The two day conference is being held at tyhe Virginia Tech-Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center (TAREC).

The programme is as follows:

Friday, October 26- Pre-conference workshop

6:00 – 9:00 p.m. National Pork Board PQA-Plus Training and Certification
Mark Estienne, Ph.D., TAREC and Cynthia Gregg, VCE, Brunswick County

Saturday, October 27- Conference

9:00 – 9:30 a.m. Registration and continental breakfast

9:30 – 9:50 a.m. Corporate and small-scale and niche market pork production: Can they co-exist?
Mark Estienne, Ph.D., TAREC

9:50 – 10:30 a.m. Marketing options for small-scale and niche market pork producers
Panel Discussion Moderated by Allen Harper, Ph.D., TAREC

10:30 – 10:45 a.m. Break

10:45 – 11:25 a.m. Application of genetic principles to pork production
Cindy Wood, Ph.D., Virginia Tech- Animal and Poultry Science Department

11:25 – 12:00 p.m. Feed and feeding options for small-scale and niche market swine farms
Allen Harper, Ph.D., TAREC

12:00 – 12:45 p.m. Lunch- BBQ

12:45 – 1:25 p.m. Basics of a herd health program for small-scale and niche market swine production
Jeremy Pittman, D.V.M., Staff Veterinarian, Murphy-Brown LLC, Waverly, VA

1:25 – 2:00 p.m. Troubleshooting reproductive failure on small-scale and niche market swine farms
Mark Estienne, Ph.D., TAREC

2:00 – 2:15 p.m. Break and travel to TAREC Swine Research Unit

2:15 – 4:15 p.m. On-farm demonstrations and hands-on learning activities- Small groups will rotate to various stations in the Tidewater AREC Swine Research Unit including: artificial insemination and use of ultrasound for pregnancy diagnosis; proper procedures for processing baby pigs; controlling pests in swine buildings; selecting replacement gilts and use of ultrasound for determination of live animal fat and muscle content; and use of composting for dead pig disposal.