Students Enjoy "Trip of a Lifetime" Out West

Riding in style the 250+ miles from Stillwater to Guymon and back, our Oklahoma Pork staff took our 20 Pork Industry Group members on a two-day industry tour to visit a Seaboard Foods sow farm and the Guymon pork processing plant. Often cited as the highlight of Pork Industry Group students' experiences each fall, this week brought an unfiltered look at the pigs to pork pipeline for an impressive cohort of OSU agriculture students. 

Thanks to thoughtful planning from Seaboard leadership, our tour participants spent a full afternoon at Seaboard's Farm 46 near Forgan, Oklahoma. Talking through feeding, breeding, farrowing and more - the students received an up-close look at how the delicious pork on their dinner table truly comes into existence. From showering into the farm and talking through production numbers to holding piglets and seeing modern barn technology - the comprehensive tour proved incredibly interesting and educational. The following day, our fantastic Seaboard hosts took the students through one of the largest pork processing plants in the United States. Participants were able to experience both the harvest and cold sides of the plant as they explored the one million square foot facility.

As we recruit students for Pork Industry Group, we refer to the experience as an "industry trip of a lifetime," and after the last two days our participants will forever have a deeper understanding of how pork is produced and a greater appreciation for the hard-working people who make it possible. A huge thanks to Seaboard Foods leadership who made this trip possible.

Dazzling Night at Bacon and Bourbon

Top tier company and a top tier menu! Last Friday night, the Oklahoma Pork Council hosted one of our most beloved annual events with great views and great networking in VAST's 50th floor grand dining space. Surveying the sold-out crowd during Bacon and Bourbon showed countless smiles as pig farmers and friends enjoyed a fancy fall evening of fine pours and unique pork dishes. 

Several returning attendees commented that this year's five-course meal created by chef Danh Do was their favorite in recent memory. From cotton-candy-like "pork floss" to roasted pork belly, stuffed pork tenderloin, and hazelnut bacon dacquoise - there was no shortage of our favorite protein throughout the evening. Each course was expertly paired with a Town Branch Bourbon selected by longtime event partner Bruce Upthegrove of Artisan Fine Wine and Spirits.

If you weren't able to join us, but still want to support Oklahoma Pork's policy efforts, click here to donate to our Political Action Committee (PAC).

Laughs and Learnings at Pork Industry Group

Helping students consider their place in pork is one of our crew's favorite activities. The 20 outstanding students participating in Pork Industry Group this semester are making that job extra fun. As the weeks fly by incredibly fast this fall, we are proud of the two most recent sessions introducing the 2025 Pork Industry Group members to more of our favorite pork professionals.

This week brought our fifth session, which educated students on contract versus corporate hog farming, technology and data used within our industry, the realities of biosecurity and disease mitigation, and more during our "Women in Pork" panel featuring four fantastic speakers with vastly different roles serving our industry. Stacie Smith from Seaboard Foods, Angie Johnson from Ran-Mar Farms and First United Bank, Dottie King from King Pork, and Hannah Trujillo from Tyson Foods all did a fantastic job explaining their careers and sharing relatable advice with these next generation leaders. If you know any of these panelists, you will also not be surprised to hear this was likely our session with the most laughs thus far as many funny stories and memorable comments were shared. 

During last week's fourth session, called "Animal Health Near and Far" four of the best veterinarians surrounding pork production also gave compelling answers to questions about animal health, Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) threats, efforts to unite producers of all sizes on herd health, and other trending topics. Dr. Donna Drebes from Seaboard Foods, Dr. Alicia Gorczyca-Southerland from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF), Dr. Jon Tangen from The HANOR Company, and Dr. Suzanne Genova from Red Dirt Veterinary Services all shared the incredible responsibilities they carry each week as veterinarians and how their roles differ from what many of us picture as a "typical" DVM. The session was filled with great information not only for any student interested in veterinary medicine, but also all of us who regularly work with animal health experts in our agricultural careers.

Derby Program Continues to Recruit for Team Pork

Now in its third fun year bringing eager young people into the pork pipeline, the “Oklahoma Pork Partners Derby” is back for the upcoming show season. This experience creates a life-changing opportunity to raise pigs for 4-H and FFA students who would not otherwise have the chance.

47 first-time swine exhibitors-to-be took part in “Derby Draft Day” at Oklahoma State University (OSU) where they selected their pigs from the OSU swine farm animals specifically raised for the program. Participants were all nominated by their local 4-H or FFA advisors who have pledged hands-on assistance over the next several months as the novice livestock exhibitors work to properly raise their selected pigs. During Draft Day the students also participated in workshops, including: biosecurity with Oklahoma Pork's Matti Carlile; nutrition with OSU's Dr. Scott Carter; animal selection with OSU's Dr. Parker Henley; and more. 

Throughout the next five months, these students will gain incredible hands-on experience caring for their Derby pigs and learning the hard but meaningful work it takes to raise livestock. The Pork Partners Derby program will culminate next spring at the Oklahoma Youth Expo (OYE) with a specialty swine show specifically for the Derby students and their pigs. Derby participants will also take part in a knowledge test, experience interviews, and other enriching activities to round out their Derby involvement through next March.

The Oklahoma Pork Council is very proud to help expose more passionate students to animal care taking. We are confident some of these students will find a passion for pork and consider staying in our industry long after the 2026 Derby Show at OYE! Click here to learn more about the third annual Oklahoma Pork Partners Derby!

Connecting with Show Pig Leaders and Breeders

Last Friday, the Oklahoma Pork Council had a fantastic opportunity to build relationships and promote our "One Pork" efforts by connecting with Oklahoma's show pig producers at a record-setting pig sale in Oklahoma City. 

Hosted by Oklahoma Pork Council members Todd and Blake Kennedy of Kennedy Ventures, the two-day "Perfect Timing Pig Sale" brought together hundreds of swine exhibition enthusiasts from Oklahoma and beyond. As a complement to the sale, Oklahoma Pork helped lead two fun activities while hundreds of pig-loving folks spent their weekend pig shopping at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds.

First, alongside great friend of Oklahoma Pork Danna Goss of Goss Livestock, Kylee Deniz moderated a fun panel of next generation leaders within the show pig community including Cooper Kline, Cade Childers, Luke Lindner, Mandy Ponder, and Collin Listen. The panel covered career journeys related to pork production, advice for young people in the livestock industry, and more as we all look to the pork pipeline of careers that will need filled in the future.

Then (staying up way past our typical bedtimes), Oklahoma Pork's staff hosted a late night omelette bar with plenty of pork "fixins" for sale attendees to get to know the Pork Council and hopefully become more familiar with the work we do to serve the broad range of pork producers across Oklahoma. Our team often laughs at how different each day can look serving the industry, and last Friday night it was a memorable example of meeting pig-loving people where they were at and having fun while doing it! Click here to check out more photos from "Perfect Timing" on Oklahoma Pork's Facebook page!

Finishing Pork Month Strong with Special Events

How many cool opportunities can the Oklahoma Pork Council squeeze into the final days of National Pork Month? We did our best to find out over the past week or so of memorable activities in celebration of our people and our pigs.

On Thursday, Oklahoma Pork co-hosted another Made in Oklahoma (MIO) Coalition free community lunch and shopper sweepstakes at an Oklahoma City Homeland location where catering partner Head Country Barbecue helped us distribute free pulled pork sandwiches and send one lucky shopper home with free Oklahoma-grown groceries. Hopefully, every attendee enjoyed their delicious lunch courtesy of Oklahoma pig farmers, but the happiest pork customer of all was likely the "Shopper Sweepstakes" winner John and his son Elijah who earned more than $1,100 of free Made in Oklahoma groceries during a seven-minute speed-shopping experience around Homeland's Britton and May location. In a heartfelt act of generosity, John shared with our team that he plans to donate much of his grocery haul to his church and a local nonprofit.

Industry Leaders Connect with OSU Students

Oklahoma Pork's collegiate leadership program for agriculture students with an interest in swine-related careers is in full swing on OSU's campus in Stillwater. After a successful introduction to our state's pork industry and the Oklahoma Pork Council's role supporting our producers, we have now hosted two learning sessions featuring impressive guest speakers from across the state. During these Tuesday night meetings, we also highlight other agricultural role models for the students through presentations and featured Oklahoma Pork videos. 

Last week's second session focused on swine genetics and breeding, especially the support and planning it takes to efficiently manage large-scale pork production. Joe Popplewell with Tyson Foods walked students through the realistic calculations necessary to continuously produce high quality pork with evolving technology at a mind-blowing scale to young people - many of whom have only been familiar with the show pig industry. Rob Richard from DNA Swine Genetics focused more on authentic relationship-building and his company's unique approach to genetic sales in a competitive market. Both of these Oklahoma Pork icons also shared stories from their accomplished careers and exposed students to work experiences available within their organizations.

During this week's "Work in Pork - Endless Opportunities to Grow" session, students heard an authentic recruitment pitch for swine-related careers from Thomas Craig and Dr. Richard Coffey. Thomas shared his unique journey from Las Vegas college student with no agriculture experience to his latest role as Director of Sows for The HANOR Company thanks to years of "saying yes" to new chances while working hard to help people and pigs. Dr. Coffey provided an insightful look at education and outreach opportunities related to pork production, including extension, higher education, and administration roles that benefit pig farmers in countless ways. Both of these passionate leaders also gave very thoughtful advice for navigating life and career changes that students are sure to face in the coming years. 

Our 2025 Pork Industry Group members have been making the most of this eight-week experience by taking notes, asking questions, and growing their networks within pork production as they decide where to start their agricultural careers. Our team is excited to continue facilitating this program throughout the fall semester, and we are looking forward to several more learning sessions with guest speakers, an eventful industry trip to Northwest Oklahoma, and finally an awards banquet where the students will present creative ideas to members of our board. 

Creative Pork Month Promotions Continue

As October provides extra-special opportunities to celebrate our pigs and our people, the Oklahoma Pork Council's social media influencer partnerships continue to connect new audiences with our industry in engaging ways.

One of these fun National Pork Month collaborations is with Tulsa-based chef and content creator Elliott Wilson of Elliott's Table. A lover of barbecue and a frequent promoter of pork in his recipes, Elliott serves as a fantastic partner to expose consumers in Tulsa and beyond about quality pork products and timely fall Pork Month offerings. Over the past few weeks, he also served as one of the "Awesome Eats" judges at the Tulsa State Fair - encouraging folks to visit the fair where they could try unique foods and hopefully learn something new about agriculture. 

In his latest video collaborating with the Oklahoma Pork Council, Elliott cooked up a beautiful October cider braised pork roast with apples and onions. Click here to check out his easy-to-follow recipe and peruse some of Chef Elliott's other tasty content. More to come with him and others who can connect more people with the goodness of pork throughout Pork Month and more! 

Speaking of Pork Month, there is still time to request our limited edition Oklahoma Pork Council Pork Month dress socks by guessing how many "pigs are in the jar" on our website. Oklahoma Pork has earned quite the reputation for fun socks letting our members and supporters "ride for the brand" in a memorable way. So be sure to let us know you would like a pair of these specialty socks on our Pork Month Giveaway form here, and hopefully you'll be representing pig farmers in style very soon!

Award Spotlight: Made in Oklahoma Coalition

For our last award spotlight celebrating accolades from the 2025 Oklahoma Pork Congress, we want to highlight the latest recipient of Oklahoma Pork's Ambassador Award. Created in 2006 by the Oklahoma Pork Council Board of Directors, the award recognizes individuals who do not work directly in swine production, but who have made a significant impact on our state’s pork industry as a loyal promoter of what our farmers do.

Founded more than 20 years ago, the Made in Oklahoma (MIO) Coalition serves as a collective voice for more than 100 Oklahoma-grown food and beverage companies. This non-profit organization is supported by both public and private dollars in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF). The MIO Coalition seeks to strengthen and diversify Oklahoma’s food supply chain by assisting locally owned businesses of all sizes with marketing and promotion on various levels. 

Member companies of the MIO Coalition employ more than 50,000 Oklahomans, including many proud partners of the Oklahoma Pork Council. Leaders within the MIO Coalition have been active collaborators for several Oklahoma Pork Council outreach priorities in recent years, including: our annual Give-A-Ham Challenge; grocery store Shopper Sweepstakes across the state; and, additional community outreach efforts like emergency response feeding events after natural disasters. 

Much of the MIO Coalition’s work complements efforts done by Oklahoma pork producers, and their proud advocacy of Oklahoma agriculture benefits us all! So, one more shout out to our friends throughout the MIO Coalition as we celebrate their continual partnership with the Oklahoma Pork Council. To learn more about the Made in Oklahoma Coalition (and many of their familiar members to pork production), click here!

2025 Pork Careers Program Begins at OSU

Last Tuesday night, Oklahoma Pork's annual collegiate leadership program for agriculture students with an interest in swine-related careers officially kicked off in Stillwater. Pork Industry Group - a key component in our organization's Workforce At All Levels strategic intention - allows young people actively looking for internships and careers within agriculture the opportunity to learn more about Oklahoma's commercial pork industry and expand their networks of agricultural professionals in the state.

After more than 50 students applied to participate, 20 impressive Oklahoma State University (OSU) students representing a variety of backgrounds, academic majors, and career goals have been accepted into this year's program. Dr. Scott Carter, OSU professor and Oklahoma Pork ex-officio board member, helps lead the program alongside Oklahoma Pork staff. Former Oklahoma Pork intern Ethan Drake also assists while serving as our OSU campus liaison for the semester.

The 2025 Pork Industry Group membership includes:

• Ava Voth from Enid, OK - Animal Science Pre-Vet Senior

• Bailey Langemeier from Mead, NE - Animal Science Senior

• Blakelee Pugh from Gore, OK - Animal Science Senior

• Brody Wallis from Allen, OK - Agricultural Education Senior

• Carmen Kuiper from Hico, TX - Animal Science & Ag. Business Junior

• Drew Geiman from North Liberty, IA - Agribusiness Pre-law Junior

• Garrett Case from Skiatook, OK - Agricultural Education Junior

• Gracelynn Rodriguez from Marietta, OK - Agricultural Education Junior

• Griffin Henry from Mckinney, TX - Animal Science Junior

• Halle Pullen from Stratford, OK - Agricultural Communications Junior

• Jacey Bordwine from Dibble, OK - Animal Science & Ag. Communications Junior

• Jaden Kindt from Burkburnett, TX - Animal Science & Ag. Business Pre-Law Senior

• Kyra Cole from Orlando, FL - Animal Science Junior

• Lacy Brinegar from Springville, IN - Agricultural Education Senior

• Laela Begley from Elgin, OK - Agricultural Education Freshman

• Maebrey Wallace from Allen, OK - Agricultural Communications Junior

• Maysen Garrett from Crescent, OK - Agricultural Education Junior

• Neilee Guinn from Porter, OK - Agricultural Leadership Pre-Law Senior

• Rachel Swinford from Morrison, OK - Agribusiness Pre-Law Junior

• Ty McCorkle from Morrison, OK - Agricultural Education Senior

This week's first session included an overview of Oklahoma's unique pork industry, information about the Oklahoma Pork Council, and expectation setting for the remaining seven sessions throughout the fall semester. We also enjoyed pizza together, shared Oklahoma Pork swag and prizes, and bonded as strong supporters of production agriculture. Our team kept saying this was our "chattiest" first session in memory, so there's no doubt our semester mentoring these students is going to be a lot of fun!

Pork Industry Group is one of our staff and board's favorite experiences we lead throughout the year, and somehow this year marks our fifth round coordinating this special experience together. We are incredibly proud of the students chosen for this competitive program, and we look forward to connecting these next generation leaders with opportunities throughout our industry.