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It's time to celebrate the Nebraska Pork Producers Association's 50th anniversary in 2011! Fifty years ago, leaders of the Nebraska pork industry founded NPPA to promote the pork industry through the enhancement of consumer information, producer education and research. Over the years NPPA has worked hard to do just that for the Nebraska pork industry.

Now in preparation for the year-long celebration in 2011, we're asking all pork producers, allied members and friends of the pork industry to lend us a hand to ensure that 2011 is a memorable year for all! There are several ways to get involved with planning for the 50th Anniversary Celebration, but there are two ways that we really need help on!

50th Anniversary Logo Contest

No need to be a pork producer to enter the logo contest! NPPA is looking for the ultimate 50th anniversary logo to place on all promotional materials such as flyers, t-shirts, brochures, etc., as well as on all mailings. All 50th anniversary logo ideas need to be submitted to the NPPA office (nppa@nepork.org) by September 1, 2010 in a JPEG file. The NPPA Board of Directors will then vote on the designs and the winner will be notified.

The 50th anniversary logo contest winner will receive a $50 visa gift card and a special recognition in the Pork Talk quarterly magazine.

50 Years, 50 Memories

To further celebrate the 50 years of hard work and dedication Nebraska pork producers have done throughout the years, the association wants to hear your personal pork stories, experiences and memories of the pork industry. These memories could be as short as a few sentences or as long as a novella - it's up to you on how you want to tell your memory. Whether your favorite memory is working in the hog barn, attending the state fair or talking to a pork producer, we'd love to have your stories included in the 50th Anniversary Special Publication.

Photographs with captions are also greatly appreciated with all photographs being returned. We'd like to have your written memories sent to the NPPA office or emailed to nppa@nepork.org.

The stories will be collaborated and placed throughout the year on Hog Blog, the NPPA website and other promotional material created during the celebration year.

Want to see how pork producers care for their animals, up close and personal? Well here's your chance to see a 24-hour Web camera in two swine barns at Belstra Milling Company in DeMotte, Indiana.

The web cameras are in two of Belstra Milling's barns to allow anyone to observe what happens inside a swine barn. The address is www.realpigfarm.com. Belstra Milling Vice President, Malcom De Kryger, says his folks are proud of how they handle the animals and want to share what they do day-to-day.

The two swine barns that you can see is the Breeding Barn and the Farrowing Barn. The Breeding Barn is where sows are bred as they come into "heat." The Gestation Barn is where pregnant sows live until they are ready to give birth or "farrow." Belstra Milling breeds 55 sows per week with 90% being sows and 10% being gilts (females that have never had a litter before).

The Farrowing Barn is where all the piglets are born. Belstra Milling has two employees that are specially trained to monitor all of the deliveries. They make sure everything goes well during delivery, and then they give the piglets a check-up and their first vaccinations.

To see a Belstra Milling Company "Day on the Farm" video, click here.

Pigs are Hungry Too, Pig Farmers Take Action and Ride Along with a Pig.

During the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (A-FAN) Bus Tour 2009,   A-FAN visited Terry O’Neel, a hog farmer from Friend, Neb. about animal care in pork production. O’Neel explains why sows are housed individually – and how that individual care benefits the animals, helps maintain herd health and ultimately provides quality pork. This video was created by A-FAN.

Individual Sow Housing Benefits the Animals - and People

The Nebraska Pork Producers Association proudly presents Hog Blog, a weekly updated blog where we strive to inform you and others about pork industry information and activities NPPA is doing for you and your family.

With changing and tough economic times for all, it is important now more than ever to expand consumers' knowledge of the pork industry as society increases scrutiny of our important industry.  With Hog Blog we want to reach out to those who may not fully understand the importance of our industry and continue to positively promote Nebraska pork producers.

We hope you visit Hog Blog and get involved by leaving us a comment! Visit nepork.wordpress.com