Ron Plain Wins Coveted Industry Honor at 2023 Pork Forum

Mar 13, 2023

Hailed the “smartest man in the room” by many pork producers, Ron Plain has spent his career focused on his passion for education and his passion for the pork industry. On March 9, the National Pork Board recognized Plain, professor emeritus and extension economist in Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Missouri- Columbia, with its Distinguished Service Award at the 2023 Pork Forum.

Plain spent a semester in college as a nuclear engineering major, but changed trajectories when he realized the lack of available career opportunities. He changed majors and enrolled in agricultural education at the University of Missouri. After receiving his degree, he taught ag for three years before returning to the classroom as a student. He completed a Ph.D. in agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University and moved back to Missouri to join the University of Missouri faculty.

For the next 35 years, Plain gave more than 2,100 presentations to farm audiences across the country, living out the land-grant mission and helping producers understand the economic forces related to their pork production business.

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Video: Trade Uncertainty and Pork Growth - Cam Dahl

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Cam Dahl, General Manager of Manitoba Pork Council, discusses how trade uncertainty affects growth across Canadian pork production. He explains why CUSMA, market diversification, non-tariff barriers, access to capital, labor needs, and producer advocacy all matter as the industry plans for investment, exports, and long-term competitiveness. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Trade uncertainty makes access to capital difficult when producers and processors are ready to invest and grow."

Meet the guest: Cam Dahl / cam-dahl-58115832 is the General Manager of Manitoba Pork Council. He has extensive leadership experience across Canadian agriculture, including Cereals Canada, the Canada Grains Council, Manitoba Beef Producers, and the Canadian Grain Commission. His work focuses on policy, advocacy, trade, business development, and strengthening market opportunities for Canadian producers. Learn more from Cam Dahl on The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, available on all major platforms.