Kentucky pork producers have an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest management strategies and Kentucky Pork Producers Association activities at the 2009 annual meeting in Bowling Green.

On Jan. 23 and 24, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture professors will join other speakers from many facets of the pork industry to address several topics of interest to producers. The meeting will begin with registration at 12:30 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Holiday Inn University Plaza and the nearby Sloan Convention Center.

After the 1 p.m. KPPA annual meeting, Richard Brock of Brock Associates will give an economic outlook for grain and livestock in conjunction with the Kentucky Commodity Conference. At 6:30 p.m., Bryan Black, president of the National Pork Producers Council will speak at the Kentucky Pork Council Women Banquet and Scholarship Auction.

Over the past 22 years, the scholarship auction has provided about $250,000 in scholarships to approximately 500 young people. Meeting planners encourage participants to bring items to include in the auction.

The second day of the meeting will include informative sessions about Country of Origin Labeling and Farm Identification from Robert Stout, Kentucky's state veterinarian; environmental regulations and permitting requirements for Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), led by Leland Steely, Kentucky Division of Water; comprehensive nutrient management plans, led by Doug Overhults, agricultural engineer at UK's Research and Education Center in Princeton; ways to improve nutritional efficiencies, led by Jim Smith of Hubbard Feeds; high-rise swine manure composting finishing facility, led by Daviess County Pork Producer Jerry O'Bryan and Richard Coffey from the UKREC.        

The meeting culminates with a banquet, entertainment by Immanuel Gospel Quartet, awards, a quilt drawing and a dessert bar. 

Preregistration is needed by Dec. 26. Send names, addresses and phone numbers of all attending, along with a check for meal functions to the Kentucky Pork Producers Association, 1110 Hawkins Drive, Elizabethtown, Ky., 42701-0607. Through Dec. 26, banquet tickets are $18 each, and Saturday breakfast and lunch tickets are $5 each. After Dec. 26, banquet tickets are $36 each, and breakfast and lunch tickets are $10 each.

The Kentucky Pork Producers Association would like to recognize the following sponsors of the annual meeting: JBS, Farm Credit Services, Hubbard Feeds, Griffin Industries, Kentucky Farm Bureau, Birchwood Genetics, Kentucky Soybean Board, Kentucky Corn Growers Association, Citizens First Bank and the Pig Improvement Company through support from the Agricultural Development Fund.

Participants should make hotel reservations by Dec. 24 to guarantee a room.