December 18, 2008
AMES, Iowa "“ The United Soybean Board has approved soybean checkoff funding for the development and distribution of the National Swine Nutrition Guide by the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence.
The National Swine Nutrition Guide is an education and extension effort aimed at providing science-based feeding and nutrition information to U.S. pork producers and the industry. This effort is a partnership between the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence, United Soybean Board (USB) and several land-grant universities including: Purdue University, Kansas State University, University of Nebraska, University of Missouri, University of Illinois, North Carolina State University, University of Minnesota and Iowa State.
"Nutritional efficiency is important in today's pork industry," said Leon Sheets, a USPCE board member and pork producer from Iowa. "The National Swine Nutrition Guide will provide pork producers across the U.S. with updated tools and information to provide the best nutrition for their animals that will eventually help to feed the world."
The two-year funding commitment from the soybean checkoff allows for development of feed formulation software, publication and distribution of the National Swine Nutrition Guide, development of training materials to educate producers on the use of the guide and four regional conferences to be held throughout the U.S. in 2010. The funding of this project will begin on Jan. 1.
"Supporting our number one customer, the livestock industry, continues to be a primary focus for the United Soybean Board. We are pleased to be able to work with the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence and help fund the development of the nutrition guide for the benefit of pork producers, the second largest user of soybean meal," said Laura Foell, from Schaller, Iowa, USB director and committee vice chair of domestic marketing.
"The National Swine Nutrition Guide will be an effective education and extension tool for the U.S. Pork industry," said USPCE executive director David Meisinger. "The USPCE is very proud to have been awarded this funding by the soybean checkoff which will aid in our efforts to educate the pork industry. In today's turbulent economic times, providing tools to our producers to aid them in remaining profitable while providing for their animals is important."
The U.S. Pork Center of Excellence, housed at the National Swine Research and Information Center at Iowa State, was established in 2005 as a public/private partnership to bring together academic expertise in research, teaching and extension related to pork production. There are two governmental agencies, two industry associations, 14 state pork producer associations and 24 land-grant universities involved in the coalition.
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