Pork group gains momentum during its first year


After almost a year, the Pork Niche Market Working Group (PNMWG) is increasing its momentum -- and resources.

The PNMWG, which grew out of a September 2001 niche marketing workshop organized by the Leopold Center, will receive $108,500 as part of a new value-added rural development program in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA value-added grants totaling $37 million in 43 states were announced in October 2002. The PNMWG effort was one of 29 Iowa projects funded.

Including the USDA value-added grant, the PNMWG has generated about $208,000 since January. Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) applied for the USDA grant on behalf of the PNMWG. The money will be used to complete a feasibility study on the development of a cooperative business that will develop an integrated supply chain to provide food service markets with premium pork products.

The Leopold Center and PFI are among 30 organizations participating in PNMWG activities. Other core partners are Iowa State University Extension, the ISU Cooperative Development Center, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa Institute for Cooperatives, and the Greater Des Moines Partnership. A portion of the funds from a W.K. Kellogg-funded food systems project at Iowa State University also goes to the PNMWG.

In September 2002, the PNMWG Steering Team awarded mini-grants to five projects that address some of the challenges of specialty pork marketing efforts. The projects were selected in a competitive application process.

Mini-grants, totaling $34,500, went to:

  • Niman Ranch Pork Company to collect meat quality data (such as taste and tenderness) to develop a meat quality assurance program;
  • Eden Farms, State Center, to set up a third-party system to verify that farmer-members follow various production standards, such as restrictions on antibiotic use;
  • Dave Stender, ISU Extension field specialist, to gather production cost information from producers who use alternative management practices that can be included in business plans and loan requests;
  • ISU Extension, for a needs survey among operators of pork niche marketing enterprises to be used for creation of a primer on business planning and feasibility studies, and
  • the Greater Des Moines Partnership, which is planning a study tour to Sweden in spring 2003 for Iowa pork producers and educators. The tour will focus on the European certification system for niche pork products created in response to consumer concerns.

To keep track of PNMWG activities or subscribe to a bimonthly Pork Update newsletter, go to the PNMWG web site, which is maintained by the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (AgMRC) at ISU.

Back to Winter 2002 Leopold Letter