Pork producers and exhibitors from around the country and from more than 60 nations crowded the Iowa State Fairgrounds June 8-10, sampling pork barbeque, visiting the 1,000 exhibit booths of the 450 companies in attendance, watching pig races and participating in various educational seminars. The number of international visitors is estimated at 2,300 traveling from some 50 different countries around the globe.

"This World Pork Expo was a huge success," said NPPC President Joy Philippi, a pork producer from Bruning, Neb. "We had pork producers and swine industry representatives from across the country and visitors from Canada, Mexico, Japan and dozens of other countries, including some from Sri Lanka. This is the premier event for our producers; an opportunity for us to showcase our industry and let producers know what NPPC is doing to keep our industry competitive."

USDA Secretary Mike Johanns addressed NPPC's 2007 Farm Bill Policy Task Force; visited "ID Alley," a USDA-NPPC booth where pork producers could register their premises; and spoke to NPPC Strategic Investment Program members at a lunch. The Secretary took the latter opportunity to announce the release of USDA's analysis of comments on conservation issues gathered at the agency's Farm Bill listening sessions.

Also during the event, NPPC delegates approved, 99-0, a resolution allowing the board of directors to complete the sale to the National Pork Board of the "Pork. The Other White Meat" slogan and trademark.

NPPC is one of the nation's largest livestock commodity organizations. It has producer members in 44 affiliated state associations and provides a unified voice for America's pork producers on a wide range of industry and public-policy issues. NPPC's Web site is at www.nppc.org.