PDF - Oklahoma Pork Council

okPORKPAGES
official magazine of the Oklahoma Pork Council | www.okpork.org
Volume 17 | Issue 3 | Fall 2013
CONTENTS
Fall 2013
6
A great time to give
back to Oklahoma
okPORK encouraged Oklahomans to give blood
before Memorial Day by offering them a free pork
sandwich. The response was overwhelming.
8
Oklahoma Pork Open
Golf Tournament
It’s always a fun day when pork producers and
industry friends can gather on the golf course. But
there’s a bigger purpose than a round of 18.
10
Traveling, Learning, and
Making Connections
Participants from across Oklahoma toured almost
every facet of the pork industry. Read about their
experience and what they learned from the trip.
16
Swine & Wine Dinner
The first Swine & Wine Dinner, hosted by
Hensley’s Grill, was a huge success. Read about all
the decadent food and perfect wine pairings.
18
Serving our fellow
Oklahomans
When devastating tornados struck Oklahoma
many times in May, Oklahoma pork producers and
okPORK staff took to the grill to provide food and
a bit of comfort for those affected by the storms.
2 • Oklahoma Pork Council
T
Fall 2013
Volume 17• Issue 3
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
President | Basil Werner, Kingfisher
President Elect | Dottie King, Calvin
Vice President | Tina Falcon, Tecumseh
Treasurer | Keith Reiner, Enid
BOARD MEMBERS
Darren Appleton, Enid
Darren Kraus, Weatherford
Bert Luthi, Sharon
David McMullen, Minco
Chris Wallis, Allen
Robbie Woods, Enid
EX OFFICIO
Dr. Scott Carter, Stillwater
Wathina Luthi, Gage
Brett Ramsey, Jones
STAFF
Executive Director
Roy Lee Lindsey, Jr. • [email protected]
Friday, November 1, 2013 | Gaillardia Country Club
5 Courses & 5 Bourbons | Tickets $100 | 405.232.3781
Event and Outreach Specialist
Mark McGinnis • [email protected]
Office Manager
Donna Jackson • [email protected]
Communications Specialist
Kristin Alsup • [email protected]
Let the Mouthwatering Begin!
Oklahoma Pork Council
901 North Lincoln, Suite 380
Oklahoma City, OK 73104-3206
Phone 405.232.3781 • Fax 405.232.3862
Toll free in Okla. • 888.SAY.PORK
WEBSITE
www.okpork.org
ON THE COVER
The T&W Tire team - John Russell, David
Hightower and Terry Nitzel - participate in the
Oklahoma Pork Open on August 9.
Photo by Kristin Alsup.
Programs are made available to pork
producers without regard to race, color, sex,
religion or national origin. The Oklahoma Pork
Council is an equal opportunity employer.
okPORK PAGES is the official publication of the
Oklahoma Pork Council and is published four
times per year in March, June, September and
December by the Oklahoma Pork Council.
The Pork Chop Shop opens soon!
Making mouths and stomachs happy
at a state fair near you!
Oklahoma State Fair – September 12-22.
Tulsa State Fair – September 26-October 6.
All Pork Pages inquiries should be directed to the
okPORK office or [email protected]
Writer Kristin Alsup
Designer Nikki Snider
Editor Donna Jackson
Stay Connected : search okpork
•3
FROM THE PRESIDENT | BASIL WERNER
Thankful for rain & good news
As I prepared for this column, I
began to reflect on this summer and
what makes this summer different from
so many others we have had.
As the “dog days” of summer are
here and we are quickly preparing for
the first day of school and fall activities
– I am thankful for the rain. Where I live
and work we haven’t seen this kind of
rain in a long time. I also know that not
everyone has been as lucky as we have
been. I continue to hope for those who
need the rain to receive it.
Non-traditional forms of revenue
On July 21, okPORK held the
first Swine and Wine dinner. It was
early evening on Sunday – and was an
extremely fun event to be a part of. It
was full of good wine and great food!
I urge you all to take the
opportunities as they arise to make
yourself part of one of these events.
The third-annual Bacon and
Bourbon dinner is just around the
corner and I can promise I will be in
attendance. Why would you want to
pass up a five-course dinner, with each
course containing a perfectly paired
combination of bacon and bourbon?
okPORK is moving
At the end of August, Roy Lee
Lindsey and the okPORK staff will be
vacating their current office space and
moving into a brand new space. The
space is located on the third floor of the
Oklahoma Blood Institute building on
Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City.
I know he and the staff are excited
about the new office space and the
location near the Capitol. Each feature
of the office was built to suit what we
wanted and everyone is looking forward
to seeing what the future holds for
okPORK in the new space.
National updates during the okPORK
Board of Directors retreat
As I write this, we are winding
down the Board of Directors retreat
in Tulsa. It was a treat to hear Pat
McGonegle from the National Pork
Producers Council give a presentation
about the successes they are seeing in
several states against animal activists.
After having our butts kicked by
the activist groups for so long, it is nice
not to hear the doom and gloom report
about what is coming around the corner.
I hope you are having a happy and
productive summer. I hope you are
getting ample rain. I hope to see you
at some of the events soon – and hope
that I saw you at the okPORK Open in
Hennessey. •
We Have Moved
The new okPORK address is
901 N Lincoln Blvd., Suite 380, OKC, OK 73104-3206
See page 15 for all the details.
4 • Oklahoma Pork Council
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | ROY LEE LINDSEY, JR.
The devil’s in the details
A couple of weeks ago, I was up
early heading to Swine Field Day at
OSU and turned on the radio to listen
to coverage of the British Open golf
tournament. As the intro for the radio
coverage begins to play on ESPN Radio,
I realize something about the intro is not
right.
It dawns on me they are playing
the intro from the U.S. Open – NOT the
British Open. As the host of the show
comes on the air, he immediately has to
apologize and correct the error.
Following the crash of the Asiana
Airlines flight in San Diego, a local
television station went on the air with
a graphic listing the names of the pilots
– which turned out to be incorrect and
mocking.
Anyone who saw the graphic knows
exactly what I’m referencing, but this
is another example of no one bothering
to double check the names. When the
segment aired, it drew a tremendous
negative response from viewers.
When major media outlets make
these kinds of blunders, what does it say
about the credibility of their work as a
whole?
If you see someone who is
constantly misspelling words, is
constantly late for work or consistently
fails to pay attention to the details –
what is your perception of the quality
of their work? How much faith do you
put in them to live up to the promises or
statements they have made?
Attention to details in our own lives
As pork producers across the
country work tirelessly to demonstrate
our commitment to a set of ethical
principles, nothing is more important to
this effort than the attention to details.
When you think about the
guidelines in the Pork Quality Assurance
Plus (PQA+) program for the use of
antibiotics or any medications with
our pigs, you recognize the need for
accurate records about administration
of medications and following required
withdrawal times.
As we work through the challenges
of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus
attention to proper feed rations and
utilization may be the difference in
being able to stay in business or being
forced out of business.
Details Matter
When so many of our day to day
tasks are repetitive in nature, it is easy
to “sleep-walk” through the task.
However, when you don’t give your
entire attention to the tasks at hand, it
is easy to forget to turn off the water or
miss the details.
Details are not sexy. They aren’t
flashy. And most times, they aren’t fun.
However, paying attention to the details
If you are reading this – send Kristin Alsup an email
at [email protected] with the address the magazine
was sent to, your name and email address. You will
be entered to win a $50 Visa gift card.
(PEDv), an absolute commitment to
biosecurity and the detailed processes in
place to limit spread of the disease are
essential if we are going to control the
spread of PEDv.
Our critics and opponents are
always looking for that one instance on
a farm where a worker fails to follow
the developed protocols for care and
handling of animals so they can shoot
footage for another “undercover video.”
At a time when we’ve seen corn
prices well above $7 per bushel,
is what makes us successful.
Attention to the little things
demonstrates our commitment to
animal care, our commitment to natural
resources. We simply cannot afford to
allow mistakes to be made on our farms
simply because we don’t pay attention
to the details.
As you interview prospective
employees, discuss daily responsibilities
and expectations with employees and
co-workers, nothing is more important
than your commitment to the details. •
•5
A great time to give back to Oklahoma
“You helped OBI during a very unusual week – one that Oklahomans will never forget. Without
knowing what that week would hold, your support with the blood drive – planned months in
advance – meant OBI was able to be that outlet of giving for people in our area.”
John Armitage, CEO Oklahoma Blood Institute
photos and story by Kristin Alsup
Tom Manske, director of development for the Oklahoma
4-H Foundation is all smiles while donating blood. He
must be thinking about the pork sandwich for lunch.
Jennifer Leigh and Roy Lee Lindsey tell Magic 104.1
listeners about the okPORK blood drive and need to donate
to OBI.
An OBI donor gets ready to enjoy a pulled pork sandwich
served up by an OBI volunteer and Miss Oklahoma
Collegiate America 2013.
6 • Oklahoma Pork Council
A
s every Oklahoman
knows, tornados ripped
parts of the state apart
this spring. The whole nation
watched in horror as debris was
launched through the air and
homes disappeared. Thousands
of people were affected, hundreds
were injured and some even died.
People from every walk of life
immediately began looking for
ways to provide aid to the victims.
They gathered donations and
volunteered to shoulder the task
of cleaning up. Musicians played
and chefs cooked until they could
no longer continue to do so.
While some may believe in
fate while others choose not to, it
was a happy coincidence for many
when the long scheduled okPORK
Pre- Memorial Day Blood Drive
was the same week as these
intense storms.
The Oklahoma Blood
Institute’s president and CEO,
John Armitage said in a letter to
okPORK, “You helped OBI during
a very unusual week – one that
Oklahomans will never forget.
Without knowing what that week
would hold, your support with
the blood drive – planned months
in advance – meant OBI was able
to be that outlet of giving for
people in our area.”
As it has for the past seven
years, okPORK provided all the
fixings for pulled pork sandwiches
and chips. In addition, stress relief
pigs and a chance to win a picnic
for 40 catered by okPORK were
featured among the incentives for
donating blood during the drive.
In the same letter Armitage
also said, “Holiday weekend
donations are always a challenge
for OBI. However, once again the
dedication and support of the
Oklahoma Pork Council made it
possible to meet the medical needs
of thousands of Oklahomans who
required it just to make it through
the Memorial Day weekend.”
According to OBI, it takes
an average of 700 blood donors
each day to meet the needs of the
patients in the 144 hospitals they
serve. In addition, since donor
centers are not open on Sunday
the number of donors needed each
day is actually boosted higher. On
holiday weekends, those needs
are even larger due to few blood
drives, closed donor centers and
donors gone on vacation.
okPORK continually strives
to be a partner in our state-wide
community whenever possible.
When okPORK learned about the
opportunity to provide assistance
to OBI during one of these
holidays they leapt at the chance
to help.
This year alone 2,547 people
decided they would donate blood.
Since each donation can save up to
three lives, more than 6,500 lives
could have been saved through
the okPORK blood drive.
While the storms this year
provided yet another reason for
people to get out and donate,
okPORK was proud to provide
those people with a nutritious and
fulfilling lunch. Nobody had to
leave with an empty stomach.
While everyone hopes to
avoid this kind of destruction
near their home, okPORK knows
there is always a need for the
blood donated to the Oklahoma
Blood Institute. okPORK is proud
of their contribution to helping
people become silent heroes and
proud to be a part of such a closeknit community state-wide. •
Speech Contest
Leaning on literary pigs of
the past, Elizabeth Perdue spoke
about life lessons we could all
learn from pigs. Her reference
to Wilbur from “Charlotte’s
Web” had the entire auditorium
reaching into their memories and
pulling up lessons learned from Wilbur.
She continued to speak about the
different things readers have learned
from the literary pigs and then she
gracefully transitioned into discussing
the many ways pigs have helped
humans in the past. Research, medicine
and food were a few of the topics she
was able to speak about.
Perdue has been a fixture among the
top placing speeches for several years.
This year, she was proud to snag the top
honor. “It makes me happy to be able to
come and do a good job on my speech,”
Perdue said.
Holding her Youth for Pork Overall
Winner plaque, Perdue posed in her
green 4-H jacket with a huge smile. As
a participant in the junior 4-H division,
Perdue competed against students who
were significantly older than she to win
the contest.
Each year okPORK hosts the speech
contest during the Swine Field Day on
Oklahoma State University’s campus
in Stillwater, Okla. Each speaker has
complete control over which aspect of
the pork industry they will speak about
– as the only requirement is for the
speech to be about pork.
Four divisions are available for
competition – the divisions are based on
the speaker’s age and sets specific limits
on the length of the speech. A first and
second place winner is announced for
each division.
The winners of each division go
head-to-head in front of an audience of
their supporters and the judges get one
more chance to hear each speech. Once
the judges decide which speech will win,
the overall winner is announced.
Students who are and will continue
to be leaders come from across the
state to be involved in the competition.
Hopefully, the information they are
learning will stick with them and when
the time comes the pork industry will
help them find a career path. •
“I place this class. . .”
4-H and FFA members from across
the state make the trek to Stillwater,
Okla. each summer to judge livestock.
They jump into ag trucks and vans –
sometimes in the wee early hours of
the morning – to catch some experience
judging cattle, sheep and pigs.
okPORK is proud to be able to
address the gathered judges during
Swine Field Day at the Oklahoma
State University Animal Science
Arena. okPORK staff enjoy seeing the
competition. Roy Lee Lindsey, executive
director for okPORK, steals a moment or
two from the collection of judges.
During the couple of minutes
Lindsey speaks, he thanks the judges
for being interested in agriculture and
explains about the Youth Leadership
Camp okPORK conducts during the
month of June. Each judge is encouraged
to learn more about the camp, submit
an application and take a shot at a five
day immersion into Oklahoma’s pork
industry.
During the competition each judge
gains a deeper perspective on how to
function in their role as a member of
their team, while moving between the
classes of hogs. Students are exposed to
the animals and are taught the skill to
decipher small differences in the animals.
The judges are also taught decision
making, speaking and oral reasoning.
When one looks through the
résumés of these kids – wouldn’t anyone
want employees with these qualities?
Don’t you look forward to the day when
they are moving into the pork industry?
It won’t be long – for some, college is
right around the corner. •
•7
story and photos by Kristin Alsup
Below: Members of the Seaboard Foods team
putt during the Oklahoma Pork Open Golf
Tournament.
Oklahoma Pork Open
Golf Tournament
Producers and friends gather on the golf
course to raise money for okPORK
W
aking up early and taking the
drive to Hennessey, Okla.
probably is not your first
thought when you think of supporting
okPORK. You think of the Pork Chop
Shop and the Bacon and Bourbon
dinner. Those are great ways to support
the work, but so is the okPORK Open
annual golf tournament.
Held on August 9, each team of four
players signed in at registration, jumped
in their golf carts and sped off to their
assigned hole before the shotgun start at
9 a.m. All 13 teams played each of the 18
holes of golf.
A day on the course
As each of the teams stopped at hole
8 • Oklahoma Pork Council
10 for a pulled pork sandwich or a quick
conversation – one topic always filtered
to the top. The weather was a big hit.
With cloud cover and a nice breeze, each
team was pleased with the sensational
weather on a day in early August.
As the day progressed, the teams
began to finish putting their last hole.
Once finished they slowly began to
stream to the pavilion at the club house.
Soon the results were read and there was
no more curiosity about who would take
the top spots. The results are below.
Winners
1st: Chappell Supply & Equipment
2nd: Roberts Ranch #1
3rd: Longhorn Services Inc.
4th: McSpadden & Associates
5th: T & W Tire
6th: PIC
Men’s Longest Drive:
Jimmy Cadwig
Women’s Longest Drive:
Vannessa McClain
Closest to the Hole (# 17): Bill Arndt
Raising money to support okPORK
There are two pots of money
okPORK is able to draw from for
programming. The restricted funds
come through the Pork Checkoff and are
only to be used for promotion, education
and research related activities.
The other source of money used
for programming at okPORK is called
Many thanks to
our sponsors
Generous sponsors help offset the
costs of the Oklahoma Pork Open
golf tournament. This allows us to
raise more money for promoting
the pork industry and pork
products. We are grateful for the
support of our sponsors.
Members of the first place team sponsored by Chappell Supply show off their
prize money. Bryan Reed, Blake Chappell, Stephen Hunt, and Jay Baker
unrestricted. Those monies are raised
through fund-raisers and support
opportunities throughout the year.
The okPORK Open provides several
areas of which you, your business and
your friends can be involved. First, you
can bring a team. Come spend a day of
fun on the course with other okPORK
supporters. When your team registers
they are able to buy up to four mulligans
per person and as many drink tickets as
they would like.
Another way to support the
okPORK Open is through a hole
sponsorship. As a hole sponsor a sign
is placed at the hole telling the players
who sponsored it, the okPORK website
hosts the list of sponsors for the entire
year and each sponsor is listed in the
okPORK Pages.
This year, more people became
involved as hole sponsors than ever
before. Every single hole had a sponsor.
Don’t wait and miss your opportunity
next year.
The opportunities don’t stop
there. You can sponsor different prizes,
lunch or the drink cart as well. With
each dollar you spend the okPORK
unrestricted programs are able to last
just a little bit longer.
How can you help okPORK
continue to make a difference in our
communities? •
Automated Production Systems (GSI)
Big Dutchman
Blue & Gold Sausage
Byford Buick Inc
Chappell Supply
Danbred North America
Gilliam Hog & Cattle Inc.
Hog Slat Inc.
Longhorn Service Companies
Okemah Chamber of Commerce
Oklahoma Farm Bureau
Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association
Osborne Industries Inc.
P & K Equipment
Phibro
PIC
Pork Checkoff
QC Supply
Robinson Brothers Farms
OkPORK gift cards available for purchase
For many years, okPORK utilized
pork “checks” as a tool for making
donations for the purchase of pork and
as prizes for drawings, raffles, etc. As
times have changed, the number of
stores and restaurants willing to take
this type of check has fallen significantly.
As we studied different options for
replacing our pork checks, we found
an opportunity to develop a branded
okPORK Award Card. The Award Cards
(seen in the photo to the right) work
just like a gift card and are accepted
anywhere VISA is accepted. This greatly
increases the opportunity for okPORK
staff to use the cards in our promotional
efforts. And it created an opportunity
for our members and others around
the country to also use the okPORK
Award Card in local promotions or
as gifts for family and friends. Some
people have even indicated they will be
purchasing the cards as gifts for farm
employees. You can even have the cards
personalized with an individual’s name
or a personal message on each card.
Getting your cards is an easy
process. Complete the Award Card
Order form (available at www.okpork.
org soon) and email it to Donna Jackson
([email protected]) or fax it to 405232-3781. If you have any questions
about the form or the process, please call
the okPORK office at 405-232-3781
There is a fee of $3.95 per card. That
is the cost to okPORK for each card and
we simply ask that cost be covered by
the purchaser. For orders of 10 cards or
more, okPORK will pay the shipping
fee. On orders less than 10 cards, a $20
shipping fee will be added to your order
to cover the FED-EX charges.
•9
story by Zach White | photos by Kristin Alsup
Traveling, Learning and Making Connections
Class II of the okPORK Youth Leadership Camp was a huge success. Thirteen Oklahoma students
traveled across Oklahoma and got an up close and personal look at the pork industry. And they had a
lot of fun and formed friendships along the way.
T
he Oklahoma Pork Council had
one goal in mind when planning
their Class II okPORK Youth
Leadership Camp. That goal was to give
the 13 participants an experience they
would never forget; and that’s exactly
what took place.
On June 17, students - from homes
across the state - arrived in Stillwater,
Okla., to meet at the Atherton Hotel.
The participants - Kelby Corbett,
Emily Wilkinson, Deekota Williams,
Makyla Hudson, Kylie Sellers, Kolby
Coday, Taylor Pruitt, Jacob Magar,
Steven Larimore, Ashton Baggs, Matt
Drake, along with ag educator Travis
Jinkens - sat nervously awaiting
instructions, not sure what to expect
from the coming week.
A quick overview of the week’s
itinerary was given by camp staff and
in a blink of an eye, the 2013 Youth
Leadership Camp began.
After introductions, a media
training session provided information
on how and why leaders in the
agricultural community interact with
media, followed by in an overview of
today’s pork industry.
The intrigued campers began to
get to know each other as they loaded
the bus - for the first of many trips - to
10 • Oklahoma Pork Council
tour the sow barns at Roberts Ranch of
Oklahoma in Ames, Okla.
Friendships quickly formed as
nerves were replaced with excitement
upon arrival. Jeff Mencke, production
manager for the Roberts Ranch sow
farm, joined the campers on the bus and
instructed everyone to leave behind
their belongings and prepare to shower
before entering the facilities. Mixed
emotions filled the room as campers
came to the realization they would soon
be experiencing a bio-security system
first hand.
At the end of the day, many agreed
that separating into the smaller groups
and touring the 11,000 sow farm was one
of the best aspects of the camp, despite
having to shower in and out.
“My favorite part of the camp
would have to be going to Roberts
Ranch,” Coday said. “The tour guide
we had was very helpful. He answered
every single question we had and didn’t
skip a point.”
Afterward, the group had the
opportunity to ask more questions when
they joined the Roberts Ranch staff for
a mouth-watering pork loin dinner that
came with all the fixings. The staff went
into further detail about their operation
and owner Myrl Mortenson spoke about
the history of Roberts Ranch, as well as
how to be successful in today’s industry.
“Hearing about how Roberts Ranch
got up and running basically gave me
a better insight of how to get into the
business,” Corbett said. “It let me know
that even though it might be hard at
first, we can still accomplish it... we just
need to dream big and go for it.”
The first day came to a close
as campers loaded the bus, waved
goodbye, and headed back to Stillwater.
Day two started early when the
group arrived at Oklahoma State
University’s Swine Research Farm.
Assistant herd manager John Staude
provided the camp with a detailed
summary over how one should evaluate
a commercial hog. The swine farm
then gave each of the three teams a live
hog to evaluate using their newfound
knowledge.
Students quickly loaded the bus
for a short trip to OSU’s Food and
Agriculture Products Center. Jacob
Nelson, along with other members
of the FAPC staff, guided campers in
harvesting the three hogs they had just
evaluated. Each camper gained handson experience when converting the hogs
into a usable protein source for the U.S.
food supply.
“At first I was scared about
harvesting the pigs but then I really
didn’t think it was that bad,” Sellers
said. “It was a great learning experience
and I really got into it after a while.”
After cleaning up and thanking the
FAPC members for the once in a lifetime
experience, the camp headed toward
Hennessey, Okla.
There, campers ate a delicious
home-styled buffet and listened to a
phenomenal presentation regarding
Breeding/Genetics from Joe Popplewell,
branch manager of Seaboard Foods.
Equipped with a greater understanding
on the topic, the adventure continued in
Guymon, Okla.
The lengthy bus drives provided
campers with an opportunity to ask
additional questions regarding camp or
just about the pork industry in general.
This gave camp staff - Dr. Scott Carter,
Rusty Gosz, Rick Maloney, Kristin
Alsup, and Zach White - an opportunity
to share their expertise and knowledge
on the different topics.
“The kids getting to ask questions
on the bus and getting answers was a
huge deal,” says Jinkens, an ag educator
from Chelsea, Okla. “They were able to
gather a higher understanding on the
topics and better promote the welfare for
the pork industry.”
After a short stop at the hotel,
the campers participated in a great
conversation with Jason Hitch of Hitch
Enterprises at Hunny’s in Guymon.
That evening, the camp was served
pulled pork, smoked sausage, and baked
beans along with other delicious items.
Hitch spoke on a number of topics
that included being a multi-generation
farmer. He said that he was very proud
that farming has been in his family since
the 1800s. Hitch said he was a member
of 11 different organizations within
his community and advised that it was
important to be more involved with
your peers.
“I really enjoyed when we went to
Hunny’s and talked with Jason Hitch,”
Hudson said. “I feel that he really went
into depth and was very thorough with
the information he provided.”
On the third day, everyone met
bright and early in the hotel conference
room after breakfast. David Watkins,
recruiting manager of Seaboard
Foods, presented a brief overview of
their operation, thus leading to more
excitement about touring the Seaboard
Foods processing plant. While filing
in and changing into the proper attire,
participants listened to a quick summary
regarding rules and regulations before
breaking into teams to begin the tours.
Campers experienced all stages of
the processing plant. The opportunity
consisted of seeing the kill floor,
along with hogs being harvested and
processed for meat packaging. The
campers seemed mesmerized by how
organized and efficient the company
was at harvesting and processing 19,000
hogs a day. The experience remained
a huge topic of conversation for the
remainder of the week.
Seaboard then provided
sandwiches, chips, and drinks while
answering a handful of questions before
the camp continued to Woodward, Okla.
Campers were warmly welcomed
by Bert Luthi of Luthi Farms upon
arrival at the Woodward Event Center.
The Cake Lady provided an assortment
of delicious finger foods as everyone
took their seats. Luthi talked about
his personal experience in managing a
contract farm and went into detail about
the industry.
Time flew by due to the high level
of interactions between campers and
Luthi. In fact, questions had to be cut
off in order for the camp to remain on
schedule. After saying goodbye, the
intrigued group loaded the bus to head
back to Stillwater.
That evening campers and
chaperones continued to bond over
cheese fries and hamburgers at
Stillwater’s famous Eskimo Joe’s. When
the empty plates began to pile up, it was
eventually time to call it a day.
The fourth day kicked off by
processing the hogs that were evaluated
and harvested earlier in the week.
Familiar faces welcomed the campers
back to FAPC, then Nelson and staff
instructed the teams in cutting the
carcasses into the proper primal cuts.
“It was so interesting,” Wilkinson
said. “We learned how to break up the
different parts by learning where to cut
and figuring out the proper weights.”
The group returned the cutting
knives to FAPC and made their way to
Oklahoma City for tours of Lopez Foods
and Crest Foods.
Lopez Foods provides the beef and
sausage patties for the McDonald’s food
chain. Participants saw the different
processing lines that included the
product being cut, cooked and packaged
for direct delivery.
Potential career paths became
the main topic of discussion in the
conclusion of the Lopez Foods tour and
the guides stuck around to give some
thoughtful advice.
The camp then arrived at Crest
Food’s newest location in Oklahoma
City. David Brooks of Shawnee Milling
Company, key supplier of Crest Foods,
explained the science of operating a
grocery store.
He described the importance of
product placement and how things are
arranged throughout the store. Before
departure, the teams had a friendly
competition to find the most pork
products. The winning team found 72
continued on next page
• 11
items and each member was awarded a
$25 prepaid Visa gift card.
The last stop of the day was the
Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma.
Denice Hulburt, volunteer coordinator,
helped the camp get ready for the
evening. The camp joined with other
volunteers to separate and package
cauliflower into two pound portions. In
two hours the participants had helped
package 5,040 pounds of cauliflower,
which would provide an estimated 4,200
meals for Oklahomans in need.
After the day’s events, campers
prepared themselves for the mock media
interviews that would take place the
following morning in Stillwater at the
Oklahoma Horizons studio. Earlier in
the week each team chose a scenario
which could take place in the pork
industry and were told to research
possible solutions throughout camp.
Andy Barth, an anchor at Oklahoma
Horizons, randomly selected one
12 • Oklahoma Pork Council
student from each team to answer a
series of difficult questions regarding
their scenario.
Afterward, the Horizon team put
together a news story using footage
from the interviews; this gave the
campers the opportunity to review the
delivery of their message to the public.
The learning experience taught the
participants how to better promote the
pork industry in interviews when the
reporter is not on your side.
A tour of OSU’s Boone Pickens
Stadium began the finale of the camp.
Students were then joined by parents,
agricultural educators, media trainers,
and pork producers for a closing meal at
the Wes Watkins Center. The pattern of
incredible meals continued when each
individual received a side salad and a
pork loin wrapped in bacon, followed
by a delicious cheesecake for dessert.
The meal was provided by Celebrations
Catering.
Kim Brock, OSU herd manager,
was the guest speaker and delivered a
powerful message to the audience. Brock
spoke about how work ethic and drive
are key factors in having future success.
He said that it was encouraging to know
these students are so eager to learn
more about the swine industry that they
would take the time out of their summer
to participate in a camp like this.
When the speech came to an end,
emotions began to run high as each
student received their certificate of
completion and shared their most
memorable moment of the week. It
seemed apparent the hardest part of
camp for the participants was having to
say their goodbyes and head home.
“Camp wasn’t just sitting in a
classroom and learning about pigs,”
Pruitt said. “We went from the breeding
part all the way to market and saw
everything in between. I had a blast and
I just wish it didn’t have to end.” •
“Camp was definitely one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. My favorite part was getting to
meet everyone and I would warn people to get ready to become really close to all the other camp
participants.”
Ashton Baggs | Woodward, Okla.
“I honestly thought I knew about the pork industry. Then going to see the sow units and having the
different farmers come and speak to us – it really opened my eyes to what the industry is actually like.
You learn so much, not just about the pork industry but about the livestock industry in general.”
Kolby Coday | Coweta, Okla.
“Camp was the opportunity of a lifetime. Being able to go to Roberts Ranch – with the biosecurity that is
so insane – and them even letting us go and tour their operations and seeing what a sow farm is, basically
away from the family farm, was an awesome experience most people won’t ever get.”
Kelby Corbett | Elgin, Okla.
“My favorite part of camp was learning about the history of the family owned farms. I also never
thought I would have the opportunity to harvest and process an animal. It was crazy going to the
Seaboard Food’s processing plant – knowing how long it took us to harvest and process one little hog
and then watching them do so many in such little time.”
Matthew Drake | Haskell, Okla.
“I figured I would have fun, but I didn’t think camp would be this much fun. My favorite part was the
bus rides when we got to write our questions down because I felt like it was a great learning process. It
was also really cool to see the commercial operations and the entire process from start to finish.”
Makyla Hudson | Collinsville, Okla.
“My favorite part of camp was the fact that we were able to see the full operations of the swine industry.
It was great seeing a processing operation as big as Seaboard because I know not many people would
have that opportunity.”
Steven Larimore | McCloud, Okla.
“I never really expected camp to be as good as it was. I loved getting to listen to some of the brightest
people in the industry. It was a great experience to listen to what they all knew and it was really eyeopening to see how efficient they were.”
Jacob Magar | Wellston, Okla.
• 13
“I actually have two favorite parts of camp. One was the sow farm at Roberts Ranch, and the other was
surprisingly harvesting our own hog. Once I got over the initial shock of blood, I was fine and it was
really cool.”
Taylor Pruitt | McLoud, Okla.
“Camp was such a great experience. We were on a tight schedule, but at the same time it’s pretty relaxed
and we were able to have a lot of fun and enjoy it. You’ll make friends and get really close to all the other
campers you are with.”
Kylie Sellers | Duncan, Okla.
“I thought it was going to be something scary when they kept talking to us about showering into the sow
farms, it made me nervous. But getting to see how that operates when we went to Roberts Ranch with all
those sows was just amazing.”
Paige Stevens | Pauls Valley, Okla.
“Camp has been my best week of my summer. You get to go meet a bunch of people who are inspired to
do the same thing as you. I got experience education and got to talk to all of these big pork producers. I
think the experience will help me out a lot in my future.”
Emily Wilkinson | Cement, Okla.
“I had a couple of favorite parts in camp. What really intrigued me was going to the commercial sow
operation all the way to the grocery store - just being able to see all those steps. Then when we talked to
Jason Hitch was another favorite.”
Deekota Williams | Walters, Okla.
“From an educator’s point of view, this is one of the best things I have ever done and it was a life
changing experience. The camp is better than some of the college classes these kids will take. I loved to
watch the kids interact together and grow. They asked me questions and I asked them questions. I hope
that I have had an influence in their lives because I know they have had in mine.”
Travis Jinkens | Chelsea, Okla.
14 • Oklahoma Pork Council
We Are Moving
Since October 2004, the okPORK
office towered over the One North
Hudson address in downtown
Oklahoma City. There have been many
changes in the city, staff and building as
well as with okPORK itself.
Moving in on the fourth floor,
transferring to the ninth floor,
surviving a flood and rebuilding are
all experiences from the downtown
location.
However, with notice from the
building owners, it became apparent a
move would be necessary. The owners
would not renew any leases in the One
North Hudson building in the future.
The okPORK staff is looking
forward to a brand-new space. 901
North Lincoln, Suite 380 will be the
address of okPORK’s new office. The
build-out was done exactly to the
okPORK specifications and each detail
was important to the builders.
With beautiful walls and cabinets,
each piece is obviously modern and
ready to be used. The back wall of the
office is covered in cubbies of various
shapes and sizes. Some of the shelves
are adjustable while some stay static –
providing easily organized shelves for
anything which needs to be stored.
With plenty of space in the work
room and offices – there is no worry
about not having room. In addition, each
office has windows to allow plenty of
natural light to filter into the space.
The building offers use of the
communal conference room and kitchen
Story and
photos by
Kristin Alsup
to all of the tenants sharing the space.
With a little scheduling, the okPORK
Board of Directors meetings can be held
in a modern and spacious area on the
first floor.
Moving away from downtown
allows for more convenient parking.
No longer will visitors and staff need to
park blocks away in a garage and walk.
The parking lot of the new office space
is surface parking and even has spaces
specifically dedicated for visitors near
the main entrance.
While it is always sad to say
goodbye to the convenience of
downtown, the new okPORK office
space provides as many boons to the
tenants as the previous space did, if not
more. Stop by and see it sometime. •
• 15
photos and story by Kristin Alsup
H
ensley’s Top Shelf Grill in
Yukon created a menu where
a delicious pork dish takes
center stage. You can show up anytime
the doors are open and feast on pork
prepared in the style of Chef David
Sullivan.
When okPORK began planning the
Swine and Wine dinner, Sullivan and
Hensley’s soared to the top of the list.
Leaving the planning of the event
to the experts – okPORK only asked for
pork to be featured in a fun and exciting
way and left the decisions up to them.
One look at the menu and daydreams
featuring pork and Eberle wines took
shape in the minds of attendees.
“I think the Swine and Wine
dinner was an exciting pairing of two
goals okPORK wants to accomplish,“
okPORK executive director Roy Lee
Lindsey said. “We want to encourage
consumers to enjoy more pork and we
want to increase our revenue from nontraditional sources. I believe this event
– and others like it – has the opportunity
to do both.”
With 55 people in attendance,
the number of attendees shows both
excitement for the idea of the dinner as
well as room for growth.
The hors d’oeuvres were bite-sized
deviled ham on rye with a white truffle
16 • Oklahoma Pork Council
oil and a fried onion on top. When
addressing the group of diners before
the first course, Sullivan said how fun he
thought it was and enjoyed the pairing
with the Syrah Rose.
The first course arrived and the
excitement was audible as the baconwrapped shrimp began to disappear.
Beneath the shrimp was a bed of
summer greens with gold bell pepper
and red onion. The champagne and red
grapefruit dressing finished the salad
off wonderfully and when one sipped
the Mill Road Voignier, the combination
of flavors danced across the diners’
tongues.
As dinner progressed, the room
grew more animated and vocal with
their excitement for the food and wine.
The second course did nothing to
slow down or quiet the room. Sullivan
explained his process and how he
spent several hours with the chocolate
stout braised pork shoulder. The time
spent on the recipe was evident with
every bite. The chili slaw and garlic jus
helped pair the plate with the Steinbeck
Vineyard Syrah.
The third course was specifically
designed with those diners who prefer
earthy flavors in mind. Six different
types of wild mushrooms, bacon
flavored brussel sprouts and a port wine
reduction shared the plate with a panseared filet of pork tenderloin. The 2006
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon brought a
little extra something to push this course
over the top.
When the fullness began to reach a
critical level, dessert arrived with a glass
of Muscat. Vanilla bean custard filled
a bacon-graham cracker crust and was
topped with lemon whipped cream. The
role of “cherry on the top” on each slice
was filled by candied pork cracklins.
The plate – drizzled with chocolate –
together with the wine pleased even the
most doubtful palette.
As diners drifted toward the
door, Sullivan stood by to shake the
diners’ hands as they exited the private
room. He listened to favorite courses
and glasses of wine while sharing
a smile with each and every person
who stopped to share their personal
experience and opinion with him.
"I've have always been a fan of
Oklahoma produced pork especially
Seaboard Foods Prairie Fresh Products,”
Sullivan said. “They are proudly
represented on my menu. With the
opportunity to pair five wines with five
courses – all featuring pork – no way I
would pass that up. It was so much fun;
I can't wait until next year." •
5 pork dishes + 5 wines = 1 amazing meal
helping okpork raise non-checkoff revenue + amazing meal
= a great opportunity
• 17
Serving
our fellow
Oklahomans
story by Zach White • photos by Kristin Alsup
I
n late May, devastation plagued the
state of Oklahoma when high scaled
tornados bull-dozed the surrounding
suburbs of Oklahoma City. As hearts
grew heavy, the Oklahoma Pork Council
staff sat patiently for instructions on
how we could provide help to these
affected areas.
The following week Roy Lee
Lindsey, Executive Director of the
Oklahoma Pork Council, was given the
go-ahead to organize a relief strategy
that would be based from the Bethel
Acres Community Center on the
outskirts of Shawnee, Okla.
Once the pork community caught
wind of our plan, I was humbled by how
quickly people were willing to give up
their time and volunteer. The National
Pork Board sent Glen Roeser and their
We Care trailer to join our effort by
feeding tornado victims and other
volunteers. The okPORK staff was met
by numerous volunteers that included
4-H members, agricultural teachers, hog
farmers, and others from surrounding
areas that support the pork industry.
Mark McGinnis, okPORK outreach
specialist, was responsible for running
the operation efficiently. With his
leadership I was able to be a part of a
group that worked vigorously to make
18 • Oklahoma Pork Council
and deliver meals over a week period. It
was decided we would be cooking pork
tenderloins and bratwurst and cutting
them to make a sandwich.
Our group of volunteers were very
well organized and quickly cooked,
cut, stored, and delivered sandwiches
throughout the week. Glen Roeser was
truly a grill master and basically had the
skills of a five-star chef when it came to
grilling pork products. Our relentless
attitude and his expertise on the grill
made me confident that we were going
to make a lot of people very happy…
and full!
On our very first load Mark asked
me if I would like to join him and
Tina Falcon, a pork producer from
the Shawnee area, to hand deliver
approximately 500 sandwiches that our
group had put together. In the next few
hours I realized that when a tragedy
takes place heart-warming and heartbreaking experiences will soon follow.
As we made our way toward the
first stop, the amount of devastation
overwhelmed me. Homes were
flattened, cars were completely
destroyed, and large trees were simply
uprooted and placed on their sides. It
honestly looked like a war-zone.
As we drove into a trailer park
that was demolished by the milewide tornado, my heart sank. We
quickly began to unload a large load of
sandwiches to an on-site relief tent when
a young girl caught the corner of Mark’s
eye. She was walking in the distance
toward us holding a toy doll. To even
the strongest of men, that very sight was
a tear-jerker.
Holding back emotions, Mark
gently asked from a distance if she
would like a sandwich. Typical of any
girl her age, she quickly broke eye
contact and shied away. It became
obvious that her hunger overpowered
her shy-nature because she began to
tiptoe her way toward us. Once we
gave the young girl a sandwich and a
few extra to deliver to her family, she
sprinted off, looked backed and smiled
without saying a word. At that moment
I could not deny that the simplicity of
a warm meal can bring hope to these
people that had lost everything.
We continued down the dirt road
of debris and ran into a volunteer group
called the Samaritan’s Purse. The large
group was easily recognizable by their
bright orange t-shirts and were scattered
in large numbers across the disaster site.
We handed them sandwiches and began
to head back toward our car. We were
caught off guard when the members
asked if we would join them in a small
prayer. It was such a great experience to
stand in a circle, lock hands and count
our blessings. We continued to converse,
but eventually parted ways to continue
our volunteer work.
As we were finishing up delivering
lunch for the first time, we decided to
make one last stop on the way back
when Mark and Tina noticed a “Road
Closed” sign. We then turned into the
restricted area and we saw a house that
was completely destroyed and a middleaged women picking up trash.
She pleasantly greeted us and
started to explain the situation. The
pile of rubble was her mother’s house
and is the place where she grew up.
Her mother, at the time, was sleeping
in the tent that she now called her
new home. Our curiosity to how the
mother survived without a storm shelter
overcame us and we politely asked for
more details.
What I tell you next is not an
exaggeration. She informed us that
her mother was too stubborn to leave
her beloved home and pointed toward
an old rusted storage container in the
corner of the property. With only a
flash light and a granola bar the elderly
women cheated death by locking herself
inside. As she continued into more
details our jaws dropped. It really was a
miracle, along with a showcase of wits
in human survival.
In three short hours my outlook
on life changed. Those experiences will
stay with me for the rest of my life and
it would be selfish not to let our other
volunteers get a similar opportunity.
For the rest of the week I stayed at
the community center and became an
expert at cutting pork tenderloin and
sausage links. Our team of volunteers
provided meals for areas all over the
state of Oklahoma. When we learned
there was a need in Carney, Okla., we
doubled our output, packed up the
Suburban and headed their way.
We did it again when Mark caught
wind that the community of Little Axe,
Okla., needed more supplies, and we
were able to provide them with our
delicious treats as well.
Volunteering with the Pork Council
to aid in the tornado relief efforts was a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I was
so blessed to have been a part of it. •
• 19
NON-PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Permit No. 8
OKLA. CITY, OK
901 N. Lincoln Blvd., Suite 380
Oklahoma City, OK 73104-3206
Candace’s Carnitas Tacos
Prep: 10 minutes |Cook: 6 hours in slow cooker
2 pound boneless blade pork roast, trimmed
1 carrot, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup dry red wine, OR chicken broth
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 cups red cabbage, thinly shredded
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt
pepper
12 8-inch corn tortillas, warmed
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
Combine carrot, onion, and wine in slow cooker. Sprinkle roast on all sides with chili
powder, rubbing it into meat. Season on all sides with salt and add to slow cooker. Cover
and cook on low until roast is falling-apart tender, about 6 hours. Use tongs or a slotted
spoon to transfer meat to a large bowl. Use two forks to shred meat into bite-sized
pieces. Moisten/season with cooking juices to taste. Cover to keep warm and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine cabbage and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to
taste. Arrange 2 tortillas on each serving plate. Fill tortillas with pork, cabbage mixture,
and avocado and serve. (Alternately, arrange pork, cabbage mixture, and avocado on a
platter and let guests make their own tacos.) 6 servings
Recipe courtesy of celebrity mom Candace Cameron Bure, on behalf of The National Pork Board