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okPORKPAGES
official magazine of the Oklahoma Pork Council | www.okpork.org
Volume 15 | Issue 4 | Winter 2011
Happy Holidays
CONTENTS
8
Beyond the alphabet
and crayons
OPC gives grants to Oklahoma teachers who use
the Ag in the Classroom materials. See how one
kindergarten class is learning about agriculture
without leaving their desks.
10
Oh so heavenly!
A former Taste of Elegance winner has opened a
restaurant in OKC with only pork on the menu.
See how this pork-loving chef is changing diners
minds about ordering pork in a restaurant.
12
2012 Pork Congress
March 16, 2012 is the date. Reed Conference
Center is the place. All the details are inside.
15
Pork industry feeds
hungry Oklahomans
OPC and other pork producers teamed up to
donate enough pork to the Regional Food Bank
of Oklahoma to feed 38,000 Oklahomans in need.
16
And the winner is . . .
At-home chefs brought their original pork
creations to the Tulsa State Fair for OPC’s pork
recipe contest. Maybe you’ll want to try one this
holiday season.
2 • Oklahoma Pork Council
Winter
2011
Sounds from the Sty | from the executive director
RULES - Our industry is facing a lot of them
At least once every day I have to
tell my five-year-old daughter about the
“rules.” These could be rules for bedtime, what to wear to school, coloring
only on the paper, and countless other
things in her daily life. Our pediatrician
often reminds us to keep the rules to a
minimum telling us “God only had 10.”
In both state and federal governments, the legislature or Congress writes
the laws and then regulatory agencies
draft and implement rules that further
explain how the agencies interpret the
laws and how the agencies will enforce
the laws.
I have been spending a significant
amount of time working on rules proposed by both state and federal regulatory agencies. Here is a quick look at just
a few of the rules our state and federal
agencies are proposing.
The United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing a
rule that would regulate dust and other
particulate matter at the farm level. Early versions of this rule have suggested
that farmers would have to make extra
efforts to reduce the “dust” generated
by farming operations. Can you imagine trying to figure out how to plow a
wheat field in western Oklahoma in July
without creating dust? Just this week
OPC signed on to a letter to Congress
supporting the Farm Dust Regulation
Prevention Act.
EPA has also proposed to require all
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) to register with EPA. The
agency claims they need this information to properly regulate CAFOs under
the Clean Water Act. The problem with
4 • Oklahoma Pork Council
this rule is the federal court system has
told EPA more than once they can only
regulate CAFOs that actually discharge
pollutants. Facilities that don’t discharge
aren’t subject to mandatory permits or
registration. EPA didn’t like the court
ruling that said they couldn’t mandate
permits for facilities so this new rule
is an attempt to get around the court’s
ruling.
USDA has proposed new rules that
would dramatically change the way
we market livestock. You’ve seen many
items over the past 18 months regarding the proposed GIPSA rule. In early
November, USDA announced they were
withdrawing the originally proposed
rule and issuing another rule that would
more closely follow the guidelines Congress gave them in the 2008 Farm Bill.
In addition, a congressional appropriations conference committee has included
language in the appropriations bill for
USDA that would prohibit USDA from
implementing the originally proposed
GIPSA rule.
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF) has
proposed revisions to the rules related to
lagoon closure procedures. The current
rules were drafted in 1998 when our
industry was focused on building new
lagoons and facilities and not concerned
about closing lagoons. Thirteen years
later, it is apparent we need more clarity
in this rule. ODAFF has asked for input
from OPC and we are working on language that will help clarify exactly what
ODAFF will ask producers to do if and
when a producer need to close a lagoon.
Last summer, the Construction
Industries Board (CIB), which oversees
licensed contractors including electricians and mechanical contractors,
adopted a set of emergency rules that
changed the ratio of journeymen to
apprentices working on construction
of poultry houses to allow up to five
apprentices for each journeyman. This
helped keep cost down for construction
of new houses. That rule will expire in
July 2012 and efforts are now underway
to extend that rule or to make changes to
the statutes that ultimately could exempt
agricultural buildings – including swine
facilities – from this regulation entirely.
The Department of Labor has
proposed a rule that would effectively
prohibit anyone under age 16 from
working in an agricultural setting. There
are many points in the 50-page rule. But,
some highlights are that youth would be
prohibited from working with non-castrated male equine, porcine, or bovine
older than six months or engaging, or
assisting, in animal husbandry practices
that inflict pain upon the animal and/
or are likely to result in unpredictable
animal behavior.
We all need rules to live by. They
provide structure that we all find comforting. What we don’t need is a rule
for every possible situation that could
develop. OPC has had and will continue
to have an eye on what rules are being
proposed and we’ll continue to represent your interests with those state and
federal agencies. •
Roy Lee Lindsey, Jr.
OPC executive director
OPC announces first okPORK
Youth Leadership Camp
We all know there’s more to pork
production than just raising a few pigs.
However, very few people really understand everything that is involved in
the process of moving from baby pigs to
pork chops on your plate. In an effort to
share this detail with Oklahoma’s youth,
the Oklahoma
Pork Council is
planning its first
okPORK Leadership Camp for
June 3-7, 2012.
The Leadership Camp will
give youth an indepth exposure to modern, commercial
pork production, processing and marketing. Highlights of the camp include:
• a tour of a commercial sow farm,
• visits to Seaboard Foods, Lopez,
Foods, and Bar S Processing plants
• live animal evaluation at the OSU
swine farm,
• harvesting and processing hogs
at the OSU Food and Ag Products
Center,
• tours of a grocery wholesale warehouse and an overview of how a
grocery store markets products,
• and training on how to interact with
the media – including on-camera interviews and followed by a critique.
“This program is closely modeled on
the Texas Pork Leadership Camp,” said
OPC Executive Director Roy Lee Lindsey. “Texas has had a successful youth
leadership camp program for more than
25 years so we are adapting their program to Oklahoma. We will even be joining with the youth
from Texas for the
first two days of
our program.”
Participants
in the Leadership
Camp will be
selected through
an application
and interview process. Youth who will
have completed their sophomore, junior,
or senior years of high school by May 31,
2012, are eligible to participate. Applications will be available early in 2012 on
the OPC website and will be sent to all
agricultural education instructors and
OSU county extension offices. Applications will be due February 29, 2012. The
specific itinerary and agenda is still in
development and more information will
be available at www.okpork.org in early
2012.
There is no charge for participating
in the camp. All costs will be covered by
sponsors, OPC, and the Pork Checkoff. •
Thank you volunteers
Many thanks to all those who
volunteered to help the OPC with the
Pork Chop Shops during the Oklahoma
State Fair. We would not have been able
to run those booths without you giving generously of your time. Having
volunteer help also allows OPC to save
on labor cost and realize increased unrestricted revenue for our organization.
Our volunteers saved us at least
$2,000 in labor costs.
More than 20 pork producers and
industry supporters volunteered in the
sandwich booth this year. Our hats off to
these individuals for generously donating their time.
Producer volunteers are also an
integral part of OPC’s presence at our
promotional booth in the Made in
Oklahoma building. We staff this booth
for three days and hand out pork loin
samples and recipes and answer consumers’ questions. Having producer
volunteers helps free up OPC staff during this very busy weekend of juggling
the promotional and sandwich booths at
the same time.
Many thanks to Tina Falcon, Darren
Kraus, David and Catreana McMullen,
Dave Richardson and Phil Richardson
for helping with OPC’s promotional
booth. •
Winter 2011
Volume 15 • Issue 4
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
President, Bill Barnes, Hennessey
President Elect, David McMullen, Minco
Vice President, Bert Luthi, Sharon
Treasurer, Darren Kraus, Weatherford
BOARD MEMBERS
Tina Falcon, Tecumseh
Dottie King, Calvin
Jeff Mencke, Ames
Chris Wallis, Allen
Basil Werner, Kingfisher
Ex Officio
Dr. Scott Carter, Stillwater
Wathina Luthi, Fargo
Rick Maloney, Minco
Brett Ramsey, Jones
STAFF
Executive Director
Roy Lee Lindsey, Jr. • rllindsey@okpork.org
Director of Communications
Nikki Snider • nsnider@okpork.org
Community Outreach Specialist
Mark McGinnis • mmcginnis@okpork.org
Office Manager
Donna Jackson • djackson@okpork.org
Oklahoma Pork Council
One North Hudson, Suite 900
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Phone 405.232.3781 • Fax 405.232.3862
Toll free in Okla. • 888.SAY.PORK
WEBSITE
www.okpork.org
ON THE COVER
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Asian Dry Rub.
Photo courtesy of the National Pork Board.
Recipe on back cover.
Programs are made available to pork
producers without regard to race, color, sex,
religion or national origin. The Oklahoma Pork
Council is an equal opportunity employer.
The Pork Pages is the official publication of the
Oklahoma Pork Council and is published four
times per year in March, June, September and
December by the Oklahoma Pork Council.
All Pork Pages inquiries should be directed to the
OPC office or communications@okpork.org
Managing Editor Nikki Snider
Designer/Writer Kristin Alsup
Editor Donna Jackson
Stay Connected Search okpork
•5
From the president | Bill Barnes
Using Our Senses
“If I conferred with our furry
friends, man to animal,
Think of the amazing repartee
If I could walk with the
animals, talk with the animals,
Grunt and squeak and squawk
with the animals,
And they could squeak and
squawk and speak and talk to
me!
~ Dr. Doolittle
Anthropomorphism—the attribution of human characteristics and qualities to non-human beings or objects.
When you stop and contemplate
all the anthropomorphism we have
been exposed to throughout our lives,
it is little wonder we are experiencing
increased public awareness regarding
animal welfare.
How many of us, colloquially
known as “Baby Boomers,” grew up
being entertained on Saturday morning cartoons? My particular favorites
were produced by Warner Brothers
who brought us Porky Pig, Daffy Duck,
Foghorn Leghorn, Wylie Coyote and
Roadrunner, Sylvester and Tweetie, and
that wascally wabbit, Bugs Bunny; all
animals given human characteristics.
The Disney Corporation has become a
media and entertainment conglomerate
through the years and it all started with
Walt Disney’s classic animation of their
iconic character, Mickey Mouse. Speaking of fantasy, the highly acclaimed
Disney animated production Fantasia is
replete with anthropomorphic activity.
Jillian, my active and inquisitive
3-year-old granddaughter, is fascinated
with animals. She loves to go to the zoo.
Her favorite toys are animals. She loves
watching videos of animals. One of her
favorite videos is the popular animated
film, Charlotte’s Web. Effectively using
the anthropomorphic philosophy, the
viewer is persuaded to develop an emotional attachment to the central character
of the story - Wilbur the pig. Now while
there is a strong moral to the story in
6 • Oklahoma Pork Council
regard to helping others, the story can
also be viewed as symbolic regarding
the disconnect we observe in our present
society between reality and fantasy in
modern food animal production and
welfare. Just to keep myself tuned in to
reality, I prefer to eat a ham or bacon
sandwich as Jillian and I watch Charlotte’s Web.
In the series of stories featuring the
fictional Dr. Doolittle, we find a medical
doctor who becomes more enamored
with animals than his human patients.
As a result, he becomes a naturalist
veterinarian while learning to speak the
languages of many animals. Perhaps
he was a precursor of our modern day
animal welfare activist, more interested
in the welfare of animals than people.
Again, we observe the anthropomorphic
principle at work in terms of fantasy.
Okay, I admit talking to animals, probably done it a million times; but the
animals talking back? Really?
Well, perhaps in our efforts to
be quick in combating the practice of
ascribing human traits to animals, we
overlook something we, as pork producers, do everyday. In fact, we are professionals at it and in my opinion no one
does it better. We Care greatly about it.
Let me explain. Speech, or the ability to
talk, is simply communication. Communication can be through active or
passive means. Have you ever determined that someone is in a foul mood
by reading their body language? That’s
passive communication. Without any
conscience thought or effort, that person
has communicated to you they are not
satisfied with their situation. Well, we
put to practice everyday the ability to
read body language as we walk through
our barns observing and caring for our
animals. Our pigs, through their behavior, indicate to us when they have a
problem. To state it metaphorically: the
pigs do talk to us. They tell us by their
performance, both on an individual and
collective basis. The reproductive herd
tells us they are healthy and being well
cared for by rewarding us with larger,
healthy litters. The growing pigs tell us
they are healthy and being well cared for
by rewarding us with increased weight
gained, using less feed, and doing it in a
shorter amount of time.
It’s just a thought, but perhaps we
should use the anthropomorphic principle to our advantage as well, at least
metaphorically, by letting our customers
and consumers know that our pigs do
talk to us and we listen with great care.
Our professional reputation, our pigs,
and a world in need of high quality protein depend on us using our senses, both
common and perceptual, as We Care for
our animals. •
Bill Barnes
OPC president
As you plan your Christmas meal
and colder weather has you eating at
home more, OPC wants to remind you
not to overcook your pork dishes. In
May, the USDA released the new recommendation for cooking pork — 145
degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a threeminute rest time.
This lower temperature will leave
pork with a slightly pink center and it
will also be melt-in-your-mouth tender.
“This new temperature guideline
confirms that today’s pork is safe and
there is no need to overcook it,” said
Roy Lee Lindsey, Jr., OPC executive
director. “We hope all Oklahomans will
notice this change and enjoy lots of tender, safe pork.”
Restaurants are regulated by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration,
which has allowed the lower cooking
temperature for a decade.
The USDA made the change after
several years of research and talks with
producers and food safety experts.
Producers proposed the change in 2008,
based in part on new production methods that reduced the risk of pathogens,
said Ceci Snyder, vice president of
marking for the Des Moines, Iowa-based
National Pork Board, citing improved
feed and housing methods.
The revised recommendation applies to pork whole-muscle cuts, such
as loin, chops and roasts. Ground pork,
like all ground meat, should be cooked
to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Regardless of
cut or cooking method, both the USDA
and National Pork Board recommend
using a digital cooking thermometer to
ensure an accurate final temperature.
The USDA guidelines for pork now
mirror doneness advice for other meats.
“It’s great news that home cooks can
now feel confident to enjoy medium-rare
pork, like they do with other meats,”
said Guy Fieri, a chef, restaurateur and
host of several food-focused television
programs. “Pork cooked to this temperature will be juicy and tender. The
food service industry has been following
this pork cooking standard for nearly 10
years.”
The new recommendation reflects
advances in both food safety and nutritional content of pork in recent years. On
average, most common cuts of pork are
16 percent leaner than 20 years ago, and
saturated fat has dropped 27 percent. In
fact, pork tenderloin is now as lean as
the leanest type of chicken — a skinless
chicken breast.
In addition to the new recommendation to cook pork to 145 degrees
Fahrenheit, followed by a three-minute
rest time, the USDA food preparation
guidelines advise the following:
• Clean: Wash hands and surfaces
often
• Separate: Don’t cross-contaminate
• Cook: To proper cooking temperatures
• Chill: Refrigerate promptly •
Did you know?
Over $11 million in Pork Checkoff funds have been dedicated to research into environmental issues over the past 14 years.
Prior to the creation of the Pork Checkoff, the United States was a net importer of
pork. Today, it is the leading pork exporting country in the world.
The pork industry has responded to the consumer’s desire for leaner pork products.
On average, many pork cuts have 16 percent less fat and 27 percent less saturated fat
than 20 years ago.
The Pork Checkoff has helped to fund peer-reviewed research that has:
• Reduced animal suffering from disease.
• Identified animal behaviors that have led to improved care-giving techniques.
• Improved genetics leading to lower-fat and higher-quality meat protein for the
American consumer.
• Identified new cuts of meat that add value to carcass, increase producer income
and increase consumer choices in the marketplace and in restaurants. •
Photo by Lori Ramsey
Stay pink for the holidays
Beyond the
Alphabet and Crayons
P
igs, chickens, turkeys, sheep and
goats – this may sound like a runof-the-mill list of animals found
on the farm, but not this time. This is a
list of a few of the units covered in Janet
Howard’s kindergarten class.
After spending mere minutes with
her students in Chickasha, Okla., anyone
can see these students are engaged. Each
student is taking an active part in the
classroom activities and they are energetic about it.
“Let’s start out with the jingle,”
Howard said. “Anyone remember how
it starts?”
During this particular week the class
is discussing pumpkins and the class
begins to sing a little ditty, to the tune of
“The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” discussing the
life-cycle of pumpkins. The students
then exhibit the ability to learn from the
song, by choosing the correct picture to
match each step of the life-cycle.
8 • Oklahoma Pork Council
Learning about life-cycles while
looking at pumpkins is only one of the
ways Howard uses agricultural topics
to engage her students. When discussing soil, the kindergarten class discusses
many topics from ecosystems to the
Dust Bowl. During a unit on corn, Howard ties the activities to math and art.
“This generation of kids doesn’t get
much hands-on experience with agriculture,” Howard says. “That is one of the
reasons I am so thankful to receive some
Ag in the Classroom grant money.”
Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom
grant applications are open to schools
and after-school programs. The Oklahoma Pork Council sponsors the grants
during both the fall and spring semesters, and awards up to $300 to programs
meeting all necessary requirements.
In Howard’s class, the grant money
is spent on providing all of the different
materials for her students’ projects.
“Without the grant, we would have
no money for hands-on activities,”
Howard said. “I have been teaching
here at Friend Elementary for more than
15 years, and the school has never been
in the red, but that means we have zero
dollars for classroom activities.”
As Howard praises the students on
the successful job of naming the lifecycle steps, she grabs a book and reads
to the students. She also reminds them
about one of the week-long activities
where they are to guess how many
pumpkin seeds are in a bottle sitting on
top of a shelf.
When the book is finished, Howard
gets the class started making their own
kid-sized pumpkin pie and each student crumbles graham crackers for their
crust. Pre-prepared storage bags with
the perfect amount of ingredients are
snagged from a table by each person. After an adult adds milk, the kids
mix it and squeeze the filling on top of
the crumbs from graham crackers. After
whip cream and sprinkles are added, it
is time to eat.
After demolishing each little pie,
the students cleaned their desks and
began urgently coloring an art project
involving pumpkins. They all know it is
almost time for physical education class.
Howard takes a restorative breath and
smiles.
“Their curriculum is really lacking
in science,” she said. “Using the Ag in
the Classroom ideas and introducing agriculture to them, science blossoms into
an important part of the curriculum.”
As the students file out of the classroom, they talk about pumpkins, pies
and books. If the Oklahoma Ag in the
Classroom grants inspired conversations
among this group of kindergartners, can
you imagine what it does throughout
the state? •
“Without the grant, we would have no
money for hands-on activities.”
—Janet Howard
Photos and Story by Kristin Alsup
Key Points concerning Ag in the Classroom grants
•The money went to 17 different groups of kids.
•Altogether, 14 teachers received grant money to teach ag subjects.
•Grants are open to all educators teaching pre-K through grade 8.
•Requirements for the grant consists of a report and some photos.
•You can find all the information at www.agweb.okstate.edu.
•This semester okPORK delivered $3,187.26 to schools across the state.
•okPORK has invested more than $50,000 since 2005.
•9
Oh so heavenly!
story and photos by Nikki Snider
OKC restaurant focuses on pork
R
estaurants have many themes. A
quick drive up May Avenue in
Oklahoma City and you will see
Italian, Mexican, French and All-American restaurants. Now there is one solely
devoted to pork dishes.
Josh Valentine opened Divine Swine
in October 2011. They are open for
breakfast and lunch and every menu
item features pork in some way.
A long-time love of pork
Valentine’s affinity for pork began
with bacon and grew quickly while he
apprenticed with Chef Kurt Fleischfresser at The Coach House in Oklahoma
City. During that apprenticeship he won
the 2008 Oklahoma
10 • Oklahoma Pork Council
Taste of Elegance competition with his
dish Pork Belly Rillettes with Pork and
Apple Ravioli, Apple Relish and Foie
Gras Sauce.
“I have always been awed by the
versatility of pork,” Valentine said.
“That is the main reason I love it so
much. At Taste of Elegance, that attribute was really driven home to me as I
looked at all the different pork dishes
the chefs prepared.”
Soon after completing his apprenticeship with Fleischfresser, Valentine
moved to Dallas. While there, he worked
at Samar as the sous chef, for one year.
He then moved back to his home
state to open Stella for Chef Lori Tyler.
Once that establishment was up and
running, Valentine went back to the
Coach House as Chef
de Cuisine for one
year. At that point the
desire to start a restaurant built solely around
pork began.
“I just can’t get
away from cooking with
pork and I’ve always
wanted to open my own
place,” said Valentine
who sports a tattoo of a
pig on his forearm. “So, I
decided to just go for it.”
A fresh approach
Valentine has the challenge of promoting his all-pork, all-the-time restaurant as “not barbecue.” First, because the
location was a barbecue joint previously
and second, most people associate pork
with barbecue only.
Valentine is trying to broaden the
customer’s view of eating pork with his
completely from scratch approach to
his gourmet comfort food. He starts at 4
a.m. each morning by baking bread for
the day. He cures his own bacon, makes
his own condiments and grinds pork for
the sausage. Despite all the hard work
involved, no menu item is priced over
$10.
“There is nothing on my shelves
that has been there more than two
days,” Valentine said. “Well, I guess the
bacon is there longer but only because of
the time it takes to cure.”
The only drawback to a completely
made from scratch line up, is that when
you are out of a product in the middle of
a day, there’s no way to replenish it.
Valentine said he’s been overwhelmed at how quickly they have
established a following. They have
not done any advertising yet and their
website, www.divineswineokc.com,
launched in early November. But,
through word-of-mouth and a strong
Facebook presence, they have already
had several days with people waiting
for a seat and are in the process of hiring
another cook.
Family Affair
Josh is in business with his fiancée
Courtney Evans. In the middle of their
restaurant opening, they prepared for a
November wedding. They did many of
the restaurant renovation themselves to
save them the cost of contracting.
“I’ve had the help of my future
father-in-law and mother-in-law and
many other friends and family members,” Valentine said. “They painted,
scraped the floors, my mother even
made the drapes.”
The do-it-yourself restaurant renovation resulted in a modern, clean, inviting décor featuring many winged-pigs
to honor the main protein on the menu.
It is pretty and simple so the hand-made
pork dishes are the star of the show as
they should be.
Stop by 7801 N. May, anytime between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. and try a ham,
bacon or sausage breakfast sandwich
on a homemade English muffin or the
roasted pork loin with smoky greens,
sweet potato gratin in pork jus. You’ll
leave with a new appreciation of eating
pork. •
• 11
Friday, March 16, 2012 | Reed Conference Center | Midwest City, Okla.
Open to all Oklahoma Pork Producers
9 a.m.
Registration
10 a.m.
Update on State and National Issues and Programs
OPC/NPB/NPPC
11:15 a.m.
Promoting Oklahoma’s pork industry Schnake Turnbo Frank | PR
12:15 p.m.
Luncheon honoring the Oklahoma Environmental Steward Award winner
2 p.m.
Legislative Update
McSpadden and Associates
3 p.m.
OPC Annual Business Meeting
4 p.m.
With Vision, There is Hope
Keynote address by Bruce Vincent
5 p.m.
Reception and Silent Auction
6:15 p.m.
OPC Awards Banquet
8 p.m.
Live Auction
12 • Oklahoma Pork Council
OPC needs silent and live auction items
During the reception and following
the banquet, OPC will hold its annual
silent and live auctions. The auctions
are important for raising non-Checkoff
funds for OPC. These funds help us support legislators and fund activities that
are outside the Pork Checkoff scope of
work.
Examples of past auction items:
• Hunting trips
• OSU and OU sports memorabilia
• Tickets to local events
• Restaurant gift cards
• Home decor and crafts
• Farm supplies
In our continued effort to improve
the auction, we would like to hear from
you! We want to know what items you
would be interested in purchasing. If
you have items to donate or a suggestion
of an item that would sell well, contact
Roy Lee Lindsey, rllindsey@okpork.org
or 405-232-3781. •
Seeking candidates for the OPC Board of Directors
At the OPC Annual Meeting, we will
elect three members to the OPC Board
of Directors. The east district seat that
is open is held by Chris Wallis. Chris is
eligible for re-election. The open at-large
district seat is held by Bert Luthi who is
eligible for re-election. The open west
district seat is held by Jeff Mencke who
is not eligible for re-election.
The west district is composed of
counties west of I-35 and includes those
which contain I-35. The east district
includes all counties east of I-35. Any
paid OPC member in Oklahoma can run
for and vote for
the at-large board
members.
If you are
interested in running for the board of
directors, submit a photo and bio to
OPC before February 15, 2012. We will
publish your bio for the Pork Congress participants to review before the
election. We will also take nominations
from the floor during the meeting and
candidates will have the opportunity to
address the OPC membership prior to
the election. •
Sponsorships of Oklahoma Pork Congress available
If you are interested in getting your
message or product in front of Oklahoma pork producers, Pork Congress is
a perfect opportunity. OPC is offering
sponsorships of the educational pro-
gram, luncheon, banquet and program
printing.
As a Pork Congress sponsor, you
will be recognized in the printed Pork
Congress program, in okPORK PAGES
and on www.okpork.org.
If you are interested in a sponsorship, contact Mark McGinnis, 405-2323781 or mmginnis@okpork.org. •
Public notice by the Oklahoma Pork Council
and the National Pork Board
The election of pork producer delegate candidates for the 2014 National
Pork Producers (Pork Act) Delegate
Body will take place at 3 p.m. on Friday,
March 15, 2013 in conjunction with the
Oklahoma Pork Congress and Annual
Meeting which will be held at the Reed
Conference Center, 5750 Will Rogers
Road, Midwest City, Okla. All Oklahoma pork producers are invited to attend.
Any producer age 18 or older who is
a resident of Oklahoma and has paid all
assessments due may be considered as a
delegate candidate and/or participate in
the election. All eligible producers are
encouraged to bring with them a sales
receipt proving that hogs were sold in
their name and the checkoff deducted.
If you are interested in being a candidate, please prepare a short (1/2 page)
biography telling about yourself and
send it to the Oklahoma Pork Council,
ATTN: Election Committee, One North
Hudson, Suite 900, Oklahoma City,
OK 73102 to arrive by March 9, 2012.
Nominations will also be accepted from
the floor.
For more information, contact
okPORK. Telephone: 888-SAY-PORK
(729-7675) or 405-232-3781. •
• 13
Bacon
&
OPC holds first
Bourbon
The Menu
Dinner
On October 20, OPC hosted the first Bacon
and Bourbon Dinner. This fund raising dinner
held at the Waterford Marriott in Oklahoma
City featured five amazing courses prepared by
Chef John Wheeler. Each course was paired with
Bourbon in some fashion. The chef took time to
describe each course to the diners.
We plan to make this an annual event and
hope more of you can join us next year. •
Appetizer
Jumbo Scallop Stuffed with Boursin
Cheese and Jalapeño Wrapped with
Fresh Side in a Pool of Wild Turkey
Citrus Burre Blanc
Soup
Jameson’s Pork Curry
Salad
Baby Lettuce with Candied Pecans,
Fried Smoked Cheddar Cheese
Crumbles, and Mandarin Orange
with 7&7 Vinaigrette 14 • Oklahoma Pork Council
Entree
Pork Mignon ~ Bacon Wrapped
Pork Tenderloin Filet with a Crown
Royal Reduction served with
Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes and
Asparagus
Dessert
Bacon Bread Pudding with Gentleman
Jack’s Sauce
Pork industry feeds hungry Oklahomans
Donates more than 38,000 meals to Regional Food Bank
T
he Oklahoma Pork Council, Seaboard Foods and M2P2 Pork teamed
up to donate more than 7,000 pounds
of sausage to the Regional Food Bank
of Oklahoma in September. This donation was processed and individually
packaged by Blue and Gold Sausage
Company. Additionally, Seaboard Foods
donated 270 gift boxes containing a pork
tenderloin, turkey breast and bacon.
This donation kicked off Hunger Action Awareness month for the
Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. It
will provide more than 38,000 meals to
hungry families, seniors and children
in 53 counties in central and western
Oklahoma.
“It’s a fantastic donation because
it’s a protein source which we don’t
receive very often,” said Rodney Bivens,
executive director of the Regional Food
Bank of Oklahoma. “We are still seeing
an uptick in demand for food assistance
due to today’s economic uncertainty so
the timing of this donation is very helpful to us.”
"I anticipate that this donation is
the beginning of a long-standing partnership with the Regional Food Bank,"
said Roy Lee Lindsey, Jr., Oklahoma
Pork Council executive director. "In this
tough economic time, the work the Food
Bank does is increasingly important and
the pork industry is pleased to support
them in this way."
The Regional Food Bank provides
enough food to help feed more than
90,000 people each week. In August,
the nonprofit distributed more than 3.4
million pounds of food. Yet, it is not
enough.
"In a state where agriculture is a
major economic driver it is sad that
600,000 Oklahomans are at risk of going
hungry each day," said Bill Barnes, OPC
president and pork producer from Hennessey, Okla. "We take our job of feeding
the world seriously and it has to start by
helping those here at home. Giving the
product we work so hard to produce is
one example of how we are committed
to helping fellow Oklahomans."
Donations of pork, and other highprotein foods, are especially valuable to
the Regional Food Bank because they
provide healthy, nutritious options to
hungry Oklahomans. •
• 15
And the winner is . . .
A
Story and photos by Nikki Snider
nyone who cooks gets excited when people rave about their food. A chance
to enter an original recipe in a contest and win an award – we’ll that’s foodie
heaven. The Oklahoma Pork Council provided just that opportunity with the Tulsa
State Fair pork recipe contest.
The entrants carefully set up their pretty presentations and waited anxiously as
the judges viewed and then tasted each dish. Taking careful notes of the flavor, originality and presentation of each dish, the judges then left the room to confer about
their final decision. More anxious waiting for the entrants.
And finally, the judges returned with results. All twelve ladies who brought
their dishes sat on the edges of their seats. The Tulsa State Fair culinary coordinator
announced:
“And third place goes to Leigh Murray of Tulsa, Okla., for her Mexican Pork
Tacos. Second place is the Pork Chile Verde created by Deborah Bolen of Tulsa, Okla.
And today’s winner is Lela Davis of Owasso, Okla., with her Pork Chop Tomato
Pie.”
Everyone cheered and the pork dish creators offered to share the remaining portion of their dishes with onlookers. They would love for you to make them for your
friends and family this holiday season.
Pork Chop Tomato Pie
Pork Chile Verde
Mexican Pork Tacos
16 • Oklahoma Pork Council
MerryChristmasand
Happy New Year
From the OPC Board of Directors and Staff
Pork Chop Tomato Pie
Mexican Pork Taco
1 c. onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp. shortening
4 pork chops, finely chopped
2 tbsp. flour
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
4 slices bacon, cooked, drained and
crumbled
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 ready- made pie crust
In a large skillet, sauté onions and pork
chops in shortening and 2 tbsp. flour.
Cook until tender then simmer until
thick. Cook pie crust until ½ done. In
medium bowl, stir mayonnaise, sour
cream, salt, pepper, cheese and cooked
bacon. Add onions, pork chops, and tomatoes and mix well. Put mixture in pie
crusts. Cook at 325 ° F for 10-15 minutes,
until light golden brown. Makes 2 pies.
Pork Chile Verde
1 ½ lb. tomatillos
5 garlic cloves, not peeled
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2 poblano chiles
1 bunch cilantro
2 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed and
cubed
Salt
Pepper
2 yellow onions
3 garlic gloves, peeled and minced
1 tbsp. dried oregano
2 ½ c chicken stock
1 – 3 lb. boneless pork loin roast; cut into
2 inch pieces
½ teaspoon of salt
7 oz. dried green chile peppers
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small can chipotle sauce
1 small can chipotles
Place roast in a slow cooker and season
with salt. Place peppers, garlic, chipotle
sauce and chipotle chiles on top of the
roast. Cover and cook for 7 hours on
low.
Remove roast from slow cooker and use
two forks to shred. Return pork to slow
cooker and allow to sit for 15 minutes to
absorb the liquid.
Serve with soft taco shells, red onions,
cilantro and cheese.
Lela Davis from Owasso, Okla., visits with a
judge at the Tulsa State Fair Recipe Contest.
Remove papery husks from tomatillos and wash well. Cut tomatillos in half and
place cut side down, along with 5 unpeeled garlic cloves, on a baking sheet. Place
under broiler for 5-7 minute to lightly blacken the skin. Remove from oven, let cool
enough to handle. Roast poblanos under broiler on a baking sheet as well. Turn occasionally, making sure chile skins get blackened. Remove from oven and cool covered in foil, for 30 minutes. Remove skins, stems and seeds. Place tomatillos, peeled,
roasted garlic, chiles and cilantro in blender. Process until finely chopped and
mixed. Season pork cubes with salt and pepper. Heat oil in stock pot over mediumhigh heat, brown pork on all sides. Work in batches so pork can brown quicker. Remove browned pork and set aside. Drain off all but 1 tbsp. oil and place onions and
garlic in the same skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add pork back to
pan. Then add oregano, tomatillo-chile sauce, and chicken stock to cover. Bring to a
boil and reduce to simmer. Cook 2-3 hours uncovered, or until pork is fork tender.
Season if needed and serve with flour tortillas, sour cream and cheese.
• 17
Congratulations
Oklahoma Juniors
Reece Siebold of Sterling FFA won both
the Tulsa State Fair and the Oklahoma
State Fair this fall. His Hampshire barrow
brought $13,000 at the Tulsa State Fair
Premium Auction.
The Thomas-Fay-Custer FFA livestock judging team of Thomas, Okla. represented Oklahoma at the National Barrow Show judging contest in Austin,
Minnesota on Sept. 12, 2011 and placed third. Members of the team include
Nathan Taylor, Garet Frans, Darcey Kliewer, and Bailey Kliewer.
Team members earned the right to represent Oklahoma at this contest by
winning the 2011 Oklahoma State University Swine Field Day in July. The
Oklahoma Pork Council provided travel assistance for the team representing
Oklahoma.
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Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Asian Dry Rub
Prep Time: 5 minutes |Cook Time: 15 minutes
2 pork tenderloin, (1 pound each), trimmed
1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a medium baking pan with foil.
Stir together brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt, black pepper,
cloves, and cayenne pepper in small bowl. Rub pork with brown
sugar mixture.
Place pork in prepared pan and roast for 15-18 minutes or until the
pork’s internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F. Remove from
oven, cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 3 minutes. Cut into
slices.
Makes 4 servings, plus leftovers