A group of northwest Iowa pork producers are coming to the aid of southeast Iowa pork producers who were hit hard by the June floods.

The Plymouth County Fair was held Wednesday through Sunday in LeMars and the Plymouth County Pork Producers Association once again operated its Grandstand Pork concession stand during the fair. The producers decided to donate the entire day's proceeds from the stand on Friday, July 25, to help their flooded brethren in southeast Iowa.

They raised several thousand dollars from sales of their famous Chops in a Glove, pork loin sandwiches, brat burgers and other items, said Bill Tentinger, a member of the Plymouth County Pork Producers.

Donation from producers to producers

"We want to make sure the money goes to pork producers who have actually suffered because of the flooding," says Tentinger. "We want this to be a donation from pork producers to pork producers."

Pork producers follow several ethical principles that include promoting animal well-being, safeguarding natural resources in all production practices, and contributing to a better quality of life in their local communities. Producers care about their neighbors and their fellow producers, especially during difficult times.

Several pork producers in the Oakville area where the Iowa River empties into the Mississippi River in southeast Iowa suffered losses of animals, farm buildings, homes and crops due to the devastating floods in mid-June.

"We want to show we care and do what we can to help our fellow producers out," says Tentinger. "It may not be a lot of money, but if we can help a little and keep them in the industry, we want to do it." Other county pork producer organizations and ag-related business in Iowa also are investigating ways to contribute to the flood relief effort.