By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The 2009 Illinois Pork Expo, scheduled for Feb. 2-4 at the Peoria Civic Center and Hotel Pere Marquette in downtown Peoria, will feature experts addressing the new confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) laws that took effect in the U.S. on Dec. 22, said Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) spokesman Tim Maiers.

“At the Expo, we’ll be having Michael Formica from the National Pork Producers Association as a guest speaker (Feb. 3, 1:30-2 p.m.) going over what producers will need to know to comply with these new rules,” Maiers said. “In addition, there will be folks from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) that can answer questions from producers specific to their operations.”

Maiers said the IPPA wasn’t ready to issue an official statement on the new CAFO regulations, which, among other things, allows CAFO operators the option of applying for permits if their operation does not discharge animal waste. Instead, Maiers said, IPPA will wait and see what IEPA plans to do with the new federal mandates.

“I think for most pork producers who have deep-pitted, covered buildings they are not looking at a discharge situation, but the devil’s going to be in the details as to how those (rules) are going to be interpreted by the state (EPA).

“We really need more state-specific info from the IEPA before we can make a formal comment,” Maiers said.

Pork Expo offers trade show

The Illinois Pork Expo is the official yearly meeting and trade show for the state’s pork industry. While most of Monday, Feb. 2 will be comprised of IPPA meetings, their Casino Night and Pork PAC Auction at the Hotel Pere Marquette Ballroom from 6-9 p.m. is designed as a night of fun. In addition to the casino games and a dinner, Wii games will be available to play with a chance to take one home.

Unique items donated by county pork producer groups and allied industry will be up for auction.

On Tuesday, Feb. 3, the pork industry trade show will begin in the Peoria Civic Center’s Exhibition Hall, along with a full slate of scheduled speakers. Besides Formica, speakers/subject scheduled include: Dr. John Lawrence, Iowa State University (Economic forecast for pork industry), Dr. Larry Firkins, University of Illinois (A view of the Chinese swine industry), Brian Henze, Effingham-Clay Service Co. (Maximizing manure value), Dr. Paul Yeske (Controlling PRRS strain), and the keynote speaker, John Phipps. Phipps is host of U.S. Farm Report and farms 1,800 acres in Edgar County.

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, the trade show continues. Speakers include Dr. Rich Yates, University of Illinois (UoI) (Reducing energy costs), Dan Jennings, UoI Extension (State fair updates for swine shows), and Mark Hoge, Western Illinois University (The modern type of show pig), among others.

“We work hard to try to put together a lineup of speakers that will be of value to Illinois pork producers, so they can take that information back and apply it to their operations,” Maiers said.

For a full schedule of events
and speakers, and for early registration,
visit the IPPA’s website online at www.ilpork.com