18th Annual Conservation in Action Tour Features Unique Planting-Season Farm Tours on the Great Plains

Feb 13, 2025

Early bird registration now open for Sioux Falls, S.D., event on May 6-7

Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) has opened registration for its 18th annual Conservation in Action Tour, a two-day celebration that includes behind-the-scenes ag industry stops and farm tours showcasing exceptional conservation agriculture, May 6-7, 2025, in Sioux Falls, S.D.

This unique planting-season tour will include multiple farm stops so attendees can get new perspectives on how management practices in the fall and early spring help optimize crop production for a cropping year. Attendees will get real-world insights on challenges producers face and the solutions they need to help drive the next generation of program design, strategic partnerships, engagement tactics and implementation guidelines. Ag industry stops will feature upstream and downstream value chain partners to understand how they are supporting producers.

With a record attendance of 270 attendees from 20 states, the Tour has a track record of national attention from many different sectors of agriculture. Producers, advisers, agribusiness representatives, elected officials, policymakers, researchers, and conservation agriculture agencies from the national, state and local levels experience innovative farming that makes a difference on crop production and communities.

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Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.