The goal of the original organization was to find solutions to management problems, identify disease controls and improve swine herds through breeding and nutrition. While it’s mission and member base has expanded since that time almost 100 years ago, the group’s focus has not waivered far from its function long ago.

Today, almost one-third of the nation’s hogs are raised in Iowa and there are approximately 6,200 pig farms in the state, with operations in every Iowa county.

“By the early 1960s, pig farmers began to recognize the growing number of factors beyond their farms that were impacting profitability. A small group of pig farmers was determined to push the message of delicious pork beyond the farm. County pork organizations were formed across Iowa, and in April 1968, the IPPA was formed,” said Rich Degner, who joined the staff of the IPPA in 1980 and became the executive director/CEO in 1998.

Degner retired in 2015 after having served Iowa’s pork producers for 35 years.

-Submitted photo by IPPA
Delegates of the Iowa Pork Producers Association work together as a voice to state and national public policy makers, educators, consumers and key influencers.

Prior to his employment with the IPPA, he graduated from Iowa State University in 1972 and taught vocational agriculture. Degner has witnessed firsthand how the organization and the swine industry has changed over time, but the IPPA’s function remains the same, Degner said: promoting, educating and providing a leading voice for a sustainable, socially responsible and globally competitive pork industry.

“The IPPA is the professional organization representing Iowa’s pork producers. IPPA is the pork producers’ voice to state and national public policy makers, educators, consumers and key influencers. Public policy decisions are made by pork producers through the delegate body during the IPPA annual meeting, the IPPA public policy committee and the IPPA board of directors,” Degner said.

The veteran industry expert explained that the IPPA plays an active role in the rule-making process for livestock environmental regulations, air and water quality issues, and numerous advocacy efforts.

“The U.S. Congress prohibits the use of National Checkoff funds for addressing legislative issues. Therefore, governmental affairs programs are funded through the IPPA’s membership dues, profits from the Iowa Pork Congress and the Iowa Pork Tent at the Iowa State Fair, and the strategic investment program, which is a voluntary checkoff,” Degner said.

An official IPPA committee oversees each program of the association, he continued. IPPA routinely has 14 working committees that bring together almost 200 pork producers, allied industry associates, specialists and experts to direct the checkoff program areas of promotion, research, producer education and consumer information, Degner noted.

Non-producers are most aware of the edible efforts of the IPPA.

Of course, the IPPA is well-known for its Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin contest held every year since 2003. It’s a huge honor for the award recipients who whip up the best breaded pork tenderloin in the state.

Then the 34th annual Iowa Taste of Elegance competition was held in January. The Taste of Elegance is a competition hosted by the IPPA to celebrate pork and find Iowa’s best pork chef in fine dining. In a spin-off of the NCAA March Madness, IPPA also holds a contest for Iowa’s best pulled pork sandwich, called Pulled Pork Madness, with a bracket.

When asked what he believed to be the most memorable events in the IPPA’s history, Degner shared his top three.

“The development and promotion of the Iowa Chop by the IPPA in the 1970s was tremendously successful. The thick cut center loin chop was widely accepted by consumers, retailers and the food service industry, and led to the creation of the Iowa Pork Tent at the Iowa State Fair, which is a successful food vendor. Other new pork items have also been marketed through the Iowa Pork Tent,” Degner said.

Another noteworthy event that stuck out in Degner’s mind is when pork producer leaders from Iowa and other states came together to propose the 100 percent legislative checkoff program.

“The U.S. Congress created the Pork Checkoff as part of The Pork Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1985. U.S pork producers and importers pay $0.40 per $100 of value when pigs are sold and when pigs or pork products are brought into the U.S.,” he said.

Also, the development of the modern pork production system has “significantly changed pig farming methods.”

“Farmers have adopted modern practices out of concern for animal well-being, food safety, worker safety and the environment. The practices adopted are based on sound science and input from agricultural experts. The health of pigs has improved greatly as a result of modern housing of pigs. Sophisticated systems allow the capture, control and use of manure as fertilizer for the crops grown on a specific farm,” Degner said.

When glancing ahead at the next 100 years for the IPPA, Degner said that in order for the State of Iowa to have sustainable agriculture, it needs to have a “strong livestock production system.”

“Pork production can certainly play a significant role in sustainable agriculture in Iowa. Pigs in Iowa can consume the products from corn production and soybean production in Iowa. Additionally, pigs in Iowa can provide manure to be used as fertilizer for Iowa’s corn and soybean production,” Degner said.

“Through the use of technology for precision farming, the fertilizer value of manure can be analyzed, and the manure can be applied at the required rate needed for each crop. Iowa’s pork producers will continue to need a professional organization to represent their views and to develop programs to meet their needs.”

As of 2015, 141,813 jobs had ties to Iowa’s pork industry and almost one in every dozen employed Iowans have a link to the pork industry. Hog production contributed $13.1 billion to the state economy in 2015. In turn, one hog consumes approximately nine to 10 bushels of corn and 100 pounds of soybean meal from birth to a market weight of 275 pounds.