The annual meetings for the Minnesota Pork Producers Association and Minnesota Pork Board were Dec. 16. National Pork Producers Council Chief Executive Director, Neil Dierks and National Pork Board Chief Executive Officer Chris Novak updated attendees on efforts each respective organization is doing to support pork producers across the nation.

The Minnesota Pork Producers Association membership elected Lori Stevermer of Easton, Jay Moore of Jackson and re-elected Jim Compart of Nicollet, who will serve as president, to serve three-year terms on the executive board. Their terms begin in January. After serving two terms, MPPA board member Jake Storm of Dover retired from the board.

The MPPA executive board also includes Kent Dornink of Preston, Rick Grommersch of Nicollet who will serve as secretary, Jen Holtkamp of Johnston, Iowa, Kevin Hugoson of Granada who will serve as vice president, Todd Moratz of Sleepy Eye, Brandon Schafer of Goodhue and Terry Wolters of Pipestone.

The MPPA is a voluntary membership association that addresses policy development and legislative affairs.

Individuals attending the Minnesota Pork Board meeting elected 12 representatives who will serve one-year terms on the executive board. These individuals determine how to invest Minnesota's portion of the mandatory Pork Checkoff.

MPB executive board members that were re-elected are Bill Crawford of Fairmont, Curt Johnson of Jasper, Jim Merritt of Elbow Lake, Mary Peichel of Fairfax, Pat Thome of Adams, Jackie Tlam of Dunnell, Tim Waibel of Courtland and Doug Wenner of St. Peter.

New to the executive board will be Meg Freking of Jackson, Sheila Schmid of Sleepy Eye, Pat FitzSimmons of Dassel and Nate Potter of Springfield. Retiring from the board were Lynn Becker of Fairmont, Pam Gierke of Villard, Burt Norell of St. Peter, Doug Stade of Eden Valley and Craig Mensink of Preston.

The MPB works on behalf of Minnesota's pork producing families investing Pork Checkoff funds into research, promotion and education efforts across the state.