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To better reach our consumer base in the State of Utah, Utah Pork Producers Association, (UPPA) will be posting one post per week on the website under the blog. The topics will vary from highlighting producers, shout-outs about our 2021 Youth Pork Ambassadors, recipes and pork cuts, and everyday examples of the WE CARE Principles shown as producers raise their pigs to feed Utah and the World.
I would like to begin by telling you about producers and the hog industry in the state of Utah. Utah ranks 15th in hog production in the United States raising 1.3M pigs. These pigs are raised on commercial farms, independent farms, and by show hog producers. All producers, regardless of the type of farm they operate all care about the health, safety, and welfare of their pigs. We, at (UPPA), care about the pigs and our number one priority is raising healthy pigs in a safe environment for the pigs and the employees. There is a saying that I hear over and over in the pork industry…If we take care of the pigs, they will take care of us. From medicine to footballs to bacon, the pig is in our everyday lives.
UPPA also believes strongly in the next generation of farmers and the importance of production agriculture in feeding not only our families here in America but our neighbors throughout the world. We invest in the youth with our program of Youth Pork Ambassadors. This year in 2021, UPPA has 5 ambassadors ranging from juniors in high school to juniors in college. The ambassadors are chosen from essays written on a specific given agriculture topic, their long term goals in agriculture, their grades, and their reference letters.
I would to highlight one of our 2021 ambassadors in this post. Quay Walker is from Monticello, Utah. She has grown up showing pigs ever since she was in Kindergarten. Each year as she raises her show pigs, she spend time, washing, grooming, teaching the pig turn signals walking long distance, and determining which feed is best at each stage of growth. This dedication has awarded Quay with Grand Champion Hog as well as senior showmanship. While Quay is an ambassador she is required to attend 5 events. Being in rural Utah, her five events will be teaching cooking and cuts to family reunion of more than 50 people, teaching pig show clinics to younger show hog producers, and a booth at the fair. Quay will also cook 4 recipes that include various cuts of pork. This will enable her to explain to consumer cooking techniques and to explain the different cuts of pork. As of date she has completed 3 of the 4 recipes. Here is Quay’s Pork Stir Fry. Her recipe is easy and delicious:
Ingredients: 1 bag of stir fry vegetables and 4 pork chops Instructions: Cook vegetables and add sauce. Cook pork chops to 145 degrees (test with a thermometer), cut up and add to vegetables. I think this sounds delicious and easy.. Way to go Quay!! Learn more about Quay on our website!!
https://utahporkproducers.org/consumers/youth-information/2021-youth-pork-ambassadors/
Follow our blog and let us know if you try the recipes and let us know if you have any questions about pigs, cooking or how they are raised.
