Speakers

Kapil Arora
field agricultural engineer, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Ames, IA

Dr. Kapil Arora is a Field Agricultural Engineer with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. He has been serving extension clients in his current position for past twenty years. Dr. Arora works in the areas of farmland drainage, manure management, and composting.

Presentation title: Buying and selling manure
Concurrent session A: Sustainable pork production
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 3:10 PM

Banks Baker
global director, Product Sustainability, PIC, Hendersonville, TN

Banks Baker is Global Director of Product Sustainability for PIC, a global animal genetics and biotechnology company. He supports genetic improvement and gene editing as a way to continually improve animal agriculture and provide holistic benefits across the value chain, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved animal welfare and more efficient protein production. Previously, Banks led protein sustainability for McDonald’s USA, creating and implementing greenhouse gas reduction strategies and managing animal health and welfare commitments and antibiotic policies. Prior to McDonald’s Banks established a regenerative agriculture research department for a private operating non-profit foundation and managed farms and ranches across the United States. Banks has an undergraduate business degree from Warren Wilson College and holds master’s degrees in agriculture and business from Colorado State University and The University of Notre Dame. Banks lives in Livingston, Montana with his wife Shelby and their dog Hoover.

Presentation title: Genetic improvements in a sustainable food system
Plenary session
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 10:45 AM

Tom Battagliese
senior manager, Global Sustainability Metrics, BASF, Florham Park, NJ

Tom Battagliese is currently Senior Manager, Global Sustainability Metrics for BASF’s Nutrition & Health business and has more than 25 years experience leading organizations across sectors to successfully identify, measure, and develop solutions and strategies for continuous improvement to sustainability opportunities. Since 2012, Tom has been helping to create more sustainable feed and animal protein value chains, with an emphasis on life cycle business opportunities. Tom is actively engaged across feed and protein industry activities including as Vice Chair of the Board for the Global Feed LCA Institute (GFLI), member of the IFEEDER Sustainability Advisory Board and member of the Iowa State University-National Pork Board Sustainability Advisory Board. Tom holds a Master’s degree in Energy and Environmental Policy with a concentration in Sustainable Development from the University of Delaware, an MBA from Widener University, and a B.S. in Environmental Chemistry from Rutgers University.

Presentation title: Moving beyond least cost formulation to enable a sustainable animal protein value chain
Concurrent session A: Sustainable pork production
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 2:10 PM

Jack Bobo
director, Global Food and Water Policy, The Nature Conservancy, Potomac, MD

Jack Bobo is the Director of Global Food and Water Policy at The Nature Conservancy. He previously served as the CEO of Futurity, a food foresight company, and is the author of the 2021 book ‘Why smart people make bad food choices.’ Recognized by Scientific American as one of the 100 most influential people in biotechnology, he served as the Chief Communications Officer and SVP for Global Policy at Intrexon Corporation and as a senior advisor for food policy at the U.S. Department of State. Degrees include: J.D., M.S. in Environmental Science, B.S. in biology and B.A. in psychology and chemistry.

Presentation title: Can animal agriculture save the planet?
Plenary session
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 11:30 AM

Dan Bussieres
swine nutritionist, Groupe Ceres, Levis, Québec, Canada

Dan Bussières, a swine nutritionist graduated in 1996 from Laval University in Quebec, and his partner, founded Groupe Cérès Inc. in 2004. This company, based in Quebec, Canada, specializes in all areas of swine production. Groupe Ceres service offer includes consulting services in swine production, production and distribution of breeding stock and sales of nutritional products. Groupe Ceres is also involved in swine production managing a net work that produce over 300 000 pigs annually. Dan works on the development and monitoring of nutrition programs for swine producers all over Canada. Beyond its presence in Quebec, Groupe Ceres has partnered with Shaskpeare Mill in Ontario and Nutrition Partner/Farm House in Western Canada in order to work across Canada with all swine producer. Groupe Ceres and its affiliates influence the feeding of more than 5.5 million pigs annually, which include consulting for the nutrition and R&D for HyLife, one of the top 2 swine producers in Canada. He is also doing consulting in nutrition and production with Tianzow breeding a company in China that has 80 000 sows in production. Dan is working with many industry partners to conduct field research projects which aim at developing new feed programs in order to optimize the performances of pig, their profitability and to improve meat quality. He has done many presentations for producer meeting or at different conference/seminar in swine production. Today, Groupe Cérès Inc. and its other business partners employs more than 100 peoples and is committed to continue working with Canadian-produced pigs.

Presentation title: Importance of research in driving decision in a swine production system
Concurrent session C: The future of pig farming
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 1:30 PM

Jordan Graham
veterinarian, Swine Vet Center, Milford, IA

Dr. Graham is a 2010 graduate of South Dakota State University and a 2014 graduate of Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine where he received his DVM and MS. After graduating from ISU, he worked as a herd veterinarian and regional production director for a large integrated swine production system. In 2017, he joined the Swine Vet Center, expanding the practice in Northwest Iowa, Southwest Minnesota, and Eastern South Dakota, among other locations. He lives in Milford, Iowa, with his Wife, Sasha, and two daughters.

Presentation title: Biosecurity and biocontainment
Concurrent session B: Production strategies for foreign animal disease and health
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 3:10 PM

Chad Hart
professor and extension economist, Economics, Iowa State Univeristy, Ames, IA

Chad Hart was born and raised in southwest Missouri. His connection to pork began at the small meat locker operated by his parents. Chad received a Ph.D. in economics and statistics in 1999 from Iowa State University. He has been employed by ISU ever since, joining the faculty in 2008. His main research areas are in agricultural marketing and risk management.

Presentation title: Pork economics: It's more than just prices
Concurrent session D: Iowa State University research
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 3:50 PM

Joseph Kerns
president, Partners for Production Agriculture, Ames, IA

Joseph Kerns, president of Partners for Production Agriculture, has thirty years’ experience working with producers, suppliers, and mills to support agricultural operations. He leads a team of professionals with the express purpose of understanding the financial parameters around agricultural markets so that those that he works with can thrive and prosper.

Presentation title: Understanding the carbon market and how it applies to your business
Plenary session
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 9:30 AM

Karl Kerns
assistant professor, Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Presentation title: The present and future of boar fertility prediction
Concurrent session D: Iowa State University research
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 2:10 PM

Steven Lonergan
Morrill Professor, Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Dr. Steven Lonergan is a Morrill Professor at Iowa State University. Through his innovation and leadership, students can access experiential learning, develop international perspectives, and expand their awareness of meaningful career opportunities in animal science disciplines. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Animal Science and the American Meat Science Association. Steven conducts research with his students and colleagues to define molecular factors that influence muscle growth and meat quality. He has authored and co-authored 137 peer-reviewed articles and over 220 abstracts.

Presentation title: New perspectives in measuring pork quality
Concurrent session D: Iowa State University research
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 3:10 PM

Shane McAuliffe
McAuliffe Pig Farms & Munster Technological University, Kerry, , Ireland

Shane is a pig farmer from Ireland with four modern high health and high welfare farms comprising 2,000 sows producing 50,000 pigs a year. He holds a Masters in Pig Health and Production from the Royal Veterinary College of London and works as a Lecturer in Munster Technological University as well as providing consultancy into sustainable pig production around the world. Shane sits on many different stakeholder and advisory groups and is the Secretary of the Irish Pig Health Society.

Presentation title: A European perspective on reducing the environmental footprint of pork production
Concurrent session A: Sustainable pork production
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 1:30 PM

Janae Metzger
HR Manager, Pig Hill Co., Alvord, IA

Upon graduating with an Animal Science degree in 2014, Janae started working for a family swine farm in Minnesota. In July of 2015, Janae had the opportunity to return to the family farm with the completion of the new 4400 sow farm. Now serving as the HR manager for the entire business, she focuses on all aspects of HR and supporting the swine team a few days as well. Janae is a mom and wife and is often seen on the farm with her family in tow.

Presentation title: Establishing a winning culture on the farm
Concurrent session C: The future of pig farming
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 3:10 PM

Dusty Oedekoven
chief veterinarian , National Pork Board, Clive, IA

Dr. Dustin “Dusty” Oedekoven joined National Pork Board as the organization’s new Chief Veterinarian in February 2022. Dr. Oedekoven leads a team of veterinarians and swine production experts in Pork Checkoff-funded work to deliver on the No. 1 concern for pork producers – foreign animal disease (FAD) preparedness and protecting the U.S. herd from African swine fever. Dr. Oedekoven most recently served as State Veterinarian and Executive Secretary for the South Dakota Animal Industry Board, where he provided strategic leadership and direction for the state’s animal health agency – a seven-member, governor-appointed board of livestock producers with responsibility for all animal health programs and disease control efforts in the state. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University and Bachelor of Science degree from South Dakota State University.

Presentation title: ASF successes and failures...A tour overseas
Concurrent session B: Production strategies for foreign animal disease and health
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 2:10 PM

John Patience
professor emeritus, Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Since his retirement in 2021, John has continued to consult in swine nutrition and management and to speak at industry meetings throughout North America. During the course of his 46-year career, John worked in extension, the feed industry, teaching, research and research management. He has presented more than 450 invited talks in 22 countries and 26 U.S. states. His research covered a diverse array of nutrition and management topics, ranging from ingredient evaluation to the true cost of disease in grow-finish production to optimal wean-to-finish feeding programs - and many topics in between. John is delighted to be asked to welcome attendees to this year’s conference.

Presentation title: Welcome
Plenary session
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 8:30 AM

Eric Potterat
High Performance Psychologist, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego, CA

Eric Potterat, Ph.D. is a High Performance/Sport/Clinical Psychologist and a retired U.S. Navy Commander, who during his last 10 years in the Navy served as the Psychologist for the U.S. Navy SEALS. He joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 and currently serves as their Director of Specialized Performance Programs. He has spent over 28 years of his career researching and training some of the highest performers in the world, mainly in the military, sport and business verticals. Today he will present on the key performance optimization factors of high performing individuals and teams--and give us all actionable and applied techniques that separate the best from the rest.

Presentation title: Learned Excellence: The key performance optimization factors of high performing individuals and teams
Plenary session
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 8:45 AM

Chris Rademacher
clinical professor, Veterinary Medicine and interim director, Iowa Pork Industry Center, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Dr. Chris Rademacher is a Clinical Professor and ISU Swine Extension Veterinarian in the Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine (VDPAM) department at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Rademacher is also Associate Director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center at Iowa State University. Dr. Rademacher received his Bachelor of Science and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota in 1998. Following graduation, he joined New Fashion Pork as Director of Health Services. In 2009 he joined Smithfield Food as the Director of Production Improvement. In December, 2014 he accepted the position of Swine Extension Veterinarian at Iowa State University.

Presentation title: Summarizing current affairs in managing pig health: The McKean Conference
Concurrent session B: Production strategies for foreign animal disease and health
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 3:50 PM

Joshua Selsby
professor, Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Dr. Selsby has had an interest in mechanisms of muscle injury and development of countermeasures for some time. This has led him to pursue projects related to free radical injury in disuse atrophy, subsequent regrowth, ischemia/reperfusion injury, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. For more than a decade he has focused on determining the mechanisms that underlie deleterious heat stress-mediated changes to pigs and especially to their muscles.

Presentation title: Some like it hot!!! The impact of biological sex on heat stress-mediated outcomes
Concurrent session D: Iowa State University research
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 1:30 PM

Tom Stein
director, Animal Health Ventures, Merck Animal Health, Bloomington, MN

Dr. Tom Stein is Director, Animal Health Ventures for Merck Animal Health. He is the creator of the PigCHAMP software and co-founder of MetaFarms. National Hog Farmer magazine named him one of the top 50 men and women who truly made a difference in the US pork industry over the last 100 years. In 2011, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians presented Dr. Stein with the Howard Dunne Award for outstanding contributions to swine production and health. In 2019, Dr. Stein received the George Foxcroft award from the Banff Pork Conference for rigorous and high-profile research which contributes to improvements in pork production efficiency.

Presentation title: Evaluating, analyzing, implementing new technology for swine systems
Concurrent session C: The future of pig farming
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 2:10 PM

Pete Thomas
director of health services, Iowa Select Farms, Iowa Falls, IA

Pete Thomas is Director of Veterinary Services for Iowa Select Farms. Pete is a member of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and has served on its program planning committee, budget committee, and pharmaceutical issues committee. He has attended the National Pork Producer Council’s Pork Leadership Institute and is a certificated Pork Quality Assurance Plus advisor through the National Pork Board. Pete graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine with a Masters of Science degree in preventive medicine and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.

Presentation title: The first 72 hours... Our plan
Concurrent session B: Production strategies for foreign animal disease and health
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 1:30 PM

Heather Vaughn
HR Specialist, Cactus Family Farms, Sturgeon, MO

Heather Vaughn is an HR Specialist at Cactus Family Farms in Osceola, Iowa. She graduated from the University of Missouri with her degree in Animal Sciences and a minor in Spanish. During her time at Mizzou, she had internships in both swine and poultry production, where she focused on training and translating on the farm level. She now serves in the Human Resources department at Cactus Family Farms where she spearheads employee onboarding and training programs, as well as a company-wide language education program. Long term, her goal is to continue to break down the language barrier and overcome the cultural differences that agriculture is challenged with every day.

Presentation title: Fostering a healthy workplace culture
Concurrent session C: The future of pig farming
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 3:50 PM

Stephanie Wisdom
director of animal welfare, National Pork Board, Clive, IA

In her role at National Pork Board, Stephanie Wisdom assists in the implementation of animal welfare and welfare-related programs and research. Her essential responsibilities include overseeing animal care content for NPB's training and certification programs, managing Checkoff-funded animal welfare research, development and delivery of animal welfare and sustainability educational materials, and oversight of the We Care® Application, the pork industry’s database to measure progress against the industry’s sustainability goals and metrics.

Presentation title: New sustainability tools available for producers
Concurrent session A: Sustainable pork production
Thursday, June 29, 2023, 3:50 PM