By:
Carole L. Jaworski

Source(s):
Robert Myer (850) 482-9904
Joel Brendemuhl ( 352) 392-2454

GAINESVILLE – The 42nd annual Florida Swine Field Day will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5 at the University of Florida Suwannee County Extension Office, 1302 11th Street SW, Live Oak.

The field day is for both established swine producers and those considering entering the market.

The theme of this year’s field day is “Swine Production as an Alternative Farming Enterprise in Florida: Could Raising Pigs Be in Your Future?”

Many aspects of swine raising will be covered during the day, including a look at the future of the pork industry, swine marketing opportunities in the southeastern United States, examples of how to get started in the swine business in Florida and the economics of swine production.

Speakers include Jeff Ward, director of producer education with the National Pork Producers Council in Des Moines, Iowa; John McKissick, University of Georgia extension economist; Tim Hewitt, UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences extension economist; as well as a producer panel.

“The swine market in the United States looks good right now, and it looks good in the future,” said Robert Myer, UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center animal science professor. “The field day will be a good opportunity for prospective producers to find out what to expect in this industry. It will help them determine whether they can make a profit rearing pigs in Florida.”

The field day is free. Registration is on-site the day of the event.

Hosts are the UF/IFAS Florida Cooperative Extension Service and Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, as well as the Florida Pork Improvement Group.

For more information, contact Myer at (850) 482-9904; Joel Brendemuhl, UF/IFAS animal science associate professor, at (352) 392-2454; or Frankie Hall, Florida Farm Bureau/Florida Pork Improvement Group executive secretary, at (352) 378-1321.

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