Nebraska pork producers emphasize environmental stewardship in efforts to grow the industry
FRIEND, NE — A sign attached to Terry O’Neel’s mailbox post at his
hog farm near Friend lets those driving by or stopping in to know that
he considers good environmental stewardship practices an important part
of raising hogs.
“That sign, which says ‘Producing Pork in
Harmony with the Environment’, is faded now,” he said, “but the
important practices it represents remain stronger than ever. After all,
my family lives on this farm, so we breathe the same air and drink the
same water. Environmental responsibility is extremely important to me
as a pork producer.”
It is also why environmental responsibility
is one of the three core values of the “Nebraska Model” of pork
production. O’Neel, president of the Nebraska Pork Producers
Association (NPPA), said he believes in and supports NPPA’s Nebraska
Model.
The Nebraska Model encourages the current generation of
swine producers, and importantly the next generation of producers, to
build swine finishing facilities in the state in order to grow more
pigs in Nebraska instead of sending them out of state to be fed, then
trucking them back to be processed at one or more of the state’s three
major pork processors.
“The Nebraska Model provides an opportunity for rural economic development,” O’Neel said.
The
Nebraska Model explains that environmental responsibility begins by
talking to neighbors and then maintaining good communications. It
encourages concrete slat floors and deep pit storage to collect manure.
This not only results in fewer odors, but also helps maintain the
manure’s nutrient quality as it is recycled by injecting it into
farmland as fertilizer. Using cup or pan waterers in these barns
conserves water.
O’Neel said pork producers are encouraged go
the extra mile by planting trees and shrubs near the swine facilities.
Not only is landscaping aesthetically pleasing to passersby and
provides a habitat for wildlife, but trees help improve air quality by
filtering dusts and odors.
The other two core values of the
Nebraska Model are economics and community. In the past year, NPPA
began working with the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in
Nebraska (A-FAN) to stress the importance of all three core values of
the Nebraska Model. “A-FAN helps producers with establishing site
plans, neighbor relations and zoning regulations, and explains the
Department of Environmental Quality permitting process,” O’Neel said.
“The service A-FAN provides helps pork producers and supports the
Nebraska Model.”
A-FAN is a non-profit agriculture promotion, education and producer assistance organization.
NPPA,
based in Lincoln, Neb., is a grassroots, incorporated, non-profit
organization that promotes the pork industry through the enhancement of
consumer demand, producer education and research.
NOTE: To view Terry O’Neel commentary about the pork industry and environmental sustainability, click here.
Media: For more information, contact Terry O’Neel of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association at 402.416.2316 or Roger Berry of A-FAN at 402.710.1110 or 888.580.2326.