When Joe Locke became president of Oklahoma Pork's board of directors last year, he brought forward a creative idea that excitingly became a reality this week. Joe wanted Oklahoma Pork's board and staff to travel outside our comfort zones to: (1) learn together about a different sector of the agriculture industry; (2) cast vision together for the future of our organization; and, (3) bond together through shared food and fun in a new environment.
From hearing about the regulatory burdens faced by fishermen in the Pacific Northwest to seeing workforce challenges recruiting young people into seafood production, it was incredible how many head-nodding moments our crew experienced echoing many of the same challenges pig farmers face in rural Oklahoma. While traveling, the board also got down to business voting and making several important decisions during their June board meeting .
The trip was a beautiful balance of fast-paced tours like Pike Place Market in Seattle and laid back camaraderie during curated pork meals hosted by local chefs on Vashon Island. There were several "best I've ever had" meal experiences - including a few pork dishes that will undoubtedly be attempted by some of our expert cooks at home.
One of many highlights from this week of laughter and learning has to be how often the conversation would find its way to back to Oklahoma Pork's role serving the industry and how the board and staff can continue improving as we plan for the future. Stay tuned on Oklahoma Pork's social media accounts for more photos from our Washington adventure!