NOTE: Media credentials are required for entry into these events/locations. The schedule is subject to change.
Media Events Schedule
Wednesday, June 3
7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
World Pork Expo Media Center is Open
Walnut Center
Note: Show hours are from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Policy Pulse: How Pork Wins in D.C. and Beyond
Press Conference Hall, FFA Display Building
- Moderator: Sarah Muirhead, Informa Markets/Farm Progress/National Hog Farmer, Feedstuffs
- Rob Brenneman, NPPC President
- Bryan Humphreys, NPPC CEO
- Maria C. Zieba, NPPC Vice President of Government Affairs
- Pat McGonegle, Iowa Pork Producers Association CEO
9:45 – 11:15 a.m.
“We Speak Up” NPPC Connect
Media Center, Walnut Center
The following NPPC officers and policy experts will be on-hand to answer a range of farm and food policy issues, including dietary guidelines, line speeds, competition, corporate policy, activism, and international food standards.
- Rob Brenneman, NPPC President & Iowa Pork Producer – Dietary Guidelines, MAHA, Competition, and Workforce
- Pat Hord, NPPC President-Elect and Ohio Pork Producer – Farm Bill, Proposition 12, Environment, Line Speeds
- Maria C. Zieba, VP of Government Affairs – International Trade and Tariffs, Global Priorities
- Dr. Anna Forseth, Director of Animal Heath – US Swine Health Improvement Program, Animal Health
- Holly Cook, Economist – Pork Industry Economics and Outlook
- Kyle Garner, Manager of Congressional Affairs – Farm Bill, Proposition 12
2:00 – 2:30 p.m
Q&A with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig
Press Conference Hall, FFA Display Building
Secretary Naig will provide a brief 5 to 10-minute ag update and then be available for questions from the media. He will provide an update on animal health and biosecurity, including Iowa’s recent response to pseudorabies and ongoing foreign animal disease preparedness efforts. He will also discuss trade, market access, the farm economy, and the opportunities that growing global demand for protein creates for pork producers. In addition, he will highlight key agricultural priorities advanced during the 2026 Iowa legislative session, including the Iowa Farm Act and the Farm to Faucet Water Quality Package. Finally, he will discuss federal policy priorities, including passage of a modernized Farm Bill that includes a fix for Prop 12.
Thursday, June 4
7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
World Pork Expo Media Center Is Open
Walnut Center
Note: Show hours are from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
9:45 – 11:15 a.m.
NPPC Connect
Media Center, Walnut Center
The following NPPC officers and policy experts will be on-hand to answer a range of farm and food policy issues, including dietary guidelines, line speeds, competition, corporate policy, activism, and international food standards.
- Duane Stateler, NPPC Immediate Past President & Ohio Pork Producer – USMCA, Environmental Regulations
- Todd Marotz, NPPC Vice President & Minnesota Pork Producer – Animal Health, Foreign Animal Disease
- Bryan Humphreys, Chief Executive Officer – State of the Industry
- Molly O’Connor, Director of Federal Affairs – Congressional Affairs
- Dr. Ashley Johnson, Director of Food Policy – Dietary Guidelines, MAHA
10:15 - 11:00 a.m.
Youth Issues Meet Representative & Contestants Connect
Media Center, Walnut Center
NPPC staff responsible for the Youth Issues Meet and contestants will be available to discuss the event.
Additional Activities of Interest to Media
NOTE: Media credentials are not required for these activities.
Location: Varied Industries Building
Wednesday, June 3:
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Pork: Looking beyond pork chops. See what innovation can do to excite consumers. (Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room B)
Loyal consumers know that pork is versatile and delicious — but how can pork adapt to the palates and expectations of our modern consumers? Can pork take advantage of the skyrocketing popularity of protein and capture a larger share of the plate?
Join Mark Hulsebus and Lori Stevermer from Alltech’s U.S. Pork team as they work with David Newman, CEO of the National Pork Board and Staff, to fabricate a pork carcass featuring new cuts of pork that offer innovative opportunities around versatility, nutrition and value. Because “Taste What Pork Can Do” is not just the National Pork Board’s new marketing campaign — it’s also an invitation to build interest, excitement and demand for U.S. pork.
1:30 pm – 2:30 p.m.
Roadmap to Resilience – Developing a Genetic Solution (Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room D)
Speaker: Jenelle Dunkelberger, Genetics and Global Health & Behavior Platform Lead, Topigs Norsvin USA
Join us as we share our multi-year roadmap detailing the research journey, key insights, and product development strategy that led to a breakthrough genetic solution for enhanced disease resilience in swine production. This innovation delivers what the industry needs most: resilient pigs, reliable production, and responsible pork.
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Roadmap to Resilience – Developing a Genetic Solution (Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room D)
Speaker: Jenelle Dunkelberger, Genetics and Global Health & Behavior Platform Lead, Topigs Norsvin USA
Join us as we share our multi-year roadmap detailing the research journey, key insights, and product development strategy that led to a breakthrough genetic solution for enhanced disease resilience in swine production. This innovation delivers what the industry needs most: resilient pigs, reliable production, and responsible pork.
Thursday, June 4:
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Designing Predictable Performance in an Unpredictable Environment (Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room D)
Markets move. Disease pressure shifts. Ingredient quality changes. But performance shouldn’t have to.
In partnership with the Swine It Podcast Show, this live podcast session brings together Dr. Francisco Domingues (Anitox), Dr. PJ Corns (JBS), Sebastian Villegas (Asimetrix), and Dr. Clayton Johnson (Carthage Veterinary Service) for a strategic, executive-level conversation on how modern pork systems can be designed for consistency, regardless of external volatility.
The panel will unpack how performance erosion often starts upstream, through subtle environmental, biological, and nutritional pressures that go unnoticed until they show up in throughput, variability, and margin. From feed as a controllable risk input to the role of behavioral signals as early indicators, the conversation will focus on how to move from reactive correction to proactive system design.
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Beyond the Pit: Turning Manure Management into a Profit Center (Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room D)
Is your manure a liability or a hidden asset? Join Kurt Grimm, Dr. Dan Andersen and producer Tork Whisler for a deep dive into the latest separation technologies.
Learn how to reduce storage volume, capture high-value nutrients, and streamline your application process. From cutting-edge research to boots-on-the-ground implementation, our panel reveals how to stop managing waste and start managing your ROI.
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
The biology of manure: Beyond NPK. (Varied Industries Building, Meeting Room D)
We will unpack the other side of manure: biology, humic/fulvic and the hormone profile and how hog producers can capitalize on these components.
Pork Academy Sessions and Networking Opportunities
Join your Pork Checkoff for Pork Academy at World Pork Expo, June 3–4, 2026, in Des Moines for expert-led sessions focused on what matters most to pork producers. Explore topics impacting profitability, including a global protein update, swine health, U.S. ag economics, consumer demand and pork nutrition—while engaging directly with industry experts.
Wednesday, June 3:
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Global to Local: Trade, Tariffs and Economics Impacting U.S. Pork.
Get a global-to-local look at the forces shaping pork markets and an update on checkoff investments in overseas markets.
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
National Swine Health Strategy: Turning Research into Action.
Learn more about the National Swine Health Strategy and discover how pork checkoff research can deliver slat-level solutions for your farm.
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
U.S. Pork Economic Outlook
From feed costs to consumer demand, the economic forces shaping today’s pork industry are complex and ever-changing. This session explores markets and trends influencing pork production costs and profitability.
Thursday, June 5:
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
The Long-term Playbook for Growing Pork Demand
The pork consumer is evolving — and the pork industry needs to evolve to keep up. This session unpacks why demand is a long game through the Taste What Pork Can Do® campaign and beyond.
10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Protein, Quality & Opportunity: What Today’s Consumers Want from Pork
Protein demand continues to rise and pork is well-positioned to benefit. This session explores how consumer behavior, innovation and pork quality are shaping the category.
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
What the Dietary Guidelines Mean for the Future of Pork
Nutrition science, consumer behavior and policy are intersecting in ways that shape the future of pork consumption. This panel explores the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans and what they mean for the pork industry.