1. Jason Ross Iowa Pork Industry Center
A Sustainable Pork Industry
Jason Ross
Iowa Pork Industry Center

2. Iowa is the Core of a $22.5 Billion Dollar Swine Industry

3. From 1959 to 2009 U.S. pork producers have…
Increased production 10.7 billion pounds per year (from 12.1 to 22.8)
Used 78% less land, 41% less water and left a 35% smaller carbon footprint
How has this happened?
Research driven solutions followed by industry adoption and implementation:
Engineering and animal housing.
Improved animal management strategies to maximize physiological capacity of animals.
Improved nutrition and animal feeding strategies.
Major improvement in genetics.
How high is the ceiling? What are the barriers?
Importance of the swine industry to the state and U.S. economy requires intensified production to help meet the protein needs of a growing global population.

4. The Triple Bottom Line and the Pork Industry
Nutrient management
Air and water quality
Impact of pork production on greenhouse gases?
Environmental
(Planet)
Social
(People)
Food Security
Food Quality and Safety
Animal Rights/Animal Welfare
Antimicrobial resistance
Animal genetic modification
Policy creation
Economic
(Profit)
International trade/exports
Utilization of grain and co-products
Mitigation of environmental influence on production
Animal Disease
Production efficiency
Improving and maximizing genetic potential
Policy implementation and adherence
Sustainability occurs when all three worlds are in alignment.
How does that happen while improving while meeting the protein demands of a growing population?

5. Iowa Pork Industry Center
Mission Statement: To promote efficient pork production technologies in Iowa, maintain Iowa’s pork industry leadership and strengthen rural development efforts.
Vision Statement: To become a nationally and internationally recognized organization that facilitates and enables outreach, research and education to better facilitate the pork industry to feed people.
Objectives:
Strengthen cooperation between industry partners and Iowa State University.
Facilitate research to address existing and emerging needs/opportunities for the industry.
Catalyze industry adoption of emerging technologies and new knowledge through outreach, education and technology transfer.