Minnesota Pork Board AGM Meeting

Board member elections and resolution supporting individual maternity pens highlight annual MPB meeting business

Minnesota Pork Board Annual Meeting attendees elected 12 individuals to serve as 2013 executive board members and as 2014 Pork Act Delegates and approved a resolution supporting the use of individual maternity pens.

The newly elected executive board members are Reuben Bode of Courtland, Kevin Estrem of Nerstrand, Pat FitzSimmons of Dassel, Meg Freking of Jackson, Graff Kelly of Sanborn, Brad Hennen of Ghent, Brian Johnson of Walnut Grove, Nate Potter of Springfield, Sheila Schmid of Sleepy Eye, Tim Steuber of Fairmont, Pat Thome of Adams and Jackie Tlam of Dunnell.

The board members serve a one-year-term and will assume their responsibilities in March, following the 2013 National Pork Forum.

The MPB Executive Board works on behalf of Minnesota’s 4,200 pork producers. Among board members’ duties are determining and prioritizing Pork Checkoff programs and helping assure program implementation. MPB activities include promotions that encourage pork consumption, research to answer questions facing pork producers and education to help producers raise safe and wholesome pork.

Board members who chose not to run for re-election were Bill Crawford of Fairmont, Curt Johnson of Jasper, Mary Peichel of Fairfax and Doug Stade of Eden Valley. These individuals will be recognized for their service on the board at the annual MPB Awards Reception on Jan. 15 at the Minneapolis Hilton.

The resolution passed by attendees at the annual meeting directs the Minnesota Pork Board Executive Board to support the continued use of individual maternity pens. The resolution directs board members to authorize actions necessary to publicize the resolution and to support the industry’s continued use of individual maternity pens. The rational for the resolution is based on pork producer experience and research, which demonstrates that individual maternity pens provide worker and animal protection and safety, a high degree of animal care, and ensures consumers a reliable supply of quality and reasonably priced product.

Source: MNPork