New World Screwworm Threat Persists

Story by Oklahoma Pork's Matti Carlile

Recently, the Oklahoma Pork Council was given the opportunity to participate in a New World Screwworm (NWS) workshop hosted at Oklahoma State University (OSU). Matti Carlile represented our state's pork producers for this event and came away with several key learnings relevant to our industry.

The United States eradicated screwworm using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), which takes advantage of the fact that females only mate once. If they mate with sterile males, no viable offspring are produced. This program began in the 1950s, and by the mid-1970s screwworm was eliminated from the U.S., with the last reported case in Oklahoma in 1976. The effort required significant investment, about $32 million at the time, but returned substantial economic benefits to livestock producers.

More recently, a 2016 outbreak in the Florida Keys primarily affecting deer was successfully controlled by releasing roughly 180+ million sterile flies over several months. While eradicated domestically, the threat remains, as cases have been detected within roughly 70 miles of the Texas–Mexico border, emphasizing the need for continued awareness. 

One great piece of advice for Oklahoma livestock producers was to schedule procedures like castration, dehorning, or branding during cooler months when fly activity is low, and monitor and treat any wounds promptly during warmer seasons.

Promoting Pork During MIO Month

Happy "Made in Oklahoma" Month to our members throughout the pork supply chain! In celebration of the countless pork items produced right here at home, the Oklahoma Pork Council once again partnered with our friends at the Made in Oklahoma (MIO) Coalition for two fun events during April. 

On Thursday, the Oklahoma Pork Council hosted our first of the two MIO Month festivities with a free pork lunch at Crest Foods in Edmond. Despite a lot of wind, we had 200 free Prairie Fresh pulled pork sandwiches ready to share on behalf of the Oklahoma Pork Council and cooked by our friends at Head Country BBQ. Each of these free lunch events we do throughout the year brings something new, and for Thursday's Crest Foods experience it was an interesting series of questions and comments from real-world consumers. Shoppers took note of pork's affordability compared to beef products and several people shared their personal connections to pork production through 4-H and FFA while growing up. We never get tired of promoting pork to our neighbors across Oklahoma, and doing so with free delicious food and smiles is always well received!

Then just a few hours ago, our Head Country BBQ pals did it again with more than 200 delicious pork meals available with hungry shoppers at Pruett Foods along Northwest Expressway in Oklahoma City. The MIO Coalition members continually prove to be great supporters of Oklahoma's pork industry, and this week's giveaway events are only the most recent examples of this successful teamwork. Their coalition consists of more than 100 food and beverage companies proudly representing home-grown products in our state, and we love teaming up with these passionate folks multiple times each year.

If you are interested in helping the Oklahoma Pork Council host a free lunch event in your community, click here to let us know. Within our Image Enhancement strategic intention, we are always looking for chances to feed people pork across the state with an "Outreach Budget" specifically allocated by our farmer-leaders to feed folks as often as we can.

First-Ever Oklahoma Pork White House Meeting

Because of great relationships with our DC network and a "why not try?" attitude from the Oklahoma Pork Council staff, we often find our small-but-mighty group of Oklahoma LAC participants in special meetings that other states have not gotten to attend. Whether that's visiting with high ranking officials at federal agencies or meeting with expert Congressional staff - we are happy to make a moonshot ask if it means our farmers might get to tell their meaningful stories to powerful decision makers. 

On Wednesday of this week, the latest example of this bold strategy came to fruition when our Oklahoma Pork crew in DC got to have our organization's first-ever meeting on the White House grounds. Thanks to coordination by Kylee, three of Oklahoma's finest pig farmers shared insight and gained perspective from Grace Hasler, Deputy Associate Director of the Public Liaison Office within the Trump White House. 

Click here to review the official White House Agriculture webpage to see some of the Administration's highlights related to U.S. food and fiber production.

Two Oklahomans in National Leadership Roles

Two of our pork leaders spent time in DC this week beyond just the Legislative Action Conference (LAC) agenda - as Joe Popplewell participated in his first official meetings as a National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) board member, and Dr. Suzanne Genova completed her second training session as a 2026 Pork Leadership Institute (PLI) member. 

About their packed week representing Oklahoma in these national leadership roles, Joe and Dr. Genova had the following to share: 

“I have been fortunate to participate in LAC several times over the years," Joe Popplewell shared. "But, this week was eye-opening as my first time experiencing this trip as a board member for NPPC. Representing Oklahoma among this national group of leaders provided wisdom from other states and the key NPPC staff members our industry relies on to lead our policy efforts and protect our right to farm. ”

We are proud of Joe for this national leadership role, and we look forward to his continued insight as he represents Oklahoma on the NPPC board until 2028. 

“Flying to DC this week for the second leg my year-long participation in PLI and representing our industry during LAC has been a great experience both professionally and personally," Dr. Genova said reflecting on her week. "I feel proud to be an Oklahoman and really enjoyed the opportunity to meet with our state’s representatives to educate them about pressing issues effecting pork and agriculture, while thanking them for their continued support.”

Thank you to Dr. Genova for stepping up to learn and grow within the broader pork industry through this experience!

Oklahoma Pork Producers Advocate in Washington

This week, more than 100 pork producers from across the country convened in Washington, DC, to advocate for our industry and strengthen relationships with our federal policymakers. Attendees participated in national briefings and Capitol Hill visits to educate members of Congress and staff on current pork priorities.

Twice per year, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) hosts this Legislative Action Conference (LAC), where Oklahoma Pork members have an opportunity to visit DC alongside fellow pork producers from farms across the United States. For this week's Spring LAC 2026, Oklahoma was well represented by newly elected NPPC board member Joe Popplewell of Tyson Foods, Oklahoma Pork Council president-elect and current Pork Leadership Institute (PLI) member Dr. Suzanne Genova, and Oklahoma Pork board member Hannah Bevins of Tyson Foods. Oklahoma Pork staff Kylee Deniz and Shay Stegmann coordinated the trip and represented Oklahoma alongside these three talented pork leaders. Additionally, Mykenzie Darg - who will join the Oklahoma Pork staff for eight months beginning this fall as part of the national pork industry immersion program - was also able to join us.

Sharing Pork’s Story at the Oklahoma Nutrition and Dietetics Spring Convention



Through partnership with the National Pork Board, Oklahoma Pork served as a 2026 convention silver sponsor, which included participation in the vendor fair. This provided a strong opportunity to share the pigs to pork story, highlight pork’s role in a healthy diet, and promote national nutrition efforts, including the Pork and Partners community developed by Emily Krause and Dr. Kristin Hicks-Roof. Click here to learn more about the Pork and Partners community.

In addition, through an eight-month partnership with Umo Callins, a sports trainer and registered dietitian based in Oklahoma City, new content was developed for a continuing education session at the convention titled “Pork, the Underrated Protein.”  

A highlight of the conference came as a surprise as Oklahoma Pork was honored with the 2026 Friend of the Oklahoma Nutrition and Dietetics Association Award. From a collaboration with the Dirt Dietitian, Sheri Glazier, at the GROWN event last fall to engagement at this week’s convention, Oklahoma Pork remains committed to building trust with consumers and working alongside registered dietitians and nutrition influencers to help carry our message as trusted experts. Click here to explore the National Pork Board’s latest nutrition research!

OSU Capstone Pork Talk and Pork Powered Sendoff for Dr. Fitch

There are few better ways to kickoff April than by investing in the next generation of agricultural leaders, and that is exactly what the Oklahoma Pork team set out to do on the Oklahoma State University campus. 

Oklahoma Pork was honored to once again speak to Dr. Jerry Fitch’s OSU Animal Science Capstone class of more than 100 students on Wednesday. And of course, we did not show up empty-handed. In true Oklahoma Pork fashion, we came ready to make our visit memorable with some of the best swag around and what we like to think was a top contender for “best capstone presentation of the year.” But, the real crowd-pleaser was breakfast tacos!  

We brought in a couple hundred bacon and chorizo breakfast tacos from Fuzzy's Taco Shop to treat students in Dr. Fitch’s Capstone class along with others gathered in the Animal Science building lobby. It was our way of saying thank you as Dr. Fitch looks ahead to retirement after 39 years of service to the OSU Animal Science Department. We are grateful for Dr. Fitch’s leadership and proud to celebrate him the best way we know how with a pork powered breakfast taco in the hallway of Animal Science.

Consider sending Dr. Fitch a note of appreciation for his commitment to giving pork a platform and for his dedication to teaching at OSU as he approaches his June 2026 retirement!

Hannah Bevins Featured in National "Barn Heroes" Series

Oklahoma pig farmers continue to gain national recognition, and this time the spotlight shines on Hannah Bevins. Farm Journal’s PORK editor, Jennifer Shike, recently reached out to the Oklahoma Pork team to feature Hannah as the next producer highlighted in the Barn Heroes seriessponsored by United Animal Health. 

Hannah serves as a senior supervisor for Tyson Foods’ Genetic Nucleus Farm in southeast Oklahoma, where she leads a team of eight and oversees 1,300 sows. Her work spans the full production cycle, from breeding and farrowing to selecting replacement gilts for internal use and multiplier farms. 

She was recognized not only for her operational excellence, but for the way she leads people. Hannah brings an energy that builds trust across her team and creates a strong culture on the farm. She often says people may come to work for a paycheck, but they stay and grow when they understand the “why.” Read Hannah’s Farm Journal’s PORK article here!

Hannah’s recognition has extended beyond the written story. Just last week, AgDay featured her in a television segment taking a closer look at her operation and leadership. Oklahoma Pork’s Shay Stegman stepped in to capture the footage working alongside Jennifer Shike to help bring the story to life. Click here to watch Hannah’s “One Woman's Unconventional Start To Raising Pigs” television segment. 

Congratulations to Hannah on this well-deserved recognition and for representing Oklahoma so well! 

Giving Back in More Ways than One

At Oklahoma Pork, we love to share image enhancement stories of how our industry is more than raising pigs and about how pork producers and youth swine exhibitors are making a meaningful difference in their communities.  

One powerful example of this came through a recent collaboration with the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. Sara Marlow, Advocacy and Public Policy Coordinator at the Tulsa food bank, helped coordinate a special treat for more than 50 Oklahoma Youth Expo Swine Show Volunteers: Tiny’s Cookies, one of the food bank’s culinary brands. These cookies provided a sweet afternoon treat and highlighted a creative fundraising effort that supports local programs and gives youth groups like FFA chapters and 4-H clubs a way to learn about community service while raising funds for their own activities. 

The collaboration also included inviting 4-H and FFA students to donate their market barrows to the Backpack for Kids program, which initiative supports children facing food insecurity by providing backpacks filled with nutritious, high protein pork sticks. Pork for Packs processes donated hogs from youth projects into protein sticks that help feed chronically hungry children across Oklahoma through backpack programs run by the Regional Food Bank and the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. 

The Oklahoma Pork Council is proud to work alongside Sara, Jeff Marlow, and the entire team at the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma giving back in more ways than one and showing the positive impact Oklahoma pork producers and youth can have across the state. 

Engaging Future Veterinarians at ExpOSUre Event

As part of our Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness strategic intention, the Oklahoma Pork Council was excited to participate in the ExpOSUre: Livestock Docs event at the Oklahoma Youth Expo, collaborating once again with the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry. This two-hour event introduces students interested in veterinary medicine to hands-on experiences critical to animal health and biosecurity. 

On Tuesday, Oklahoma Pork’s Matti Carlile kicked off the event with a 25-minute biosecurity exercise and icebreaker. Matti guided students through the difference between cleaning and disinfecting, reinforcing the importance of disease prevention in pork production. Following the exercise, participants rotated through stations every 10 minutes to gain hands-on experience with OSU College of Veterinary Medicine faculty. Stations included ear notching, surgical site preparation, suture removal, subcutaneous injections, ultrasound, and several other interactive learning opportunities. 

Oklahoma Pork values the chance to engage with these future veterinarians. For more information about Matti's biosecurity workshop or the “ExpOSUre: Livestock Docs” program, please reach out to her directly.