Immediate Release:
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Nebraska Corn Board contacts:
Don Hutchens: 800.632.6761
Nebraska pork brings value, nutrition to dinner tables around the world
LINCOLN, NE – Right now is a great time to fire up the grill for a pork feast and stock up on everything from pork chops to loins to roasts, according to the Nebraska Corn Board.
“Pork is a real price value, and it is a healthy part of a balanced diet,” said David Merrell, a farmer from St. Edward who produces corn and pork. “We’re fortunate that so many family farmers produce pork in the state that the rest of us can enjoy and feel good about eating.”
Merrell, who is also a member of the Nebraska Corn Board, said pork loin, for example, is very lean and is an excellent source of protein. “It’s also great way to get important vitamins and minerals, from vitamin B6 to zinc,” he said. “Pork fits in so many different recipes, it’s full of flavor and versatile.”
Farmers also pay close attention to their animals, Merrell said. “We focus on providing shelter, fresh water, high-quality feed and good care,” he said. “That’s good for farmers because animals stay healthy, and for those who love pork because they know it came from a farmer who cares.”
Besides meeting the needs of people in the United States, farmers in Nebraska and across the country also supply pork to people in countries around the world – from Mexico to South Korea to Japan.
“With 94 percent of the world’s population outside the United States, it is important for our farmers, who are so good at what they do, to supply a quality protein like Nebraska pork to markets around the world,” said Don Hutchens, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board. “This is especially true as the global middle class grows and looks to add more protein to their diets.”
The Nebraska Corn Board supports pork exports by backing the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), an organization that conducts activities and promotions to encourage U.S. pork and beef sales around the globe. USMEF often works directly with consumers to introduce them to U.S. pork and beef, but also assists retailers and restaurants with promotions and information they need.
“It’s always better to export higher value products like Nebraska pork than commodity grain. It is much better for our economy to add value locally and process that pork locally,” Hutchens said. “This is why we’ve supported USMEF since the group’s founding three decades ago. The more pork we export the stronger the industry is here at home, and that’s good for everyone.”
With October marking National Pork Month, a celebration that began in 1962, Hutchens said it is a good time to recognize the importance of the industry to Nebraska.
“There are about 3.2 million hogs in Nebraska,” he said. “That translates into hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity, from equipment to feed, from a larger tax base to thousands of jobs in dozens of different sectors. The livestock industry is critical to not only rural Nebraska, but the state as a whole.”
The Nebraska Corn Board is a self-help program, funded and managed by Nebraska corn farmers. Producers invest in the program at a rate of 1/4 of a cent per bushel of corn sold. Nebraska corn checkoff funds are invested in programs of market development, research and education.
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