After a two-year hiatus, World Pork Expo has returned to Des Moines, Iowa for its 33rd annual event.
“We anticipate a large registration and showing and turnout of our producers across the U.S. who want to come to Des Moines and hear about that new innovation, new products, new services being offered to the U.S. pork industry, but also recognizing the fellowship and camaraderie we have as pork producers,” said Jen Sorenson, President of the National Pork Producer’s Council. “I think we’re excited to see everyone.”
Last year’s event in Iowa was canceled due to the pandemic. The year before that, 2019, it was canceled due to African Swine Fever concerns.
For many, this is the first in-person pork event they will have attended since the start of the pandemic.
“Sadly we have taken away the live pig show, which brought quite a bit of risk when it comes to disease transmission and made some adjustments from a human health and COVID standpoint as well,” said Sorenson. “We’re looking forward to having a safe and biosecure World Pork Expo over the next two and a half days.”
NPPC is expecting thousands of producers and industry professionals to attend, including a trade show with more than 700 vendors.
AgDay TV’s Clinton Griffiths also asked Sorenson about the recent line speed ruling during a Farm Journal Live.
“Right now we’re working through a solution with the labor unions, with USDA, with the packing plants, and with the pork producers who will be impacted,” said Sorenson. “So, hopefully, we will come to a compromise here soon.”
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa told reporters on Tuesday he is leading the effort to send a letter to USDA and Department of Justice.
The letter will ask the agencies to appeal a court ruling that ordered a return to slower line speeds at pork packing plants.
This after USDA announced last month it would not seek to overturn the ruling and instead said plants should prepare to revert to a maximum line speed of 1106 head per hour at the end of this month.
“These plants that do follow the faster line speeds are very regionalized,” said Sorenson. “Producers who supply into those six specific plants could see a 25% capacity reduction, which is a lot. When we look at what happened last fall and last spring with COVID and the backup of animals we do not want to be in that situation again.”
An Iowa State economist says the slower speeds could cut income by more than $80 million dollars.
