But, for this to pay off, the entire pork chain must become knowledge based. This means that consumer preferences must come into play. In other words, the final product must meet the consumers expectations in quality. Lean premiums for poor quality meat will not continue. Networking arrangements provide advantages to producers that would not be available to them if each tried to operate alone.
Networking advantages extend beyond competitive buying and selling.
It also provided the opportunity to increase the amount of specialization. The example was used of producers who have invested together in joint farrowing facilities to insure a source of high quality pigs for their nurseries and finishing floors. In the future, this networking will extend vertically to packers and input suppliers to help deliver high value added products to the customer. Successful producers will employ a sustainable growth rate. Run-away expansion has been the nemeses of many would be producers.