Niche pork herd health and production cost management

The Pork Niche Market Working Group (PNMWG) has been working for nearly four years to help address challenges facing niche pork farmers. As part of this work, the group periodically assesses needs. One that continues to be important is helping niche pork farmers address production issues involved in raising antibiotic-free and certified organic hogs.

To address this need, this project focused on developing and implementing an integrated research and outreach program for niche pork production. The result is a two-year effort called the Niche Pork Herd Health and Production Cost Management Project. Its goal is to enhance the prosperity of small farms. To achieve this goal, the project will integrate research, education and extension activities in three main areas:
1.develop and utilize optimal herd health intervention and prevention strategies for certified organic and antibiotic-free hogs,
2.develop and utilize strategies to improve profitability of niche pork farms through the use of records as a diagnostic tool to identify key production issues, and
3.utilize outreach strategies to enhance the long-term viability of niche pork farmers and farmer-led niche pork companies.

A $400,000 USDA National Research Initiative (NRI) grant to the Iowa Pork Industry Center at provides the majority of financial support for the project. Partners are the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine, the ISU College of Agriculture, ISU Extension, the Iowa Pork Industry Center, the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, the University of Nebraska Department of Animal Science, Practical Farmers of Iowa, the Iowa Farm Business Association, Niman Ranch, Eden Natural, Organic Valley. For more information, go to www.pnmwg.org.

Gary Huber
Practical Farmers of Iowa
Phone: 515.232.5661
Email: gary@practicalfarmers.org