CHICAGO, 111. By continu
ally improving their product, pork
producers will be well on the road
to increasing pork consumption,
according to the experts—a panel
of consumers.
The consumer group was part
of a seminar during die National
Live Stock and Meat Board’s
Demand Strategies ‘94 conference
in Chicago. The session, “On the
Road to Pork Quality: What Mile
Marker Are We At?,” featured a
live consumer focus group and a
look at measures the industry must
take to improve quality and
increase depand for pork.
The focus group gave the audi
ence of pork industry leaders an
opportunity to see consumers as
they looked at and reacted to pork
products. Ten Chicago-area
women of diverse ages, ethnicity
and lifestyles talked frankly about
their food-purchasing habits in
general and specifically about
pork. The consumers did not leant
that their audience was the pork
industry until the end of the focus
group.
Some of the women purchase
pork from supermarkets, and
others buy meat from butcher
shops. Their pork consumption
frequency ranged from four times
a week to two times a month.
All but one woman consider
nutritional aspects when purchas
ing food. Most are aware of the
new nutrition labels, although not
everyone reads them.
What qualities do the consum
ers look for when purchasing
pork? More meat than bone, less
fat, fat they can easily trim off,
pink color, and freshness. They
also are concerned about the fat
and cholesterol levels in pork.
A twist to the focus group ses
sion was showing the group typi
cal pork products purchased at a
Chicago supermarket and then
unveiling top-grade, case-ready
cuts from a Midwest packer.
The consumers rated the pro
ducts purchased at the grocery
Powder
9 • For safe and easy grooming, washing and clipping S
9 cattle I
9 • Expanded metal floor stays cleaner and gives B
KJ more traction P
g| • Assembles and disassembles quick and easy M
9 * Can easily be moved and loaded by one person |
A PAIL B. ZDMEMUH, INC. I
9 2»5 Woodoonwr fW. C?
B ..9f" or^ r ; teFo L„ MwiTXSih Lftttz, PA 17543 I
I “s:, 1 |
Kl JPißamnama yPißßawam fPtaaimwa 9?iaaaramD “
CSSSSSSSi M> l i"l
Pork Industry Picks Up Speed
store from very poor to excellent.
Problems noted woe inconsisten
cies in products in the same pack
age, too much fat and poor color.
Some of the women were sur
prised at the number of cuts and
various cutting styles available.
The case-ready customer
ready, as the packer calls it --
received rave reviews. The gist
was the consumers would purch
ase pork more frequently, and pos
sibly pay more, if consistent, high
quality products were available
and they had more information
about how to prepare pork.
“We have many opportunities
to better serve the consumer if we
have consistent, high-quality pork
products,” said Bill Kuecker,
Meat Board director of pork scien
tific affairs. “But to achieve this,
everyone along the pork chain --
including geneticists, producers,
packers and distributors -- must
work together.”
Avenues to increase the
demand for pork are being
explored by the Pork Chain Qual
ity Audit. The objective is to
obtain World Class Pork by the
year 2000. The audit was initiated
in 1992 and is a project of the
National Pork Producers Council
(NPPC) in cooperation with the
National Pork Board.
“World Class Pork will meet or
exceed quality and safety stan
dards and will .be continuously
improved,” said David Meeker,
NPPC vice president of research
and education.
He noted that improvements
under producer control include fat
content, PSE, inconsistency of
color and carcass defects.
“Advances in these areas will lead
to pork that is tops in taste, value,
leanness, color, packaging, fresh
ness, safety, shelf-life, reputation,
versatility and convenience,”
Meeker said.
These are the qualities consum
ers are looking for in pork, as
revealed by the Chicago focus
group and confirmed by consumer
studies conducted as pan of the
quality audit.
“Results of the studies showed
that consumers crave variety, but
they need education about the
safety and menu possibilities of
pork,” said Barry Pfouts, NPPC
vice president of consumer pro
duct marketing. “Pork is uniquely
positioned for the future and can
be the meat of choice by the year
2000.”
Somerset Holds Lamb Banquet
GAY BROWNLEE
Somerset Co. Correspondent
NEW CENTERVILLE (Some
rset Co.) “Eat lamb and wear
wool” is a dictim held by the
Somerset County Lamb Jackpot
and Carcass committee.
They didn’t mind eating those
words as well as the lamb entree
served recently by the ladies auxil
iary of the New Centerville Volun
teer Fire Department at the carcass
class banquet
Lauded were the 4-H’ers whose
animals were found best at the “on
the rail” evaluation held at Laßue
Meat Market Somerset by judge
Bill Kelly, Westmoreland County
extension agent Gifts and cash
premiums were awarded to five.
Luke Svonavec, 12, Rockwood,
got the award for having the over
all grand champion. The High
Ridge 4-H’er received, besides a
nice trophy, a unique stained glass
window crafted by a 4-H leader.
Svonavec said it will be hung in
thes’ bam during the Somerset
winners at the Somerset County Market Lamb Carcass Class banquet, held in New
Centerville are from left, Luke Svonavec, grand champion owner; Jake Vough,
reserve grand champion and Somerset County born champion; Corey Sechler, third;
Brian Smith, fifth. Steven King had the fourth place winner but was absent from photo.
All but Svonavec’s were county bom winners.
ROPE IN
SOME EXTRA 12*
CASH! ;-/&■,
Advertise With A i, | SjjS
Lancaster Farming , / 'Tj J '
CLASSIFIED AD... IT
■Phone: 717-394-3047 I |j
or 717-626-1164 jfV
But to reach this goal, the
industry must overcome barriers
to pork consumption. One group
being targeted is healthcare pro
fessionals, who traditionally have
advised patients not to eat pork.
Sharlet Brown, Meat Board direc
tor of research/meat science infor
mation and pork information, said
several efforts are under way to
change dietitian and physician
County Fair. Later, he plans to dis
play it in a prominent place at the
family home, he said.
His parents are David and Betty
Lou Svonavec.
Jake Vough, 11, was soaring
when his was a double honor, hav
ing first the overall reserve grand
champion and also the Somerset
County bom champion. “I was
oveijoyed,” he said. “My lamb last
year didn’t place at aU."
Vough, also a High Ridge 4-H
Club member, received a sheeps
kin and coverlet
Larry and Melissa Vough,
Marklcton, are his parents.
Corey Sechler of the Valley 4-H
Club had the third place finisher,
which was also county born, and
received a coverlet. Parents of the
17-year old are Rick and Audrey
Sechler, Meyersdale.
Fourth place went to Steven
King, along with a sheep clock.
He’s aged 16, a High Ridge 4-H
Club member and the son of Theo
na Kii Rockwood.
i I
I
attitudes toward pork and get them
to recommend the product to
patients.
“This group can be a powerful
sales force for the pork industry,”
Brown said. “By improving qual
ity, we’ll be able to send more
positive messages to healthcare
professionals about the benefits of
pork and thereby give consumers
permission to eat pork."
Brian Smith, 13, the son of
Charlie and Betsy Smith, Rock
wood, had the fifth place winner
and got a decorative ceramic lamb.
Smith, too. is in the High Ridge
Club.
Carcass evaluatiop, according
to a spokesperson, ‘Ms an evalua
tion of the quality of the meat as
opposed to on the hoof at the fair.”
Most critical are the measures of
loin and fat, she said.
Twenty-five kids participated,
weighing in their animals on Mon
day. Aug. 8, and listening to Scott
Baer’s educational presentation
about “condition” or “finish” on a
lamb.
Seniors giving essays at the ban
quet were Teggan Hayes, Jenna
Svonavec, Charlie Smith and
Heidi Svonavec. Junior essayists
were Brian Smith, Luke Svonavec
and Gabriel Svonavec.
Baer showed a video and
enlightened the group of guests
with a carcass explanation.
new rubber, $2000; 1952
FARM Oliver row crop, good mo-
EQUIPMENT •». work done, $1200; 4
cyl. Wisconsin motor, was
overhauled, dutch, electric
(1)3000 & (1)9000 Gal. SS start 610-767-4475.
nitrogen storage tanks.
703/639-2262, after Bpm 1944 Oliver 70, new paint,
703/382-0570. clutch, battery, brakes,
<e . ; v . $2000; 1955 TO-35 For
9ues°n w/loader, $4OOO.
12,000 QVW $976; 16 foot 717-336-4576
Farm Hand forage wagon, ■ ———
$650; 1666 Martin Hedlund 1?47 John Deere A; Ford
spreader, $l6OO. BN. 717-336-2497 after
717-733-8246. 4PM.
1944 JD tractor, restored,