Email Newsletters

National Pork Board
The National Pork Board manages the national pork checkoff program that provides promotion, research and consumer information programs for the U.S. pork industry.

National Pork Producers Council
NPPC represents U.S. pork producers on industry and public policy issues. This site offers industry news and information, producer chat, market prices and consumer information.

American Association of Swine Veterinarians
This is a non-profit educational society organized to increase the knowledge of swine veterinarians.

State Pork Producer Associations
A comprehensive listing of state pork producer associations.

Niche Pork
This site provides access to niche pork producers and packers, along with a variety of other resources.

Farm to Family Connection
This is a directory of family farmers direct marketing pork and a number of other locally grown food items and farm products to area consumers through on-farm stands and farmers markets.

Pork Niche Market Working Group
PNMWG is a group formed to help address challenges facing niche pork efforts.

Food & Livestock Planning
This company helps develop systems to assist livestock producers and their organizations.

Value Chains
To foster value chains that reward farmers who use high standards of environmental and community stewardship.

Adding Value to Pork Production Business Start-up Manual
Includes guidelines for: how to get started on a new business venture (from exploratory to feasibility to planning), marketing planning, business planning, management, market analysis, manufacturing plan and more

• See Reference/Additional Materials within www.ciras.iastate.edu/porkmanualto download contact information for: industry associations, financial assistance resources, contacts for foreign market information and assistance, employee training programs, industry and general business information sources, business development resources, Iowa councils of government, Iowa processors.

Iowa Ag Opportunity
An Iowa State University Extension website that includes: Resource Manual Pork, steps to ag business development, organic production information and more.

USDA Minimum Standards
USDA information on minimum standards for livestock and meat industry production/marketing claims.

Food Processing Center
Research reports from the Food Processing Center, University of Nebraska.

New Ventures Team
The Purdue Extension educators and specialists on the New Ventures Team created this site to help you find the answers and information you need to decide whether you should start a new agriculture - or food - related business.

Marketmaker
An interactive mapping system that locates businesses and markets of agricultural products in Illinois, providing an important link between producers and consumers.

A Taste of Iowa
This is a preference-building program that identifies food and agricultural products that have been at least 50 percent raised, grown or processed in Iowa, to create demand for and increase sales of Iowa food products around the nation and around the world.

Value-Added Agricultural Products and Processes Financial Assistance Program
This was created to provide support and business incentives to Iowa farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs.

Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Supports and promotes growth of value-added agriculture.

Agricultural Marketing Resource Center
This site provides independent producers and processors with information needed to build successful value-added agricultural enterprises.

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
A USDA competitive grants program supporting economically viable, environmentally sound and socially responsible agricultural systems.

Profitable Pork: Strategies for Hog Producers
Alternative swine system resources.

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
It provides information and other technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture in the United States.

Iowa State Hoop Building Research
This site offers hoop building research conducted at Iowa State University.

Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
The Leopold Center is a research and education center with statewide programs to develop sustainable agricultural practices that are both profitable and conserve natural resources.

Alberta Pork
This producer organization site provides current industry news, information on marketing, research and development, and the Alberta Pork Industry Review.

Manitoba Pork
This producer organization site has information on environmental stewardship, human resources and training, quality assurance, swine production research and animal welfare.

Ontario Pork
This producer organization site provides Ontario producers with its new Online Information Network Knowledgebase, which provides producer-members access to all of their grading and settlement information. The site also has current news, quality assurance and research information.

Canadian Pork Council
The CPC brings together the interests of its nine provincial members at the national level.

Prairie Swine Center
Prairie Swine Centre, located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada, is a non-profit research and technology corporation with expertise in behaviour, nutrition, and engineering.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency delivers all federal inspection services related to food, animal health and plant protection.

National Swine Registry
The NSR's services include litter registrations, performance pedigrees, breed promotion and marketing assistance.

Canadian Swine Breeders Association
CSBA with around 200 members is Canada's national association for our swine breeding industry.

National Swine Improvement Federation
NSIF is one of the leading bodies in developing and applying scientifically based programs for the genetic improvement of swine.

Swine Breeds
This site outlines the history of each swine breed.

Breed Associations
This site lists the U.S. swine breed associations.

Food Marketing Institute
FMI is a non-profit association conducting programs in research, education and public affairs on behalf of retailers, wholesalers and their customers.

Grocery Manufacturers of America
GMA is the world's largest association of food, beverage and consumer brand companies.

Institute of Food Technologies
This is a non-profit organization for members in food science, food technology and related professions.

National Food Processors Association
The National Food Processors Association is the voice of the food processing industry on scientific and public policy issues involving food safety, nutrition, technical and regulatory matters and consumer affairs.

The Food Institute
This non-profit, membership-based organization provides industry information, research and annual studies for the food industry.

Food Safety Consortium
The Food Safety Consortium consists of researchers from the University of Arkansas, Iowa State University and Kansas State University. The Consortium's charge is to conduct extensive investigation into all areas of poultry, beef and pork meat production, from the farm to the consumer's table.

Food and Nutrition Information Center
The Food and Nutrition Information Center at the National Agricultural Library provides a directory to credible, accurate, and practical resources for consumers, nutrition and health professionals, educators and government personnel. Visitors can find printable format educational materials, government reports, research papers and more.

MeatFYI.com
A non-commercial, no-fee, search and display system that focuses on the North American red meat industry, provided by Richard Ellinghuysen.

National Council of Chain Restaurants
The National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR), a division of the National Retail Federation, is an organization composed of nearly 40 of the largest chain restaurant companies in the country.

National Meat Association
This is a non-profit trade association representing small- and medium-sized meat packers and processors, equipment makers and meat industry suppliers.

American Meat Institute
The American Meat Institute is the nation's oldest and largest meat and poultry trade association. AMI is dedicated to increasing the efficiency, profitability and safety of meat and poultry trade worldwide.

AMI’s Animal Handling.org
The American Meat Institute has launched a new animal handling Web site that will serve as a resource for the meat industry, consumers and media about the treatment of livestock in meat processing plants.

American Association of Meat Processors
This is the largest meat trade organization in the U.S. for medium-sized and smaller meat, poultry and food businesses.

American Meat Science Association
This professional society promotes the application of science and technology in the production, processing, packaging, distribution, preparation, utilization of all types of meat and meat-related products.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
NCBA administers the national beef checkoff.

American Poultry Association
This livestock organization is devoted exclusively to the poultry industry.

American Seed Trade Association
ASTA, directed by its members, is involved in nearly all issues relating to plant germplasm, focusing on three areas of industry importance: regulatory and legislative matters, new technologies, and communication and education.

American Soybean Association
ASA is a membership-driven, grassroots policy organization that represents U.S. soybean producers.

United Soybean Board
USB is a national soybean checkoff farmer-led organization. USB invests in research and marketing activities for US soybeans and soy products.

National Corn Growers Association
This group represents the nation’s corn growers. You can read and hear the latest industry information about corn.

U.S. Feed Grains Council
The Council develops export markets for U.S. crop producers. This site provides information about buying U.S. grains, current news and resource links.

Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles
This site provides its users a "one stop" place to find all of the most current information related to using DDGS in dairy, beef, swine and poultry feeds.

Stop Soybean Rust
The site provides all those concerned with the health of the U.S. soybean crop with the latest news, resources and training available to help combat soybean rust.

Agricultural Retailers Association
This is a trade association for professional farm suppliers.

American Agricultural Economics Association
You can read papers on the changing structure of agriculture, check out the organization’s newsletter and find other agricultural economic links.

American Agricultural Law Association
This national organization focuses on the legal needs of the agricultural industry.

American Agriculture Editors’ Association
This organization provides professional development for agricultural writers, editors and photographers.

American Farm Bureau Federation
This site provides links to state and local Farm Bureau offices, agricultural news and graphics.

American Society of Agricultural Engineers
For members interested in engineering knowledge and technology for food and agriculture and related industries.

American Veterinary Medical Association
AVMA is a not-for-profit association representing more than 69,000 veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia and uniformed services.

Animal Agriculture Alliance
The Animal Agriculture Alliance provides a united voice for those involved in the animal agriculture and food industries to communicate science-based information on key agricultural topics ranging from animal welfare to biotechnology to environmental impacts.

Animal Health Institute
AHI represents manufacturers of animal health care products used to produce a safe supply of meat, milk, poultry and eggs, and the veterinary medicines that help pets live longer, healthier lives.

Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs
The mission is to improve the quality of life for migrant and seasonal farm workers, their families and employers by providing information, education, support, advocacy and representation at the national level.

Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers
Six Iowa farm and commodity organizations: ICA, ICGA, IFBF, IPPA, ISA and IPA created this effort to grow Iowa’s economy and keep farm families living and working on the land.

Consumer Freedom
The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit coalition of restaurants, food companies, and consumers working together to promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices.

Council for Agricultural Science and Technology
CAST identifies food and fiber, environmental and other agricultural issues and interprets related scientific research information for legislators, regulators and the media. The site provides information on food safety, USDA testimony and environmental issues.

Council for Biotechnology Information
The Council for Biotechnology Information communicates science-based information about the benefits and safety of agricultural and food biotechnology.

Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association
Farm equipment manufacturers and users can learn more about their products and how they are used.

Federation of Animal Sciences
FASS is a science-based voice that supports animal agriculture, animal products and food systems globally via administrative and program services.

National Agri-Marketing Association
NAMA provides agri-marketing professionals with the opportunity for information exchange, leadership experience and professional development opportunities.

National Institute for Animal Agriculture
The National Institute for Animal Agriculture provides a forum for building consensus and advancing solutions for animal agriculture and to provide continuing education and communication linkages to animal agriculture professionals.

National Renderers Association
This is a U.S. trade association that promotes the interests of its members in the business of rendering waste from the meat industry into usable products for animal feeds and other uses.

U.S. Meat Export Federation
This non-profit international organization helps identify and develop foreign markets for U.S. pork, beef, lamb and veal.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
PETA, with more than 800,000 members, is the largest animal rights organization in the world.

Humane Society of the United States
HSUS is one of the country’s largest and most influential animal rights groups.

Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental activist organization.

Waterkeeper Alliance
WKA, led by Robert Kennedy Jr., is an environmental activist group that targets large agricultural operations.

Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is a farm animal rescue and protection organization.

Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment
CFFE was formed in 1995 by Midwestern farm groups working to stop factory farms and includes:

• Missouri Rural Crisis Center, www.inmotionmagazine.com/rural.html
• Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement www.iowacci.org
• Land Stewardship Project (Minnesota), www.landstewardshipproject.org
• Illinois Stewardship Alliance, todggg.tripod.com/Web-docs/ISA.htm
• Farmers' Legal Action Group, Inc., flaginc.org

National Family Farm Coalition
The National Family Farm Coalition is made up of 30 groups from across the country that are working to change federal farm policy and address other national issues.

Farm Aid
Farm Aid, founded by country singer Willie Nelson, supports family farms.

Western Organization of Resource Councils
The Western Organization of Resource Councils is an association of membership-based community organizations working on farm and mining issues throughout the high plains (Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon).

National People's Action
NPA works with organizations that fight to hold public and private institutions accountable to grassroots citizens.

Farm Safety 4 Just Kids
This site provides safety information for both kids and adults, along with farm-safety-related games and puzzles for kids.

National Agriculture Safety Database
This is a database of materials devoted to increasing safety, health and injury prevention in agriculture.

National Education Center for Agricultural Safety
NECAS offers educational and interactive safety training to reduce the level of injuries, preventable illnesses and fatalities among producers, ranchers, their families and employees.

National Farm Medicine Center
A non-profit group dedicated to improving the quality of life for farmers and ranchers through research, education and community service.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
A U.S. Department of Labor Agency that provides a wide range of information to protect employees in the workplace.