Lois Britt Pork Industry Memorial Scholarships
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) celebrated its 25th Anniversary of Live Hog Futures in 1990 and to commemorate this milepost, they asked to sponsor a Scholarship Program through the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).  This is the nineteenth consecutive year of their sponsorship of the Pork Industry Scholarship Program recognizing outstanding youth in the pork community.  Four $2,500 scholarships are awarded to students who intend to pursue a career in the pork industry.  These talented and thoughtful students will likely emerge as industry leaders someday.

To be eligible, students must:
    * Be an undergraduate student in a two-year swine program or a four-year college of agriculture.
    * Write a brief letter indicating what role they see themselves playing in the pork industry after     
      graduation.
    * Submit an essay of 750 words or less describing an issue they see confronting the pork industry
      today or in the future – and their solutions.
    * Obtain two letters of reference from current or former professors or industry professionals.

The NPPC administers the program, reads the essays and selects the winners. Essays are judged on the basis of clarity or expression, persuasiveness, originality and relevance of topic.

(Click here for more information on the scholarships, including the deadline and where to send materials.)

This year’s four $2,500 CME Scholarship winners are:

Seth R. Spronk from Edgerton, MN and a sophomore at South Dakota State University.  His essay on The Importance of Public Perception focuses on the misinformed consumer.  Seth feels the pork industry continues to face monumental economic challenges and they are exacerbated by things like H1N1 and the negative views of agriculture from activist groups.  He recommends men and women in agriculture unite, voice their opinions, state the facts and push back against the oncoming flood of individuals that do not understand the practices they so adamantly preach.  Seth says we need to tell the public that animal agriculture is a good thing, that we feed the world and we do it responsibly and ethically.

Jamie Marie Keener from Raleigh, North Carolina and a junior at North Carolina State University.  Her essay is on how Today’s Nontheraputic Antimicrobial Usage promotes growth, feed efficiency and helps keep harmful microbes in check.  Jamie says without the protection of the antibiotics, animals are at much higher risk of contracting a disease.  She recommends everyone involved in the industry get together and teach that pork is safe to eat, pork is healthy to eat and that there is no risk of ingesting antibiotics or hormones from pork.  Jamie says we need to promote this through websites, pamphlets, in the classroom and through lobbyists.

Hannah Sandidge from Marshall, Missouri and a sophomore at the University of Missouri.  Her essay on Advocacy groups promoting Vegetarianism, Animal Welfare and Global Warming are trying to put animal agriculture out of business.  She says activists believe eliminating meat will reduce heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes.  And, they believe, eliminating animal agriculture will reduce our carbon footprint.  Others believe we should eat less meat to “prevent abuses of animals in factory farms”.  Hannah recommends we must work together and with other commodity groups to demonstrate and explain why modern agriculture is the best means to feed the world’s growing population.

AnnaMarie Samson from Three Forks, Montana and a sophomore at Montana State University.  Her essay on The Public’s Opinion of the Industry regarding Animal Rights has resulted in a negative effect on the demand for pork.  She says animal rights organizations are carrying their views to the public and the results are more rights for the animals and less for the producer.  AnnaMarie recommends promotion of the industry in a positive manner that is appealing to the public.  At the same time, the industry needs to continue to regulate animal production and assure overall animal welfare on the public stage.

CME Scholarship Past Winners