Released: December 04, 2007

K-State Swine Profitability Conference Scheduled for Feb. 5

MANHATTAN, Kan. – High feed prices and low swine market prices are presenting challenges for swine producers. Ways to deal with these challenges will be addressed at K-State’s annual conference aimed at helping swine producers improve the efficiency and profitability of their operations.

K-State Research and Extension’s Swine Profitability Conference will run from 9:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., Feb. 5 in Forum Hall at the K-State Union. The $25 registration fee includes lunch and all conference sessions. The registration deadline is Jan. 25.

This year’s program will cover several swine industry topics including the influence of ethanol, oil and land prices on the industry, swine health and marketing. Each session features presenters from universities and agribusinesses across the Midwest.

Topics and speakers for this year’s conference include:

* PCV will NOT be the Last Virus to Have a Major Impact on the Swine Industry: Is Swine Influenza Virus the next Ticking Time Bomb? - Marie Locke Gramer, University of Minnesota.

* Returning to a Family Swine Business from K-State - Michael Springer, Indpendence, Kan. pork producer.

* The Influence of Ethanol, Oil and Land Prices on the Future of the Swine Industry - Michael Swanson, Wells Fargo Financial.

* Marketing Decisions based on Packer Matrixes and Pig Flow - Mike Tokach, Kansas State University and Steve Henry, Abilene Animal Hospital.

* Is Your Team All Driving in the Same Direction - Larry Firkins, University of Illinois.

The purpose of the Swine Profitability Conference is to provide swine producers and allied industry the opportunity for an in-depth look at production management, marketing and business decisions related to profitability in the swine industry, said Jim Nelssen, swine specialist with K-State Research and Extension.

“We have a first-class line-up of speakers this year,” Nelssen said. “Our job is to try to challenge producers to do a better job with their operations. We have five topics that definitely do that.”

The conference is sponsored by the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University, K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Pork Association and the National Pork Board.

More information is available by calling Nelssen at 785-532-1251, or by visiting

www.asi.k-state.edu/swine.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Phil White,
pbwhite@ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News