Welcome to the Pork Conference
Networking – Back in 2021!
Network with the more than 900 attendees at NPIC with most producer participants representing the top 150 pork production systems in North America. Participants represent areas of management, production, nutrition, health, finance, human resources and more.
Speakers
NPIC will showcase over 25 highly qualified speakers who will bring their expertise to mainstage and breakout sessions.
Break-outs
Break-out sessions are presented on Monday afternoon of the conference. Participants will have the opportunity to choose between 10+ sessions focused on relevant industry topics.
Family Fun – Back in 2021!
Wisconsin Dells, better known as “The Waterpark Capital of the World!®” offers fun for all ages. Enjoy the endless hours of fun at the NPIC host hotel, Kalahari, where there is an exciting mix of rides, slides and adventures for the whole family in the resort waterpark and thrilling indoor theme park. Plus, check out the resort’s other amenities such as Spa Kalahari & Salon and exceptional dining options.
Golf – Back in 2021!
Year after year folks look forward to the annual NPIC golf tournament held on Tuesday afternoon at the award winning Trappers Turn Golf Course in Wisconsin Dells. Please visit the Registration section of the web page to register for the golf tournament.
Hope to see you there!
NPIC celebrates its 25th year in 2021. Once again, three days of exceptional presentations, networking and collaboration will take place during the conference. We hope to see you in July!
About Conference
25th Annual National Pork Conference
The National Pork Industry Conference (NPIC) was the vision of Larry Graham and has roots back to the early 90’s. The current generation of NPIC was founded by Larry & Jean Graham in 1996 and was initially held at various upper Midwest locations. As the conference attendance grew, it ultimately found a home at the Four Seasons Resort, then Tan-Tar-A at Lake of the Ozarks, before moving in 2010 to its current location at the Kalahari Waterpark and Conference Center in Wisconsin Dells, WI.
The NPIC conference is built upon three pillars: education, networking, and family. The conference offers a wide array of sessions focused on current swine industry topics, nutrition, health, safety, marketing and more. 21st Century Strategic Forums, L.L.C. produces and hosts the conference and partners with leading allied industry companies to deliver what some call, “The Best Pork Producer Event in North America”.
The National Pork Industry Conference is held annually the 2nd week of July and attracts 900 attendees with most producer participants representing the Top 150 Pork Production Systems in North America.
Get The Kids Involved
Back in 2021! The National Pork industry Conference (NPIC) is partnering with Smithfield Foods and the National Pork Board to offer the 2021 Youth Workshop event to elementary and middle school-age youth.
The workshop will be an exciting and interactive way to get our youth involved in the pork industry – and have some fun along the way!
Youth will learn about the pork supply chain, food safety and handling and have a chance to cook up their very own pork pizza creation.
Date: Tuesday, July 13th, 2021
Time: 9:00am – 11:30am
Location: Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Lead Sponsors
Cooperating Sponsors
Conference Agenda
Sunday
July 11, 2021
Registration
Location: Kalahari Convention Center, Africa Ballroom Foyer
NPIC KICK-OFF BBQ
Location: Kalahari Convention Center, Africa West
Enjoy a delicious barbeque with select pork items prepared by Lynch Livestock on their BIG GRILL that you’ve seen at World Pork Expo. Join old friends and make new ones!
Monday
July 12, 2021
Buffet Breakfast
Location: Africa West
Keynote: Can Animal Agriculture Save the Planet? Jack Bobo – CEO, Futurity
Location: Africa East
The next 30 years will determine the fate of the planet. Demand for food will nearly double, driven by population growth and rising incomes. This demand will put increasing pressure on the earth’s natural resources, from greenhouse gas emissions to fresh water and forests. New innovations and consumer trends will further transform the food sector, especially meat and poultry production. From cell cultured meat and plant-based proteins to food preferences and calls for more sustainable farming, the meat sector will never be the same. What farmers and food producers do is important, but how they talk about what they do is equally important. It’s time to meat the future.
Keys and Tips for Building a Successful Team – Dr. Jim Pillen, Pillen Family Farms
Location: Africa East
Dr. Pillen will share tips from his experience with what works to build an effective team.
Break
Location: Africa Ballroom Foyer
Update from NPPC’s New President – Jen Sorenson – President, National Pork Producers Council
Jen Sorenson, 2021-22 NPPC President will take the stage and update conference attendees on the challenges and priorities facing U.S. pork producers.
Looking Back at 25 Years and Ahead to the Next 25 – Mark Greenwood, Chief Diversified Markets Officer, Compeer Financial
Location: Africa East
We will celebrate 25 years of NPIC and the industry with Mr. Greenwood’s session where he will explore the industry’s financial trends with exploration of the past, present and future around economics, export dependency, integration (industry structure), and more.
Conference Attendee Lunch
Location: Africa West
Sit down and recap the morning sessions, catch-up with fellow conference attendees and industry friends, old and new.
Lead Sponsor Breakout Sessions
- 1:15 pm – 2:15 pm
- Farm Credit Mid-America – Location: Suite A
- Elanco – Location: Suite B
- PRRS Panel Discussion
- Genesus – Location: Suite H
- 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
- AP – Location: Suite A
- Beef and Chicken Markets: A Look into What’s Driving Competing Proteins – Sarah Havala, Protein Commodities Director, Cleveland Research Company
- Compeer Financial – Location: Suite B
- Pork Industry Changes, Challenges and Opportunities – Kent Bang and Mark Greenwood, Compeer Financial
- AP – Location: Suite A
- 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm
- Fast Genetics – Location: Suite A
- The Business of Agriculture – Damian Mason
- Farm Credit Services of America – Location: Suite B
- Succession Planning and the Artillery Headed Our Way! Judd Norman, Lincoln Capital, LLC and Dave Dvorak, Dvorak Law Group, LLC
- Fast Genetics – Location: Suite A
Industry Topic Breakout Sessions
Sessions Offered Three Times (1:15-2:15 pm; 2:30-3:30 pm; 3:45-4:45 pm)
- Sow Production – Outperforming Expectations…When you drive your performance strategy to the slats
- Barrett Eller – New Fashion Pork
- This session will provide key steps for cascading leading actions down to your team to reflect production results and personnel development.
- Location: Suite C
- Nursery Production –Top 10 Ways to Deal with PRRS Positive Pigs in the Nursery
- Dr. Chris Sievers, Swine Vet Center & Dr. Ryan Strobel, Swine Vet Center
- Location: Suite D
- Finishing Production – Setting Pigs Up for Success in Finishing
- Dr. Jeff Blythe, Pipestone Veterinary Services
- Location: Suite E
- Health –What is the Current Health Status of the US Swine Industry?
- Dr. Jason Kelly, Suidae Health & Production
- Location: Suite F
- Nutrition – Today’s Feeding for Tomorrow’s Success
- Nutritionist Panel
- Location: Tamarind
- Risk Management
- Ben Johnson, New Frontier Capital Markets
- Location: Portia
- Data in the Cloud or a Fog of Data – Creating Operational Success with Business Intelligence Data and Tools
- Joe Dykhuis, Dykhuis Farms
- Casey Westphalen, NutriQuest
- Location: Guava
- Keys and Tips for Building a Successful Team – Using management tools to facilitate communication and team building
- Shonda Sammons, Ag Leadership Partners
- Location: Suite G
Tuesday
July 13, 2021
Early Bird Session: Fireside Chat with National Pork Board CEO, Bill Even
Location: Africa East
Buffet Breakfast
Location: Africa West
Looking Back at 25 Years and Ahead to the Next 25 – Dr. Joe Connor, Carthage Veterinary Service, Ltd.
Location: Africa East
We will kick off Day 2 of the conference celebrating 25 years of NPIC and industry production with Dr. Connor’s operational focused session looking at a past, present and future view of health, productivity, genetics, cost of production and more.
Firsthand View of the Chinese Pork Production Industry
Location: Africa East
Break
Location: Africa Ballroom Foyer
Sustainability – The Journey and Role of Animal Agriculture in Building a Sustainable Food System
Location: Africa East
Conference Ends for the Day
NPIC Golf Tournament
Location: Trappers Turn Golf Course
Wednesday
July 14, 2021
Grab n Go Breakfast
Location: Africa West
Early Bird Session: What’s on Your Mind?
Location: Suites A & H
This is truly a bull session. Some past attendees have rated it the most beneficial session of the conference. It’s a chance for a group of producers to get together and discuss anything on their minds. Guest facilitator and NPIC Founder, Larry Graham, will join the session as we celebrate 25 years of his vision – industry collaboration, networking and education.
NPPC Update – Prop 12, New Administration, Exports, Immigration and More – Nick Giordano, Vice President and Counsel, NPPC
Focusing on the Markets – Led by Industry Economic Experts Dr. Steve Meyer & Joe Kerns, Partners for Production Agriculture
Registration
Registration for the 2021 Conference and Golf is now available! Hope to see you there.
Address
21st Century Strategic Forums
Clear Lake, Iowa 50428
Send Email
Phone
(712) 898-8076
With over 30 years of experience, including a strong focus in the financial services industry, Shonda Sammons works directly with employers and employees to provide coaching, guidance, and expertise to build brand advocates. Through working directly with frontline and support staff, and gaining a thorough understanding of a company’s strategic and branding focus, she fosters abilities and uncovers hidden competitive advantages in a company’s existing workforce.
Frank Mitloehner is a Professor and Air Quality Specialist in Cooperative Extension in the Department of Animal Science at the University of California, Davis. He received his MS degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Leipzig, Germany, and his Ph.D. degree in Animal Science from Texas Technical University.
Dr. Trey Kellner received his M.S. and Ph.D. from Iowa State University in 2017, following his B.S. at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He joined AMVC Nutritional Services as their first Swine Nutritionist. Trey oversees the feeding program for over 150,000 sows and 1,200,000 market pigs per year in 9 states across 28 feed mills. Trey works in tandem with primary caretakers, production managers, veterinarians, central feed desk employees, and feed mill managers to execute successful feeding programs and predict economic and performance outcomes. His professional, research and academic achievements have earned him recognition as a: Stahly/Peo Outstanding Swine Nutrition Graduate Student, ASAS Young Scholar, and Iowa State University Graduate College Emerging Leader. Most recently, Trey was honored with the 2020 Young Alumni of Distinction Award by the Animal Science Department at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Trey currently resides in Audubon, Iowa with his wife Heather and son Theo.
Dr. Kelly grew up on a farm in Kokomo, Indiana, and always knew he wanted to be a veterinarian. In 2003, he graduated with a DVM from Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Kelly is a swine practitioner and managing partner at Suidae Health and Production, a swine-exclusive practice of six swine veterinarians serving clients in Iowa and the Midwest. Since joining Suidae in 2003, Dr. Kelly has earned the respect of his clients through diligent application of scientific knowledge and art, integrity, and character. He currently resides with his family in Algona, IA.
Dr. Michelle Sprague – DVM
Kristen Cumming offers over 20 years’ experience in career development and human resources, complemented by a passion for demography. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and a Master of Education degree in Workplace and Adult Learning. Kristen was an instructor with the University of Alberta – Augustana Campus for eight years and for the past 20 has operated a successful consulting practice through which she serves as a speaker, facilitator, and trainer on recruitment and retention, leadership, and execution.
Dr. Tim Loula is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine. He is co-founder and co-owner of Swine Vet Center, an exclusively swine veterinary practice in St. Peter, Minnesota which employs 15 swine veterinary consultants.
Dr. Chris Sievers – DVM
Jennifer is a Research Associate at Livestock Gentec, at the University of Alberta. She received her MSc in Animal Science from the University of Alberta, specializing in Gilt Management and Reproduction. Her work focuses on implementing management practices to better capture the true genetic potential of the contemporary dam and sire lines through improving gilt management to maximize sow lifetime productivity, improving the impact of AI boars in the production system and improving efficiencies at the production level. She enjoys working with industry partners to conduct research projects in commercial settings and analyzing production data to help make data-driven decisions that will positively affect overall herd performance.
Kara Stewart – Assistant Professor of Animal Science
Nick Giordano is Vice President and Counsel, Global Government Affairs for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). He leads NPPC’s D.C. office and is involved in all aspects of policy issues as they impact the interests of U.S. pork producers. Those issues include, but are not limited to, agriculture, economic, energy, environment, food, immigration, production, science & technology, tax, and trade.
Pat VonTersch, founder and owner of Professional Ag Marketing, has “skin in the game”. As a producer himself, Pat knows that to manage risk and react to the market, you must be adaptive and innovative. At Professional Ag Marketing, the overriding core value is to do what’s right for each client by helping them make the best decisions. A dedicated team of experts provides focused and customized models as well as share information, recommendations, and guidance to producers to help maximize their profitability.
Dr. Steve Meyer joined Kerns and Associates in January 2018 after serving as Vice President – Pork Analysis at EMI Analytics since May 2015. Dr. Meyer’s duties at Kerns and Associates include ongoing analysis of hog and pork markets and assisting Kerns clients (which now include the National Pork Board and National Pork Producers Council) in using his insights to successfully manage their businesses. He brings a wealth of experience in the livestock industry. His breadth of work in the pork industry is unique. Prior to his time at EMI Analytics, Dr. Meyer was President of Paragon Economics, Inc. where he also monitored and analyzed cattle, beef, and poultry markets to meet the needs of his diverse set of clients. He served for 12 years as an author of The Daily Livestock Report sponsored by CME Group, an e-newsletter whose circulation grew steadily following its introduction in 2003. In addition, he writes a feature article for National Hog Farmer’s Weekly Preview e-letter that focuses on economic issues in North America’s swine/pork sector.
Dhamu R. Thamodaran, executive vice president, chief strategy officer, and chief commodity hedging officer for Smithfield Foods, Inc., has been a global leader in the agricultural industry for more than 30 years.
has twenty-five years’ experience working with producers, suppliers, and mills to support agricultural operations. He and his team assist clients with procurement and risk management activities related to hedging, ingredient purchase, optimizing relationships with mills, developing programs to assist in feed quality control, cost-effective diet formulation, operational benchmarking, livestock marketing, generational transition, and business development. Prior to this consulting venture, he directed risk management activities for industry leaders such as ADM, Premium Standard Farms, Continental Grain, and Iowa Select Farms. In his current enterprise as a risk management consultant, he and his team work with livestock producers and suppliers in 13 states. Clients include packers, producers, veterinarians, researchers, mill operators, and feed ingredient suppliers. Team members have also served as keynote speakers for international agricultural agencies and suppliers, providing context about commodity markets, nutritional factors impacting production, and operational sustainability, leadership, and ownership.