Joe Popplewell Runs for NPPC Board of Directors

The Oklahoma Pork Council is proud to share that Joe Popplewell, longtime Oklahoma pork producer and past council president, is seeking election to the National Pork Producers Council Board of Directors. 

Joe has been raising pigs in Oklahoma for more than 30 years and brings hands-on experience from multiple swine production systems. Throughout his career, he has stepped forward to advocate for pork producers and has built strong relationships across the U.S. pork industry. Those connections, combined with his practical, producer-driven perspective, position him well to represent Oklahoma pork at the national level. 

Service to the industry has long defined Joe’s leadership. He has served as Oklahoma Pork Council president four times and represented our state through numerous national committees and leadership roles. Joe regularly engages with decision makers at the local, state, and national levels and understands how policy decisions affect farms, families, and rural communities.  Learn more at okpork.org/joefornppc. 

Proactive Leadership Keeps Oklahoma Pork Prepared During Winter Storm

Bringing widespread snow and bitter cold, the first significant weather event of 2026 moved across Oklahoma. Pig farmers prepared ahead of the storm, and despite challenging conditions, many reported to the Oklahoma Pork team that they fared well. 

As the storm approached, clear communication and coordination across the industry proved essential. Dr. Alicia Gorczyca-Southerland, Oklahoma Deputy State Veterinarian, sent a pre-storm message to swine veterinarians encouraging them to review emergency plans, prepare staff for travel challenges, secure water supplies, and identify backup heating options.  

 Preparation is a year-round responsibility for Oklahoma pig farmers. Whether facing winter cold or summer heat, they plan ahead to keep pigs safe, comfortable, and well cared for. During this storm, modern farm technologies such as climate-controlled barns, feeding systems, and reliable water helped maintain animal health and keep farms operating safely. 

Oklahoma Pork is grateful for Dr. G’s leadership and the teamwork among veterinarians, producers, and industry partners during the storm. We successfully navigated our first major weather event of 2026 and will use the lessons learned to strengthen planning for the next challenge.

Engaging the Next Generation of Leaders in Northeast Oklahoma

Photos courtesy of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College

Last week, Oklahoma Pork Executive Director Kylee Deniz was invited to serve as a keynote speaker and breakout session leader at the NEO Branded in Leadership Conference. The invitation was extended by Dr. Mary Booth, Chair of the NEO Agriculture Department, and provided a meaningful opportunity to engage with students from across far northeast Oklahoma and share insights on leadership and the pork industry.  

Kylee delivered a keynote to a ballroom filled with more than 120 FFA members and their advisors titled The Soft Skills of Bold Leaders. Her message focused on communication, confidence, and personal responsibility, skills that matter no matter where students choose to apply their talents. Later, she led a breakout session titled TNT Traits: The Traits That Take No Talent, encouraging students to focus on habits and attitudes that set strong leaders apart. 

The conference offered a valuable space to connect with FFA members from the far northeast corner of the state. It also allowed Oklahoma Pork to highlight the many career opportunities in the pork industry and reinforce our commitment to workforce development at all levels. 

Our team values every chance to spend time with students and educators shaping the future of agriculture. After events like Wednesday’s in Miami, Oklahoma, we love seeing spikes in traffic to our Workforce at All Levels jobs portal at okpork.org/realporkjobs. 

Dr. Suzanne Genova to Represent Oklahoma in National Pork Leadership Institute

Oklahoma will be well represented on the national stage this year as Dr. Suzanne Genova has been selected to participate in the Pork Leadership Institute. PLI is a comprehensive leadership development program jointly conducted by the National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board. Each year, up to 20 individuals are selected through a highly competitive application process. Program graduates are prepared to share the pork industry’s story and advocate for producers from Main Street to the nation’s capital. 

Dr. Genova is the owner of Red Dirt Veterinary Services based in Stillwater. She provides veterinary care to clients in more than 45 Oklahoma counties and four additional states, with much of her work focused on supporting the show pig industry. She is widely respected for her expertise in animal health and her commitment to producer education. In addition to her veterinary practice, Dr. Genova raises purebred Yorkshire and Meishan hogs through her operation, SweetGrass Livestock. She is a valued member of the Oklahoma Pork Council Board of Directors and currently serves as President-Elect. 

The first Pork Leadership Institute session, themed “Charting the Course with Pork,” begins next week in Iowa. We are excited for Dr. Genova and wish her the very best as she represents Oklahoma in this nationally recognized leadership program. 

Nominate Someone Excellent for Recognition

If you are reading this, there's a very strong chance you know an award-worthy pig farmer! Applications are now open for the 2026 Oklahoma Pork Council Excellence Awards. 

This honor recognizes individuals across all areas of pork production for exceptional commitment or innovation within at least one of the Oklahoma Pork Council's four strategic intention areas: Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness, Workforce At All Levels, Image Enhancement, and Freedom to Operate. Each year, the winners of this award are pork producers who view their work as more than a job, bringing passion to their professions each day. Nominees do not have to be Oklahoma Pork Council members or work in any certain sector of production. Up to four producers will be chosen for this acknowledgement, and the winners will be celebrated later in 2026. 

Nominations are due by Sunday, February 15, 2026. Click here to learn more and fill out the quick online application for a deserving member of your team or community. 

Announcing All-Star Interns to Team Pork

Investing in the next generation of agricultural leaders remains a top priority at the Oklahoma Pork Council. We are thrilled to welcome two outstanding college students to our team this summer. Both impressed us during last fall’s collegiate leadership experience and stood out in a highly competitive internship process that began with more than 50 applicants. 

Halle Pullen is an agricultural communications junior at Oklahoma State University from Stratford, Oklahoma. She grew up working in her family’s peach orchard and attending weekly farmers markets, where her passion for connecting producers and consumers first took root. Halle also exhibited show pigs through FFA, a love for animal agriculture that she has carried into her undergraduate studies. At OSU, she has developed skills in photography and videography through internships with American Farmers and Ranchers Cooperative and Legacy Livestock Imaging. 

Rachel Swinford is an Agricultural Business (Pre-Law) student at Oklahoma State University. She began showing pigs at a young age and continues to raise them today, experiences that shaped her appreciation for animal agriculture and producer stewardship. Rachel’s academic focus has fueled a strong interest in representing and advancing the agricultural industry. She has further cultivated this passion through opportunities such as Ag Voices of the Future in Washington, D.C., and the Personal Improvement and Growth through Swine program in partnership with Showpig.com and the National Pork Board. 

Our team is counting down the days until Halle and Rachel join us for a summer of service to Oklahoma pork producers!

National Pork Policy Producer Leaders in Oklahoma

This week, Oklahoma had the honor of hosting the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) Board of Directors. We kicked off NPPC’s visit to Oklahoma with a warm welcome by revisiting one of our signature events, Bacon & Bourbon, at VAST on the 49th floor of the Devon Tower. With views of Oklahoma stretching as far as the eye could see, there was no better setting to bring together pig people, delicious pork, and great drinks. These national industry leaders also spent time learning about Oklahoma’s pork industry, connecting with our board members, and exploring key issues affecting agriculture ranging from workforce opportunities to foreign animal disease preparedness.

Specifically on Tuesday afternoon with the Cattlemen’s Congress in the background, the NPPC Board enjoyed top-notch educational discussions at the new OG&E Coliseum on the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. Speakers included Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur, Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture JanLee Rowlett, show pig breeder and 2025-2026 Oklahoma FFA State President Cooper Kline, State Representative John Pfeiffer, and poultry producer and State Board of Agriculture member Brent Bolen. This group of highly influential Oklahomans discussed a wide range of topics impacting Oklahoma agriculture. 

The board also heard from Jeff Pennington of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and Scott Alls of USDA on feral swine challenges. This was followed by a session on proactive efforts to prevent and prepare for New World Screwworm with State Veterinarian Dr. Rod Hall, Deputy State Veterinarian Dr. Alicia Gorczyca-Southerland, and Dr. Jonathan Cammack from Oklahoma State University’s Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. 

Bringing national leadership to our state matters. We thank NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys and NPPC COO Cody McKinley for Oklahoma’s opportunity to host NPPC’s January Board Meeting.

Let a Year Celebrating Pork Producers Begin!

Proud Oklahomans have certainly been raising pigs for generations. But when we study the history of modern pig farming in the state and the Oklahoma Pork Council's unique role serving our producers - we consider this year, 2026, to be the 35th "birthday" of our organization and our current industry. 

So to commemorate this milestone, we plan to happily celebrate Oklahoma pork producers all year long. Throughout 2025, our board and staff began dreaming up fun ways to reflect on our past and prepare for the future. Now as we begin 2026, we ask for your help to share lessons, stories, and friendships from the past three-and-a-half decades of Oklahoma Pork. Whether your favorite memory of Oklahoma's pork industry involves one show pig many years ago or passionately caring for thousands of pigs today - we would love to hear your perspective. 

As part of the 35th anniversary fun, we will incorporate some memorable reflections into several of our signature events throughout the year. We also have a few brand new ideas up our sleeve to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and passion that carried Oklahoma's pork industry from 1991 to today. So take a moment to think back over your own unique pork story, and let us know if you have any photos, stories, or ideas to make this year extra-special looking back and blazing forward!

New Year, Same Grateful Staff Here to Serve

Happy New Year! It's no secret within Oklahoma's agriculture community that the Oklahoma Pork Council staff is comprised of people who truly love our jobs. But with our "Dream Team" only having four full-time members, we used to believe our great culture flew under the radar to those outside agriculture.

For a third time in a row, that assumption has been corrected as the Oklahoma Pork Council has recently been named one of our state's "Great Companies to Work For" by Oklahoma Magazine. Only six organizations were chosen in the food-related category, so we are proud to be recognized for our work and our culture!

We look forward to working with our incredible board of directors and pork producers across Oklahoma in 2026!

Final Give-A-Ham Impact for 2025 Announced

Although we have all turned our sights to 2026, we want to take a moment to properly celebrate the incredible generosity Oklahoma's pork community displayed during the 2025 holiday season. After searching social media and checking in with so many of our faithful friends, we are ready to announce impressive totals for the 2025 Give-A-Ham campaign. Our board and staff extend deep thanks to each person who donated hams, pork products, time, or funds during our most recent giving adventure throughout the month of December.

Even though we know not everyone publicly shares their Give-A-Ham involvement on social media, we can confidently declare more than 830 hams, 40,750 pounds of protein, $25,750 of financial gifts, and 630 volunteer hours were donated as part of Oklahoma's latest Give-A-Ham Challenge. Those record-setting totals mean thousands of Oklahomans enjoyed delicious pork meals in the past month because of our industry's heart for giving, and we have no doubt many additional donations took place in communities across Oklahoma.

Every "Giving Season" the challenge looks a little different, and for 2025 we were especially proud of the broad reach Give-A-Ham achieved impacting all areas of the state. So many wonderful folks joined us to offer 3,000 delicious free pork lunches in Enid, Okemah, Woodward, Bristow, Tecumseh, Lawton, and Leedey during December. Additionally, Seaboard Foods' eye-popping 40,000 pound pork donation to the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma is believed to be the largest single product gift in the campaign's history. Another new element to this year's challenge was a generous $7,000 financial gift from our friends at the National Pork Industry Foundation to support local communities through the campaign. Pairing these highlights with special events like 100+ 4-H and FFA students volunteering at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and the individual giving that occurred thanks to challenges being accepted by many of our members and supporters - we can say without question that the 2025 Give-A-Ham Challenge touched lives across Oklahoma.

Another extraordinary high point of our 2025 Give-A-Ham Challenge brought national attention to the campaign during the final days before Christmas. Thanks to strong partnership with Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur, we were thrilled to see U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins accept the Give-A-Ham Challenge with a heartfelt shout out to Oklahoma pork producers and production agriculture as a whole. What a compliment to our industry and to the phenomenal momentum this giving campaign has built in recent years! 

Certainly less of a priority than feeding people across the state, but the Oklahoma Pork Council also recognizes an important part of our role is to publicly brag on our members who skip every opportunity to brag on themselves. So a secondary success of our annual giving campaign includes positive coverage across media types, including TV coverage, printed publications, social media shares, and more. Every chance to remind Oklahomans that pig farmers are great neighbors is a huge win in our book. Here's to a hugely successful giving season last year and even more generosity and industry pride as we begin 2026!