Happy Pork Month to Every Oklahoma Pig Farmer

Hooray for National Pork Month! At the Oklahoma Pork Council, we work to celebrate our industry no matter the date on the calendar, but there is something extra special about October. Throughout the next four weeks we are excited to commemorate Pork Month with some incredibly fun opportunities to engage our farmers, consumers, and friends. See a few highlights below, and tune into Oklahoma Pork's social channels this month for several cool new ways to praise our people and our pigs!

First up, our first ever "PIGture" contest is now open. We are calling all pork enthusiasts to snap a quick photo of anything "pigtastic" in your life, and tag @OKPork on social media. This could be the cutest piglet on your farm, your dog holding his favorite pig squeaky toy, the snazzy Pork Council socks you rocked in a business meeting, or so much more. Anything that makes you smile related to pigs and pork is a great submission that will ultimately provide one lucky "PIGture" participant with $500 to share with an Oklahoma charity of their choice.

Another unique Pork Month event is our Give Back Night hosted at OKC restaurant Spark on October 14. Spark may be mostly known as a burger joint, but as we all know - it's the bacon on a hamburger that really makes it delicious. Their bacon cheese fries and corndogs are also tasty ways to add some pork to your plate as the Spark Nichols Hills location donates 15% of their proceeds from 5 to 8 p.m. that evening to Feed the Children in partnership with the Oklahoma Pork Council.

Additionally, stay tuned for an awesome scholarship contest featuring college students with a passion for pork and other unique Pork Month programming. We have a lot of special plans for October, and we want you to be part of it. Click here to fill out our Pork Month contact form, and you might just receive a limited edition Oklahoma Pork Council Pork Month tshirt to help spread pork's tasty message to all your friends. Thank you to our producers for creating such a worthy reason to celebrate this October!

Secretary Arthur Leads NASDA Conference

It’s no secret in Oklahoma that we have the nation’s best commissioner of agriculture. This week’s National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Annual Conference made certain the rest of the country understands that fact as well.

For the past year, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur has served as NASDA’s chair, leading a host of important policy priorities for states like herd and plant health, environmental regulations, the Farm Bill, and more. This week, Secretary Arthur's chairmanship culminated with a blockbuster conference in Indianapolis where her Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) team shined and proudly showcased much of what Oklahoma does so well.

Secretary Arthur, Deputy Commissioner JanLee Rowlett, and the entire ODAFF crew did an outstanding job integrating Oklahoma culture into the Indiana co-hosted event. From Oklahoma speakers to custom Made in Oklahoma (MIO) gifts, the meeting was filled with "Sooner State" touches from start to finish.

Oklahoma Pork’s Kylee Deniz was honored to participate alongside other Oklahoma leaders like State Board of Agriculture members Clay Burtrum and Brent Bolen. With more than 400 folks representing different states’ agriculture agencies in attendance, Kylee took part in NASDA's Next Generation Panel where she shared more about her pork career and advice for young leaders looking to engage on agricultural advocacy. Other familiar faces to our pork producers helped share Oklahoma’s message in Indianapolis, including our former intern Presley Pullen and other Oklahoma students who have taken part in Oklahoma Pork programming.

Overall, NASDA's Annual Meeting reminded us what a blessing it is to be part of the agriculture community, especially in Oklahoma. Pork producers help feed the world, and incredible leaders like Secretary Arthur help ensure our industry continues to do so.

Oklahoma Pork's Matti Carlile Visits Japan

Story and Photography by Oklahoma Pork's Business Coordinator Matti Carlile

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to travel on a United States Meat Export Federation (USMEF) trade mission to Tokyo, Japan. The “Heartland Team” as our group was known included 21 individuals representing pork, beef, corn and soybeans from all over the United States. This trip confirmed the relationship between Japan and the United States is incredibly strong, and the impressive Japanese professionals we met throughout the week feel confident our partnership will stay that way for the foreseeable future. Staff from the USMEF Tokyo office served as fantastic hosts throughout the experience.

We had a packed week, but a few highlights included visiting a culinary school, touring the Tokyo Meat Market, and venturing out to the countryside to see a Wagyu farm. We were able to observe a demonstration from an influencer teaching students at the culinary school how to properly cook pork and beef. After the demonstration, we were able to eat what he had prepared and chat with the students. With English being their second language, we communicated mostly through photos. They loved seeing photos of Oklahoma pigs and pig farms. Then, the Wagyu farm was also neat to see! We traveled to the city of Sendai by bullet train. Once we got to Sendai, a bus took us to the farm. On the way there, we passed a hog farm. I was hesitant that is what it was, but then a pig’s head popped over the side door. Confirmed... it was a pig farm!

Other highlights I really enjoyed were the retail visits. Wow – the pork is Japan sure is red! Our hosts related the redness to the freshness of the meat, which is really important to Japanese consumers. Pork is the most consumed red meat in Japan. Go, team pork! My favorite activity from this meaningful week in Tokyo was eating at a restaurant called Katsuya. They opened up early and served us tonkatsu (pork loin fried in breadcrumbs). It was SO good! The neatest thing was that they use all U.S. pork – the chef even mentioned getting a lot of their pork from Seaboard Foods!

I am proud to have represented Oklahoma pork producers on this incredible opportunity. I made memories with people from the United States and Japan that will last a lifetime. For a fun recap of the trip, check out this short highlight video from USMEF.

Oklahoma Pork Council Elects New Officers

Oklahoma Pork's board of directors held their September board meeting this week to discuss the organization's upcoming fall events and priorities. After three board members were re-elected to their seats at last month's Pork Congress, this meeting also provided the opportunity for officer elections.

• Joe Locke of Marietta began his term as board president at last month's Pork Congress after serving as president-elect for the previous year. Joe's 30-year career in pork production includes experience across multiple states and production systems. He currently serves as Director of Operations for Tyson Foods' The Pork Group.

• Cathy Vaughan of Laverne was tapped by her fellow board members to serve as president-elect for the 2024-2025 term. Cathy serves as the Midwest Safety Manager for Smithfield Foods and has been active with both the National Pork Board and the Oklahoma Pork Council for more than a decade. S

• Dr. Suzanne Genova of Perkins was chosen as Oklahoma Pork's new vice president. Dr. Genova owns Red Dirt Veterinary Services where she provides veterinary care to show pig clients across five states. She is active in Oklahoma Pork's disease prevention and preparedness efforts, including involvement with the United States Swine Health Improvement Plan (U.S. SHIP) and service as the Oklahoma Youth Expo (OYE) swine veterinarian.

• Tom Layne of Enid re-enters the executive committee as our organization's treasurer for 2024-2025. Tom has worked in the pork industry for more than 25 years, including his 20-plus-year tenure at The HANOR Company. As HANOR's Director of Human Resources, Tom's work impacts the company's 650 employees located across seven states.

Congratulations to our newly elected executive committee members! Our full board and staff look forward to following the leadership of this passionate group of pork producers!

Kylee Deniz Named Ag. Woman of the Year

On Thursday night, Oklahoma Pork’s Kylee Deniz received quite the heartwarming surprise when she was named Oklahoma’s 2024 Agriculture Woman of the Year. The well-deserved accolade was presented at the Diamond Hate Gala raising thousands of dollars for 4-H and FFA academic scholarships for livestock showing students associated with the Oklahoma Youth Expo.

As leaders from the Diamond Hats organization announced Kylee as this year's honoree, they praised her faithful leadership of the Oklahoma Pork Council and her impeccable reputation in our state's broader agriculture community. When given a few moments to speak as she accepted the award - not surprising to anyone who knows her - Kylee used the opportunity to thank Oklahoma Pork's board, staff, and pork producers. She also spoke passionately about supporting the next generation of agriculturists, including her two young sons.

Here at Oklahoma Pork, we believe there is no one more deserving of this honor than our leader and friend! Kylee has devoted her career to impactful storytelling for pork producers. She leads our board and our staff with integrity, creativity, and vision. Kylee is known for her big ideas and her steady handling of every situation. She is an incredible representation of the agriculture community, and a worthy role model to many. Since her appointment as executive director in 2021, Kylee has brought her award-winning experience in marketing and communications to her role representing thousands of Oklahomans employed throughout the various segments of pork production each day.

Buy Your Tickets for Bacon and Bourbon Today!

We are just two months from Oklahoma Pork's annual Bacon and Bourbon fundraising dinner! Join us Friday, November 8, 2024, at VAST - the restaurant atop Oklahoma City's Devon Energy Tower - for an elevated evening of pork-focused fine dining paired with high quality bourbons selected by Republic National Distribution Company's Bruce Upthegrove.

Dinner service begins at 7 pm, but sunset cocktails will be available for purchase beginning at 6 pm. Whether you are looking for a fancy date night in support of pork producers or a very special employee appreciation opportunity - click here to buy your tickets online before they sell out. If you are interested in purchasing a full table for eight guests, click here to send us a note.

Bacon and Bourbon on November 8 will surely be a night you won't soon forget. Don't wait to purchase your tickets - we expect this crowd-favorite event to be fully booked long before the first glass of bourbon gets poured!

Award Spotlight: Ryan Sites of Sites Livestock

To wrap our series highlighting 2024 Oklahoma Pork Council Excellence Award recipients, we are proud to celebrate a member of the show pig community known throughout the state for his integrity and mentorship.

Over the course of his lifetime, Ryan Sites has served the pork industry in a variety of impactful roles. After judging livestock at Oklahoma State University during college, Ryan began his career as an agricultural education instructor in Elgin.

Then in 2006, he joined Show-Rite as a national swine support specialist where he helps hundreds of young people in the show pig community with feeding, fitting, and more. He leads educational clinics throughout the United States and sees raising pigs as the perfect opportunity to teach young people valuable life skills. Ryan is also a respected swine evaluator, often being called upon to judge pig shows at every level.

Alongside his wife and son, Ryan operates Sites Livestock raising Chester Whites, Durocs and crosses. He is widely respected for his strong character and serves as a dedicated mentor to many families with a passion for pork. From the Oklahoma Pork Council, we are grateful for Ryan’s example of excellence in our state’s show pig network.

Sharing Realistic Agriculture Stories

Alongside many others throughout agriculture, Oklahoma Pork staff visited classrooms in their home communities this week to teach children about pigs, pork, and the great people who work to produce our food supply.

Oklahomans across the state committed to telling fact-based agricultural stories with hundreds of students in a fun and helpful way this week. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF)'s Agriculture in the Classroom program held its annual "Read An Accurate Agriculture Book Week" to encourage more transparency about food and farming to young people.

Many teachers pledged to read an educational agriculture story in their own classrooms, and dozens of volunteers in counties throughout Oklahoma went into schools and early childhood centers to help promote agriculture's message. This year marked the most fun "Read an Accurate Agriculture Book Week" yet for the Oklahoma Pork Council since many guest readers chose to share "It Takes a Team!" written by Oklahoma Pork's Matti Carlile with photography and design by Oklahoma Pork's Shay Stegmann.

As the author of this educational story focused on commercial pork production, Matti was part of the official Agriculture in the Classroom "Zoom readers" line-up alongside VIPs like OSU baseball coach Josh Holliday and Oklahoma House Agriculture Committee Chairman Dell Kerbs. Thanks to this special virtual reading opportunity, Matti got to connect classrooms around the state with a modern sow farm and the people who work there each day.

Oklahomans Lead at U.S. SHIP Meeting

At this week's 2024 United States Swine Health Improvement Plan (U.S. SHIP) House of Delegates meeting in Minnesota, 10 voting representatives provided valuable perspective on behalf of our state's pork industry. As a reminder, U.S. SHIP exists to bring producers and government partners together to create a "National Playbook" of technical standards related to Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) preparedness for African Swine Fever (ASF) and Classical Swine Fever (CSF).

Throughout the multi-day meeting, a few Oklahomans played prominent roles leading discussion related to U.S. SHIP's key tenets of biosecurity, traceability and disease surveillance. Oklahoma's assistant state veterinarian (and a fantastic partner of the Oklahoma Pork Council) Dr. Alicia Gorczyca-Southerland shared her expertise during the Biosecurity Site Plans breakout session covering a unique Oklahoma pilot program where she worked one-on-one to create Secure Pork Supply (SPS) plans with members of the transitional swine segment. "Dr. G" - as she is affectionately known to many - also spoke about our state's collaborative "One Pork" approach bringing together commercial and show pig producers for disease prevention and preparedness. She applauded Oklahoma Pork leadership in this effort, including well deserved shout outs to board member Dr. Suzanne Genova and staff members Matti Carlile and Kylee Deniz.. Additionally, Seaboard Foods' Dr. Noel Williams spoke about his company's work leading the packer and processor segment of U.S. SHIP involvement.

In summary, our Oklahoma crew felt the meeting was a positive next step in U.S. SHIP becoming a USDA program. Thank you to each of Oklahoma's delegates for participating, including: Pati Law - Prestage Farms, Jay Johnston - Tyson Foods, Dr. Suzanne Genova - Red Dirt Veterinary Services, Dr. Rod Hall - ODAFF, Dr. Alicia Gorczyca-Southerland - ODAFF, Dr. Noel Williams - Seaboard Foods, Dr. Jon Tangen - The HANOR Company, Travis Vaughan - Smithfield Foods, and Joe Wolfe - JBS.

Award Spotlight: Kelly Haymaker of HANOR

The Oklahoma Pork Council Excellence Award recognizes pork producers who have made the daily work of raising pigs more than just a job, but a passionate calling to care for their animals and the people around them. This award covers all sectors of pork production, and it rewards those outstanding producers who excel in at least one of Oklahoma Pork’s four strategic intentions.

Throughout her 20-year career with The HANOR Company, Kelly Haymaker has become known for her deep love of her boars, her strong commitment to biosecurity, and her focus on continuous improvement. She began her pork career in HANOR’s sow farms before spending nearly two decades managing the 200 animals housed at the company’s Ames Boar Stud location.

As a boar stud manager, Kelly makes it her mission to provide the best possible care to her pigs every day. She oversees a four-person team that produces high quality semen used throughout HANOR’s Oklahoma operations. She holds all employees and visitors to the highest level of accountability for herd health, and she continually challenges the system to better prevent disease entry on HANOR farms. Kelly serves as an excellent role model for treating your pigs and people with genuine care.

The Oklahoma Pork Council celebrates Kelly for her heartfelt example of pork production excellence!