South Dakota Pork Producers Council elects leaders

The South Dakota Pork Producers Council recently elected Ferlyn Hofer, a pork producer from Canistota, South Dakota, to serve as president.

Hofer stated, “I am honored to have been selected to be the South Dakota Pork Producers president for 2018. Our hog industry is growing in the state which is enabling many of our young people to come back to the farm. My hope is that we grow our hog industry responsibly and with respect for our neighbors. I ask each of you to share your story with others so that we can all understand modern pork production. Our staff at the office is exceptional and if you have any questions, please call the office and they are more than willing to answer your questions.”

The board also elected Craig Andersen of Centerville, South Dakota, as first vice president; Shane Odegaard of Lake Preston, South Dakota, as second vice president. Also elected was Seth Denning of Corsica, South Dakota; Greg Feenstra of New Holland, South Dakota, and Ashley Gelderman, a representative from Standard Nutrition from Hartford, South Dakota, to serve on the South Dakota Pork Producers Council Executive Board.

For nutritional information and pork recipes or for information about modern pork production, please visit www.sdpork.org.

The South Dakota Pork Producers Council was created in 1954 to responsibly serve, support and enhance the success of the South Dakota pork production industry. Along with managing industry issues and improving the image of the pork industry, the Council works to insure a safe, wholesome product for the consumer’s confident consumption.

South Dakota’s pork producers have 170,000 sows and they produce 339,000 farrowings per year. South Dakota is ranked eleventh in pork production and ranks second in pigs per sow. South Dakota ranks ninth nationally in number of pigs born in the state. South Dakota’s pork industry contributes $2.1 billion overall economic impact of South Dakota’s Swine Industry. Also, South Dakota pork industry contributes $17.4 million in total tax revenue.