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Addison Randall Named Program and Events Manager for Iowa Pork

Addison Randall is the newest member of the Iowa Pork Producers Association team. She was hired to fill the Program and Events Manager vacancy after Brielle Smeby’s promotion to Producer Outreach Director. Randall graduated from Iowa State University in May with a double major in Animal Science and Ag Communications.

Hailing from Letts, Iowa, Randall grew up on a diversified crop and livestock operation. She served as an intern with Elanco Animal Health, Iowa Corn Growers Association and Kent Nutrition Group prior to joining the staff at the Iowa Pork Producers Association.

Randall’s passion for the pork industry began at a very young age when she would accompany her dad to the farrowing unit to catch a glimpse at the newborn piglets. From there her time spent showing livestock, helping manage her family’s cow-calf herd, and working in a wean-to-finish unit all encouraged her decision to pursue higher education in animal science and a future career in the livestock industry.

“I’ve done a bit of it all,” Randall said. “from sorting pigs and vaccination days to hanging heat lamps and daily walkthroughs. I think my experiences both in the barn and the classroom have given me a respect for the knowledge and hard work people in our industry do daily. Livestock have always held my interest but it’s the people that work every day to feed the world that are my passion, and I am proud to start my career serving and supporting them.”

A recent study abroad trip to Japan and Thailand gave Randall some unique perspectives on the pork industry, and she’s anxious to put her experiences and education to use in her new role with the Iowa Pork Producers Association.

 “Addison has a good background in production agriculture. Her enthusiasm and passion to help the organization and the industry will be big benefits to the team,” CEO Pat McGonegle said.

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Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.