Matt Gent knows the last year has been rough on the pork industry, but despite current price woes, he sees hope on the horizon.
Gent was elected president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association at the group’s annual meeting Jan. 23 in Des Moines. He and his family own a farrow-to-finish operation near Wellman in Washington County, Iowa.
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen any profitability in our industry,” Gent says. “As producers, we know we are definitely not out of this and there’s a large hole to dig out of, but producers are also very optimistic in the long-term.”
He says producers are interested in product development and innovation when it comes to pork options.
“We want to see what we can come up with for new products and meet consumer demand,” Gent says. “Today’s consumers are looking for quality products that are also convenient.”
Gent says while sow numbers are down, pigs per litter are up.
“The sows that are left are high-quality and very efficient,” he says. “We need to turn around these numbers and these prices pretty quickly.”
Gent says he is excited about the year ahead.
“I look forward to representing Iowa pork producers while addressing the challenges and opportunities we face in the upcoming year,” he says. “Each year brings new opportunities to share our story, to strengthen our domestic and international relationships, and to share our commitment to grow rural Iowa.”
Gent replaces Trish Cook, a producer from Winthrop, as
IPPA president. Cook was the first female president in IPPA’s history. Gent praised Cook for her leadership during a difficult year for pork producers.
“It is no secret that our industry is changing and as an organization we need to adapt to the needs of our producers and consumers,” Gent added. “There is no doubt we have our work cut out for us this coming year.”
Click here to see more...