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Annual swine competition brings legislators, exhibitors together

The Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Pork Council recently hosted the annual Battle for the Bacon at the Ohio State Fair, where legislators and cabinet members teamed up with skilled 4-H and FFA swine exhibitors in the show ring.

After an evening of friendly competition, State Senator Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) was named Grand Champion, while State Representative Johnathan Newman (R-Troy) earned Reserve Champion.

“Ohio farmers feed Ohioans and feed the world, and these young exhibitors are the next generation to lead that effort,” said ODA Director Brian Baldridge. “This event is an incredible opportunity for legislators and leaders from across the state to learn about agriculture in a unique way and to better understand the hard work and dedication that these young exhibitors bring to the Ohio State Fair and to their communities.”

The event highlighted Ohio’s pork industry while giving participants an inside look at handling techniques, show-ring etiquette, and the commitment and care behind showing livestock. Together, each participant and exhibitor pair demonstrated teamwork and communication for a fun competitive experience.

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In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Swaminathan Jayaraman, Research Assistant and PhD Candidate at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, explains how integrated data systems can improve disease surveillance in swine production. He discusses combining diagnostics, animal movement data, production records, and spatial analytics to identify risks earlier and support proactive decision-making for PRRS, PED, and swine influenza. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Disease surveillance remains largely reactive because outbreaks are often confirmed only after transmission has already occurred across multiple connected production sites."

Meet the guest: Swaminathan Jayaraman / swamjay is a Graduate Research Assistant at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. With academic training in management information systems and engineering, he focuses on integrating diagnostic, production, and movement data to improve disease surveillance and decision support in swine production systems. Listen to Swaminathan Jayaraman on The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, available on all major platforms.