September 2011 - Iowa Pork Producers Association

National Pork Month
Great ideas to promote and celebrate!
Everyone can get involved in promoting the pork
industry and there are several ways to do it without
great expense. Here are a few options for you to
consider in celebration of National Pork Month.
Host an open house – Having an open house is a
great way to show people what you do and share
information about the positive aspects of pork
production. It lets them see what’s inside the barn.
Inviting a local club, community group or school
to tour a pork production unit can be a good way
to show people how responsible producers are
caring for the animals and producing safe, healthy
and nutritious pork. You can have a cookout or
grilling promotion featuring chops, pulled pork
sandwiches or pork burgers at your farm or in
your local community to celebrate Pork Month!
October is National Pork Month and the industry
has two great, new reasons to celebrate in 2011.
This spring, the Pork® Be inspired SM brand was
introduced and then the United States Department
of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service
announced the lower 145° F. cooking temperature for
pork. These new developments help add excitement
to your October activities.
Of course, Pork Month is the perfect time for Iowa
pork producers to showcase the work being done
to ethically raise quality, wholesome pork. It’s an
opportunity to tell everyone what you do and how
you do it! Consumers are interested in learning how
pork is raised today by responsible farm families.
By getting in front of people, producers can dispel
a lot of myths, correct misinformation and assure
consumers that pork is being produced in the safest
and most humane way known.
Be a guest speaker – Spreading the message
about pork production is important for both
producers and the public. You can give a
presentation about a specific area of pork
production to a civic group. Invite local
community leaders, legislators or government
officials to recognize Pork Month, and present
them with important information about the
industry.
Have a field day – Partner with other local
agricultural organizations, such as the soybean
or corn growers associations and host a field day
for producers and community members to learn
about the many different aspects of agriculture
and why it is vital to society.
Sponsor a drawing or giveaway – Give people in
your community the opportunity to celebrate pork
month by sponsoring a drawing or giveaway in the
newspaper. Consider prizes such as pork products,
gift certificates or pork merchandise. Visit www.
porkstore.pork.org for available merchandise.
32 SEPTEMBER 2011