Planning the National Pork Board's 2011 budget begins Tuesday when board members meet to review revenue projections from the Pork Checkoff and to set a spending target for the new budget year. The board will meet during the three-day National Pork Industry Conference at Wisconsin Dells, Wisc.

The financial picture of the U.S. pork industry is much improved from one year ago when sharply lower hog prices prompted board members to set a 2010 spending target of $46.2 million, about 20% lower than the 2009 budget. Pork Checkoff revenues are tied directly to the market price producers receive.

There are several major new initiatives in planning stages to address goals in the board's new five-year strategic plan, adopted earlier this year. Incoming NPB president Gene Nemechek, from Springdale, Ark., says during 2011 they intend to launch a major effort to reposition pork in the consumer marketplace. And there are some exciting discussions under way with other major players in U.S. production agriculture about a national campaign to improve the public's understanding of 21st century agriculture.