The Missouri Pork Association welcomes producers, suppliers and distributors to the 2020 Missouri Pork Expo. The two-day event promotes the pork industry, educates youth and adults and distributes information from current research. The Expo begins the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 11 and runs through Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 12 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia.

The educational series and one-day swine trade show are feature attractions for the 2020 Expo. Participants may also attend events including the FFA pork speaking contest finals, pork industry banquet and pork leadership breakfast.

The largest swine-specific trade show in Missouri will include 110 booths featuring the latest products in the industry on Feb. 11. The show registration, sponsored by Ag Property Solutions, opens at 8 a.m. Tuesday and includes a silent auction, as well as the trade show hospitality area, sponsored by The Parks Companies. Registration bags are being sponsored by CSC, and lanyards provided by Protect the Harvest. Live auction items to be sold during the pork industry banquet will also be on display. The trade show closes at 5 p.m. that evening.

More than 100 youth are expected to complete Show Me Quality Assurance certification, beginning at 9:30 a.m., during the 2020 "In the Show Ring" educational workshop, sponsored by Heimer Hampshires. The Tuesday workshop prepares young people to show swine at the local and state levels. Participants will enjoy lunch and a scavenger hunt, sponsored by FCS Financial.

The Missouri Pork Expo will host a barbecue lunch on Tuesday. The barbecue is by Lynch Livestock, Inc., and ice cream will be provided by Midwest Dairy Association. Lunch is $10 per person and free to youth. This will follow the FFA pork speaking contest finals, sponsored by Alltech.

The 2020 Expo Educational Series kicks off Feb. 11 at 9 a.m. with a PQA Plus Certification training, sponsored by the Missouri Pork Association. Tim Safranski and Corinne Bromfield, both with the University of Missouri, will present the session. 

At 10 a.m., Ron Ketchem with Swine Management Services will present "An Overview of Performance Challenges We Are Facing Today in the Pork Industry," sponsored by Wiechman Pig Company.  Following at 11 a.m. Clayton Johnson with the Carthage Veterinary Service will present "ASF Update: Worldwide Overview and Important Preparation Steps for Missouri Producers," sponsored by The Climate Corporation. At 1 p.m., Samantha Marais with Swine Safety Designs will present "Get 'Em Off to a Great Start – Hiring and Training Employees," sponsored by JBS Live Pork.

The reception, sponsored by Missouri Corn Growers Association, will begin at 5:30 p.m. and include a wine tasting, courtesy of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board, and a spirits tasting by Wood Hat Spirits and DogMaster Distillery. The reception will lead up to the pork industry banquet, co-sponsored by the Pork Checkoff and Smithfield, and will end with the Missouri Pork Association's live auction. Tickets for the banquet are $45 prior to the Expo and $50 on site.

The educational series continues Feb. 12 with the pork leadership breakfast, featuring Brett Stuart with Global AgriTrends. There is an additional $60 fee to attend the breakfast prior to the Expo, $70 on site, which is sponsored by Enterprise Bank, the National Pork Producers Council and Smithfield Hog Production Division Midwest Region.

Stay after breakfast for the University of Missouri Commercial Agriculture Program's Pork Industry Hot Topics, sponsored by Missouri Corn Growers Association. Faculty from MU will cover topics including:

The Expo concludes with a Missouri Pork Association Board lunch (invitation only), sponsored by the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, and followed by a board meeting on Wednesday afternoon, which is open to all producers.

Additional sponsors for the 2020 Missouri Pork Expo include Boehringer Ingelheim, Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau, Foley Power Solutions, Landmark Bank, Maximum Ag Technologies, Missouri Agribusiness Association, Nedap Livestock Management, PIC, Rabo AgriFinance, Sydenstricker and The Law Firm of Haden & Colbert.

Registration for the Expo trade show and educational sessions is free. There is a non-exhibiting supplier fee of $50.

Source: Missouri Pork Association which is solely responsible for the information provided, and wholly owns the information. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.