The candidates, ranked in order by delegate voting results, are:

• Brett Kaysen, Colorado (second-term incumbent)
• Steve Rommereim, South Dakota (second-term incumbent)
• Scott Phillips, Missouri
• Heather Hill, Indiana
• Deborah Ballance, North Carolina
• Todd Erickson, North Dakota
• Kristine Scheller-Stewart, North Carolina (second-term incumbent)
• Charles Wildman, Ohio

The US Secretary of Agriculture will select five members from the slate elected by the delegates to fill the roles of outgoing board members effective July 2017.

The five nominees will each serve a three-year term. Fifteen pork producers serve on the National Pork Board, each limited to serving no more than two concurrent terms.

Delegates also elected Bryn Jensson, Iowa, and William Knapke, Ohio, to fill the two open positions on the Nominating Committee.

The committee recruits and screens candidates for the National Pork Board and does not require approval by the Secretary. In other business, delegates approved two non-binding directives for the National Pork Board. The approved advisements read:

• 2017 – DE 1 Export – submitted by Minnesota Pork Board. In order to support the National Pork Board Strategic Goal and to offer more revenue opportunities for pork producers, the Minnesota Pork Board recognizes the National Pork Board for its efforts to increase investments in exports and encourages continued budget prioritization and spending on export programmes in 2017 and 2018 budgets. (Approved by delegates)
  
  
• 2017 – ST 1 Research – submitted by Indiana Pork Producer Association. The National Pork Board is advised to facilitate and provide financial resources toward a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary research effort aimed at improving current industry livability rates from conception to slaughter. (Referred to Animal Science Committee)

Reports on advisement progress will be delivered to delegates attending the National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City, 1-2 March 2018.

Additionally, the Pork Checkoff hosted the annual producer update session immediately preceding the Pork Act Delegate session. More than 300 pork producers attended the event titled Real Change: A Live Discussion of On-Farm Antibiotic Use.

Hosted by The Supermarket Guru® Phil Lempert, the 30-minute broadcast brought together experts in pork production, retail and animal care and welfare for a live, web-based conversation.

The pork industry’s leadership in responsible antibiotic use and its implementation of new strict guidelines set by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was the focus of discussion.

A replay of the broadcast can be viewed online at RealChangeOnFarms.org. For more information on the National Pork Board’s efforts to assist farmers and others who want to learn more about responsible on-farm antibiotic use, visit pork.org/antibiotics.