pork and keep it tender. Or, they’ll tell me they don’t like pork because it’s too tough or it must be cooked to well-done (just like shoe leather) for food-safety reasons.

My response was to tell them about using a meat thermometer and what it means to ‘let pork rest’ and how that promotes tenderness. But, I always had to use the standard of cooking the pork to 160 internal temperature since we follow USDA guidelines. But I knew that was higher than I cook it and might make the product come out tough.

You can see why I was thrilled when the USDA finally lowered the cooking temperature of pork muscle cuts to 145 degrees with a three minute rest period.

I’m not a gourmet cook by any means. But I do enjoy cooking for my family and pork is a staple at our house. I’ve always left some pink I my pork chops and tenderloin and enjoy the flavor and texture. After visiting
with chefs over the years I found out they’ve used the 145 temperature for some time. That made me comfortable with using a lower cooking temperature and no one in my family or anyone I’ve cooked for has ever gotten sick.

This change in guidelines was not taken lightly at USDA and there were many months of research behind it. Today’s modern production practices promote food safety on all fronts because hogs are not exposed to the soil where many of those illnesses from years past originated.

However, food safety is always something that is important. I know in my home we pay very close attention to keeping cooking surfaces and utensils separate for raw meat and side items and cooked product. I always wash my hands after handling any raw product.

And while the meat thermometer is my key to a tasty, tender outcome, it is also my ally in keeping my family healthy. Being sure the meat has reached the correct temperature, 145 degrees, is important and there’s no way to judge that except to use a thermometer. Thermometers are inexpensive and can be purchased just about anywhere. I encourage you to pick one up and let it be your guide to a perfectly tender, slightly pink pork chop.

Finally, don’t forget that 160 is still the magic number for ground product. If you want to safely enjoy a juicy pork burger this summer, be sure it is cooked to the well-done mark.

Planning to Fail

The old adage is failing to plan is planning to fail.

For months now, livestock producers across the country have been hounding USDA and Congress to do some planning for “what if” scenarios surrounding the 2011 and future years’ corn crops and the supplies we will carry forward for the coming years.

When I was in Washington, D.C., last month, I was encouraging our elected officials to look for an “off-ramp” or a “safety net” in case something goes dramatically wrong with this fall’s corn crop (or the crop that will be planted next year). Here is a prime example why I believe it is necessary to make plans now.

Surely you have all seen or read about the Army Corps of Engineers blowing up a levee in Missouri in an effort to save a town in Illinois. I won’t begin to debate the tradeoff between saving a town and flooding out 90 homes and 130,000 acres of farm land. There is no good answer to that debate.

However, I am willing to question the impact that decision will have on the corn supply. Let’s assume that only about two thirds of the 130,000 acres that were flooded were normally planted with corn. That would mean we lost about 80,000 acres of corn due to blowing up the levee. Those lost acres only represent a very small portion of the 92.2 million acres USDA is projecting to be planted. But I believe this is still a very significant number when supplies are already tight. To carry this thought a little further, let’s assume those 80,000 acres would have met USDA’s projected yield of 162 bushels per acre. In this scenario, the flooded out farmland would have produced almost 13 million bushels of corn. That’s enough corn to feed every sow in the state of Oklahoma for more than 514 days.

With a projected stocks-to-use ratio for corn under 5% for crop years that end this summer and next summer, there is simply no room for Mother Nature to be difficult. And planting for this year’s crop is already behind schedule due to cold, wet weather and now we are losing acres to flooding.

I know it’s not possible to plan for every possible situation. The flooding caused by blowing up the levee is one example of something you just can’t predict. But it is safe to plan on the weather creating havoc with crops somewhere in the country. Today, neither USDA nor Congress has any plan for what to do if Mother Nature fails to cooperate with our corn crop – and that’s planning to fail in my book.

Thanks Just Isn’t Always Enough

This afternoon I attended a reception honoring outgoing Oklahoma State Veterinarian Dr. Becky Brewer. After almost eight years as our state vet, Dr. Brewer is leaving to accept a position with USDA APHIS in Arkansas.

I have had many opportunities to work with Dr. Brewer over the past eight years and will miss her greatly. I know from my conversations with other livestock groups in Oklahoma, they will miss her as well.

Dr. Brewer provided tremendous leadership in the drafting of an emergency action plan for dealing with a disease outbreak. She recognized our industry is very mobile and extremely reliant on the ability to move animals out of and in to Oklahoma. She understood the economic consequences to our industry if we lost that ability to move animals. She encouraged and supported us as we worked on a draft plan for managing the crisis that could follow such an emergency.

She was also instrumental in helping us deal with the misconceptions that came with the H1N1 challenge in 2009. She led the charge to help draft a set of rules to track the movements of feral swine within our state. She embraced the expertise and knowledge that resides within the respective livestock organizations and producers across the state. She worked tirelessly to bring us together and keep us working together on projects that affected us all.

My congratulations go out to USDA and the state of Arkansas. You’re the real winners here. You are getting a great addition to your livestock community. Reach out to Dr. Brewer and welcome her with open arms. She’ll help do great things for your industry just as she did in Oklahoma.

It’s always tough to say goodbye to someone you respect and admire greatly. It’s even tougher when that person is your friend.

For Oklahoma’s pork producers, this is a tough goodbye. Dr. Brewer, you’ve been our protector and you’ve been our friend. Thanks isn’t enough, but it’s all we can say. We wish you all the best in your new venture.

Good luck and God speed.

Jiggs.

I just happened to be in Western Oklahoma this weekend. Clinton, to be specific.

And, it just so happened to be the weekend Jigg’s Smokehouse rolled out a new sandwich: smoked chopped Pork Sandwich.

Have you been to Jigg’s? It’s were the cool kids go to eat. And, well, the not-so cool kids, too.

I forgot my business card, or I’d have put mine up there, too.

Right beside this pig. Because well, I work for the Pork Council, and it’s fitting.

There are a lot of options for barbecue sauce. Personally, I enjoy that they’re in ROYGBIV order. [sort of]

It’s uncertain whether or not I was at the cool kid’s table. However, this particular group of locals (and truly, they were locals: teacher, coach…. you can’t get more local than that) put the barbecue on their chips. I’m a fan. A really, really big fan.

This is Lynn. Not only does he keep the uh-mazing family business alive (read about that here) he also makes a mean pork sandwich.

And, he has a few stories on the Boss Man. Sorry, they can’t be posted at this time. I still have to make a paycheck.

Looks good doesn’t it? To be honest, my white-balance was off on my camera so this pic is courtesy of the Jigg’s Smokehouse Facebook page.

If you want to try one of these mouth-watering sandwiches – it’s currently on the menu every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Don’t forget to tell them we said hello!

Grocery Shopping

My favorite days of work are when I’m not sitting behind a computer monitor.

So, when I tell you yesterday was fantastic… you should understand that means… I was not behind my computer monitor

Yesterday, I met with the Rob, Retail Marketing Manager from the National Pork Board, and we had the opportunity to visit a few local grocery stores and personell to get the ball rolling for a few promotions.

As many of you may know, May is the official launch of the National Pork Board’s new brand: pork.

The brand is pork, because when you go to the store you don’t write, “the other white meat,” on your list, you write, “pork.”

There are a few [thousand] more researched reasons for pork as the brand, but that’s the cliffs notes version.

Anyway, during May you’ll see a lot more Point-of-Sale materials in your local Homeland stores and we’re working on a few other stores!

I’m hungry (are you?)

 

We all eat. Food, I hope.

It’s part of life.

So, grocery shopping has become a critical part of our lives just like fueling up the Swagger Wagon {see video here} is the norm.

To me {as a twenty-something}, I look for price, first. Let’s be honest.

My hierarchy of needs looks a little like this: price, ingredients, packaging {just keepin’ it real}. I also want to know my food is safe. Shopping in America, I sometimes take for granted that our food has multiple checks and a system of caring individuals who ensure our food supply is safe and affordable.

So the big question is – where do you shop for groceries? What are you looking for?

Pork and Pasta Skillet Supper

Hey Pork Fans! Looking for something for dinner tonight? Or planning ahead for

this week?

Check out this recipe!

Pork and Pasta Skillet Supper

Times:

5 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook

Ingredients:

1 pound Ground Pork
1 medium onion, chopped
1 14 1/2-oz can pasta-ready tomatoes
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 small yellow summer squash, OR zucchini, sliced into half moons
1 1/2 cups penne pasta, hot cooked, OR other small paste shape

Cooking Directions:

Heat nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and onion; cook and stir until evenly browned. Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in squash and pasta. Cook for 2-5 minutes or until heated through. Serves 4

Serving Suggestions:

This dish makes pantry staples into a quick weekday meal. Serve with a crisp green salad and French bread.

Nutrition:

Calories: 300 calories
Protein: 30 grams
Fat: 9 grams
Sodium: 400 milligrams
Cholesterol: 70 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 3 grams
Carbohydrates: 27 grams
Fiber: 4 grams

Thanks for stopping by recipe Sunday!

Click here for a printer-friendly copy 

West Coast

Hey guys -

I’ve had the most amazing opportunity to travel to the West Coast and meet with State Communicators, State Educators and Company Communicators at a National Pork Board Meeting.

To be fair, you should know I came a day early to see the city and get an better look at the day-in-the-life of a pork consumer.

So I went to the aquarium. I asked that little girl if she’s ever seen a pig.

She hasn’t. But – she’s been up close and personal with a shark.

Then I went to the Painted Ladies in Alamo Square. Because I grew up in the 90′s. And, Full House was cool.

It still is.

This guy. Well, he doesn’t eat pork.

He prefers fire.

Go figure.

Anyway, I’m having a great time in San Francisco. Tomorrow we’re touring China Town [The oldest china town in North America], the Ferry Building, see the live export of Hogs to Hawaii and visit the Port of Oakland.

Whew.

Can’t wait to share my experiences with you!

2011 Oklahoma Pork Council Award Winners

Today, Oklahoma pork producers are coming together for the 2011 Oklahoma Pork Congress and Annual Meeting. Each year, the Oklahoma pork industry honors a select few individuals who have shown their commitment to not just the pork industry but to the entire agricultural community.

Throughout the day – you can find updates by checking out our facebook page or following us on twitter (#OkporkCongress).

We’ll post more about our speakers, presentations and tradeshow later – but for those of you who can’t be there – here our our award winner videos:

For the full bios, visit the Oklahoma Pork Council Website at www.okpork.org

Robinson Brothers Pork: Committed to caring for the Environment

Robinson Brothers Pork, owned and managed by Rich and Eddie Robinson, consists of 22,000 sows in farrow-to-wean operations. On each of their 13 sites around Holdenville, Okla., you will find an ideal example of an Oklahoma pork producer going green.

The Robinsons are as committed to taking care of the environment around their barns as they are to taking care of the animals inside the barns. Over the past few years, they have upgraded their waste management systems and found more efficient power usage options in order to reduce their farms’ carbon footprint.

They began by upgrading their systems that pump effluent from lagoons and apply it to hay fields. Their previous system used a diesel pump to move effluent from the lagoon to a spray gun where it was applied to the fields. This system took 12-14 days to pump 27 inches of effluent from the lagoon. This created a $140 dollar expense per day to apply effluent using this system.

The Robinson’s began upgrading diesel pumps to electric pumps in 2003 and have installed pivots that use Low Energy Precision Application (LEPA) technology on their sites. They can now drain 27 inches of effluent from the lagoons in 7.5 hours and it costs a total of $143 for the entire application.

“This new system has made lagoon management much easier,” Rich said. “In western Oklahoma, producers don’t worry as much about lagoon levels because they have much less rainfall. In eastern Oklahoma, our lagoons can get full at times. This system helps me manage lagoon levels better and save money in the process.

“In addition to the cost and time savings, we have seen an increase in our hay production,” he said. “We now average eight bales per acre each cutting and cut hay three times each year compared to six bales per acre with the old system.”

The Robinsons applied for and were granted money from the Natural Resources Conservation Services’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to upgrade the pumps and pivots. They received $6,800 for the pump upgraded which costs a total of $13,000. They received $19,000 for the pivots which cost a total of $39,000.

“I would encourage all pork producers to research NRCS programs,” Robinson said. “We found the application process to be easy and the assistance with your initial investment was very helpful.

To make the new application system work, the Robinsons needed three phase power to run the lagoons’ pump motors. To upgrade all power sources to the motors, it would have cost $40,000 per site. However, they found another option of converting the motors that drive their lagoon pumps to variable speed drives.

This system costs $4,000 per motor and will convert to three phase power at the motor rather than upgrading all the power sources. All but four of Robinson sites have variable speed drive motors and their business plan is to convert one site per year to the new motors.

“This new system gives me peace of mind,” Robinson said. “I don’t spend time worrying about lagoon levels when we are getting a lot of rain because I know we are better prepared.”

The Robinsons also enrolled in their rural electric company’s peak power user program. They agreed to use their farm’s generators for power and go off the electric company’s grid on peak power usage days. In return, the electric company waives the monthly peak user fee they used to pay saving $826 per month.

“The peak power program is great for us. We only go off the grid about 7 to 10 days out of the year,” he said.
To research a new way to reduce power used in their barns, the Robinsons enrolled their Sooner Pork facility in a pilot program with the People’s Electric Cooperative and Western Farmers Electric Cooperative to develop a new LED high output light bulb to use in the barns that uses 5 to 7 watts of power but puts out the same amount of light as the 35 watt florescent bulbs they currently use.

About six months ago, the electric cooperatives measured the current light output in the barns. They sent this information back to a company that will produce the new LED bulbs with the instructions that the light output had to be the same.

The Robinsons should be able to install the new light bulbs in early September. The electric company will install a meter on the barns to measure the power consumption from the lights and also check the amount of light output by the bulbs.

Researchers at OSU will monitor the baby pigs. They will track litter weaning weights on pigs under the different sets of lights to see if the sows milking ability changes. They will also look at number of pigs born alive and the mortality rate of the baby pigs.

“Our goal in tracking these biological aspects is to see how the sows and pigs perform under the new lighting system,” said Dr. Ron Kensigner, OSU animal science department head. “The Robinsons can then evaluate this data along with the power usage data the electric company collects to determine the efficiency of the new lighting system.”

“The biggest benefit of these changes is how we are reducing our carbon footprint,” Robinson said. “We don’t want to use any more power than necessary and want to use the latest technology to be as efficient as possible.”

What NRCS programs apply to pork producers?
If you are a producer and are looking at upgrades to your environmental management program there are programs from the Natural Resource Conservation Service that might help you.

The first set of programs, and the most popular of the NRCS programs, is the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP). This is a cost share program that helps farmers and ranchers install or implement conservation practices on agriculture land.

“The EQIP applications are ranked based on the specific resource concern(s) they address and the priority level established at the local level,” said Kenny Hitch, resource conservationist for Oklahoma’s NRCS. “So, if your project that addresses multiple resource concerns that have been identified as locally important, you will get a higher ranking.” 

EQIP funds are awarded from different ‘pools’ of money – state wide programs and county or multi-county specific programs. Applications are accepted and ranked on a continuous basis and money is awarded until it runs out. Some examples of EQIP programs that were available in 2010 are:

Lagoon clean-out
Manure transfer
Irrigation water conservation
CAFO waste management
Tube digester for mortality disposal

For a full list and description of EQIP programs visit www.ok.nrcs.gov/programs/eqip.

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a new NRCS program that farmers and ranchers can enroll in to receive a payment for conversation practices they currently use and gives them additional payment for adding conservation activities to their management plan.

“CSP is a reward to producers for doing the right thing and an extra incentive for doing something a little extra,” Hitch said.

While EQIP is a project based program, CSP is a comprehensive program that looks at the whole agriculture operation. Also, CSP requires a five year commitment from the farmer/rancher that they will own or control and operate on the land and maintain conservation practices. Some examples of practices eligible for the CPS program are:

Air quality improvement
Planting a cover crop to take up additional nitrogen
Improving land application of treated manure on cropland
Reducing the concentration of nutrients on farms by reducing the amount of feed on farms
On farm composting of organic farm waste

“I would encourage pork producers to look at their entire agriculture operation when thinking about the NRCS programs,” Hitch said. “CSP could include things like wildlife management around the pastures where you land-apply.”

The NRCS has developed a CSP self-screen checklist that producers can complete to help them determine if the CSP program is right for their operation. You can download that check list at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/new_csp/csp.html.

Oklahoma NRCS receives an allotment of funds for each set of programs. The deadlines vary for each county or state program. Usually they begin accepting applications in December. You can find the deadlines and download applications online at www.ok.nrcs.usda.gov/programs.

“Many program areas don’t have enough money to grant funds to each applicant,” Hitch said. “But other areas, such as animal waste management have money left each year.”

You should contact your county NRCS office for assistance with the application or questions about a program.

This article was originally published in the okPORK PAGES quarterly publication.