“Through the Pork Leadership Academy program, the Checkoff is helping build new leaders who will work with both consumers and other producers,” said Dawn Jarolimek, chair of the Pork Checkoff Producer and State Relations Committee and a pork producer from Forest River, N.D.

The Pork Leadership Academy participants are selected by their individual states and represent different production styles. The Checkoff provides initial leadership training, as well as long-term support in preparing presentations and interviews. The Pork Leadership Academy will focus on training producers as spokespeople who can relate the accomplishments of the pork industry to the public and who can communicate with producers one-on-one about issues facing the pork industry.

“It is important to the pork industry that consumers recognize our product as a main ingredient that inspires them to make their meals more wow,” Jarolimek said. “The Pork Checkoff has educational programs for producers in place that will help to ensure that we will keep the product safe and nutritious. These leaders are vital to communicating that message to consumers.”

Jamey Tosh, a 2004 PLA participant and a pork producer from Henry, Tenn., said, “The Pork Leadership Academy gave me the awareness of Checkoff-funded programs so that I would have the confidence and the knowledge to relate to other producers about the pork industry.”

These producers will attend five Pork Leadership Academy meetings during their year in the program. Each meeting will focus on a different issue that includes a Checkoff program update. At the first meeting during World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa, participants will learn more about their Pork Checkoff investment and how to work with the agriculture media to tell their story.

ThePigSite News Desk