The National Pork Board and NPPC believe that smaller pork producers can compete in the changing pork industry, if they will adapt to new information and technology. To that end, a series of Networking seminars has been held in various states. The seminars are conducted in the belief that value-added networks provide a potential for pork producers to capture a greater share of the value of their product. Smaller pork producers have the potential to meet specific market niches which will work to give them a competitive edge. The checkoff-funded Networking seminars also demonstrate how small pork producers can benefit from greater economies of scale and market influence by joining with other producers to form networks for marketing, purchasing, and adding value to raw commodities.
All producers are interested in fair, competitive and open market price discovery.
To make accurate and verifiable data on pricing available, NPPC is cooperating with the USDA Market News Service in a Price Discovery Project. Some pork producers lack sufficient skills in financial management. To meet that need for small and medium size producers, NPPC has expanded the Pork College concept initiated by the Iowa Pork Producers Association, and extended it to other states. A producer leaves such a session with a completed business plan that they can put to actual application in their own operation. The future of independent pork production depends on the ability of a new generation of producers to enter the business.