Feedstuffs Pork Nation Podcast

Indecision in the pork industry is rooted in companies pushing products rather than providing solutions. The truth of the matter is that organizational engagement begins with customer engagement and that results from great technology resulting from great research delivered in a relevant and compelling manner.

In today's Feedstuffs Pork Nation, hosts Mark Hulsebus of Alltech and Sarah Muirhead are joined by Ernie Hansen, manager of swine nutrition and technical services at Hubbard Feeds, to talk about how decision-making is often times tied to profitability. 

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is brought to you by Alltech. Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture through a diverse portfolio of products and services. Contact the Alltech Pork Team or visit go.alltech.com/swine-research to learn more.

Welcome to Feedstuffs Pork Nation, where we dig deep and get to the heart of the issues affecting the pork industry. 

Your hosts for this episode are Mark Hulsebus of Alltech and myself, Sarah Muirhead. Joining us to provide insights on topics, trends and conversations from this year’s Midwest Animal Science meeting is Dr. Henrique Cemin, Senior Swine Nutritionist with Alltech. 

Topics we address are that of sow nutrition and gilt development as well as what it will take to bring down industry walls to get veterinarians, nutritionists and the production industry to work together more to address industry challenges. 

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is brought to you by Alltech. Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture through a diverse portfolio of products and services. Contact the Alltech Pork Team or visit go.alltech.com/swine-research to learn more.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects pigs, causing significant economic losses. Gene editing technology has been used to develop pigs that are resistant to PRRS and that technology is currently making its way through regulatory approval in several countries. 

Dr. Lindsay Case, Director, Product Sustainability and New Product Commercialization with Pig Improvement Company (PIC) - North America, joins us on this episode of Feedstuffs Pork Nation to share with hosts Mark Hulsebus of Alltech and Sarah Muirhead:

• How gene editing creates resistance
• The benefits of PRRS-resistant pigs
• How genetic engineering differs from genetic modification?
• Where is the PRRS-resistant pig in terms of commercial availability globally?
• What will PRRS-resistant technology mean for the hog industry and global pork trade?
• How might PRRS-resistant technology change the dynamics of the domestic and global hog industry?

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is brought to you by Alltech. Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture through a diverse portfolio of products and services. Contact the Alltech Pork Team or visit go.alltech.com/swine-research to learn more.

In this episode, we explore strategies to bolster the pork industry's resilience.

Christine McCracken, Senior Animal Protein Analyst at Rabobank, graces Feedstuffs Pork Nation with her expertise on the state of the pork industry. Curious about the path to recovery and what lies ahead in 2025 for pork producers? We're unpacking the improving financial health and potential for more robust margins, despite looming challenges like political uncertainties, tariffs, and changing immigration policies.

Discover why maintaining solid trade relationships with key partners such as Mexico and Canada is more crucial than ever. We also tackle how the industry is innovatively addressing labor shortages through automation and improved workforce management.

We also delve into critical economic concerns, including the national debt's effect on the US credit rating and its potential ramifications for agriculture. While sovereign debt issues linger, we discuss the importance of staying informed and engaging with lenders to mitigate risks. With only minor interest rate adjustments anticipated, some stability is expected.

As we close the year, Christine emphasizes the critical need for biosecurity and community support within the industry. Risk management takes center stage as pork producers are encouraged to partner with advisors to navigate shifting market conditions and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is brought to you by Alltech. Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture through a diverse portfolio of products and services. Contact the Alltech Pork Team or visit go.alltech.com/swine-research to learn more.

The US Swine Health Improvement Plan (US SHIP) is  a platform for safeguarding, improving and representing the health status of swine across participating farm sites, supply chains, states and regions. Such a working system is aimed at supporting the current and future health assurance needs of the 21st-century U.S. pork industry. 

Building on the previous month’s topic, your Feedstuffs Pork Nation host Mark Hulsebus of Alltech, along with Dr. Tyler Holck, DVM, MS, MBA, Senior Program Coordinator, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Iowa State University, and Dr. Vienna Brown of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, talk in this episode about the involvement and role of USDA in US SHIP and  explore the future of the program.

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is brought to you by Alltech. Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture through a diverse portfolio of products and services. Contact the Alltech Pork Team or visit go.alltech.com/swine-research to learn more.

The US Swine Health Improvement Plan (US SHIP) is a platform created to safeguard, certify and better animal health for the 21st Century US pork industry. It’s a program modelled after the National Poultry Improvement Plan.

 Where is US SHIP currently at when it comes to feed biosecurity? What’s ahead in the development of this industry critical strategy?

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is brought to you by Alltech. Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture through a diverse portfolio of products and services. Contact the Alltech Pork Team or visit go.alltech.com/swine-research to learn more.

Joining hosts Sarah Muirhead and Alltech's Mark Hulsebus on this episode is Dr. Jamil Faccin, Swine Technical & Nutrition Specialist, with Alltech. Dr. Faccin gives an update on US SHIP and the value it brings to the US pork industry. Dr. Faccin joined Alltech’s US Pork team following the recent completion of his Ph.D. and postdoctoral programs at Kansas State University. 

It is documented that viruses can be transported in feed. That being so, what is the role of feed mitigants, and is there value in including a mitigant in a biosecurity program? 

Your host for this episode of Feedstuffs Pork Nation is Mark Hulsebus, along with Dr. Jose Sota and  Dr. Andrew Bents, all of Alltech. They are joined by special guest Dr. Scott Dee. Dr. Dee is a leading expert in mitigating feed risk as part of a best-in-class biosecurity program. 

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is brought to you by Alltech. Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture through a diverse portfolio of products and services. Contact the Alltech Pork Team, or visit go.alltech.com/swine-research to learn more.

With unique access to those on the frontlines of agriculture and science, two filmmakers set out on an incredible journey around the world to find out the answer to  the question of whether we would be better off in a world without cows. Through conversations with experts in environmental and agricultural science, they examined the real impact of cows on our world: their cultural and economic significance, their role in nourishing the world and their impact on climate. As Alltech CEO and President Mark Lyons explains on this episode of Feedstuffs Pork Nationa, the answer is far from simple.  When it comes to cows, it’s not black and white. To view the trailer for World Without Cows. 

Hosts for this episode of World Without Cows are Sarah Muirhead of Feedstuffs and Mark Huslebus of Alltech. 

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is brought to you by Alltech. Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture through a diverse portfolio of products and services.Contact the Alltech Pork Team or visit go.alltech.com/swine-research to learn more.

There is no denying the importance of global trade and world markets when it comes to the protein sector. That being so, what does the lack of U.S. participation in trade agreements mean for the America’s pork industry. What about regulations like Prop 12 in California that essentially limit the incentive for others to trade with America? We dig in today to talk exports and world trade. 

Hosts for this episode of Feedstuffs Pork Nation are Sarah Muirhead of Feedstuffs and Mark Hulsebus of Alltech. Maria Zeiba, Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), joins as their guest to give an update on international affairs and domestic policy. 

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is brought to you by Alltech. Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture through a diverse portfolio of products and services. Contact the Alltech Pork Team or visit go.alltech.com/swine-research to learn more.

What are the current US crop prospects given weather and field conditions and what might that mean from a cost of feeding standpoint for hog US producers in the remainder of 2024? What might pork demand in general look like?

Lots of what ifs, but also lots of good news. 

Hosts for this episode of Feedstuffs Pork Nation are Sarah Muirhead of Feedstuffs and Mark Hulsebus of Alltech. Joe Kerns of Ever.ag and Partners for Production Agriculture, joins as their guest to give an update on the market factors currently at play for the grain and hog markets. 

Feedstuffs Pork Nation is brought to you by Alltech. Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture through a diverse portfolio of products and services. Contact the Alltech Pork Team or visit go.alltech.com/swine-research to learn more.