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Tim Bierman up to the challenge of National Pork Board service Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Agri News staff writer
DES MOINES -- Tim Bierman, a Larabee producer and vice president of the National Pork Board, chuckles when asked if he likes a challenge.
Bierman will become president of the National Pork Board in July at a time when producers have faced ongoing losses and the fallout from the H1N1 virus ended hopes for a summer price rally.
"I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Bierman said during an interview during the recent World Pork Expo in Des Moines. "I just wish it was under better circumstances."
The 15-member National Pork Board directs programs funded by the Pork Checkoff.
Bierman and his wife, Mary, have a wean-to-finish operation and raise crops near Larrabee.
"As a producer the opportunities to turn a profit in the pork industry have not be there," Bierman said. "Financially it's a struggle to keep afloat. The combination of grain and hog prices has not been working hand in hand."
Bierman said the H1N1 influenza outbreak, which early on was referred to as "swine flu," took away $5 to $8 per hundredweight of income.
"The market came back for a week and now it's back to H1N1 levels, and we're back in the same situation," Bierman said.
Several major foreign buyers of U.S. pork have closed their markets and an expected summer rally doesn't seem likely.
"This time the low prices have drug on for such a long time, it's been 18 months," Bierman said. "In 1998 imprecise were down and then prices were up, and we came out of it. This time, we aren't seeing the light at the end of the tunnel yet."
The National Pork Board is doing extra promotions with the country's largest retailers in an effort to move more pork and reduce the amount of pork in cold storage.
Bierman's photo was part of a full page advertisement that appeared in national news media reassuring consumers that pork is safe to eat.
"From what I hear out in the country, we're moving product, but it's hard to catch up after we got behind because of H1N1," Bierman said. "It takes time before that comes back to the producer."
Bierman said it's important for producers to stay in touch with their lenders and take every opportunity to lessen the cost of raising pigs and the loss per pig.
"If there is an opportunity to make a profit, you need to take it," Bierman said.
Profits are expected to return in 2010, but producers need profits now, not a year from now, Bierman said.
He encourages all producers to get certified with Pork Quality Assurance Plus and to get their site status accomplished.
"That way we can prove to consumers that the pork industry is doing the right thing," Bierman said.
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