September 4, 2008 - Volume 28 - No. 18

Topics This Issue:

• Checkoff-Funded Study Reveals Higher Protein Breakfast May Help Dieters Stay on Track
• Pork Serves Up Healthy School Lunches
• Cash in on Grants for Pork Producers
• Pork Checkoff in the Spotlight - National Pork Board Names New Chief Executive Officer

Adding measurable value to U.S. Pork

"There is a growing body of research which supports eating high-quality protein foods when dieting to maintain a sense of fullness," said Wayne W. Campbell, PhD, study author and professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University. "This study is particularly unique in that it looked at the timing of protein intake and reveals that when you consume more protein may be a critical piece of the equation."

The new research funded by the Pork Checkoff and the American Egg Board, evaluated overweight or obese men who followed a reduced-calorie diet. The diet consisted of two variations of protein intakes, both which were within federal nutrition recommendations: normal protein intake, 11-14 percent of calories or increased protein, 18-25 percent of calories.

Purdue researchers tested the effect of consuming the additional protein at specific meals - breakfast, lunch or dinner - or spaced evenly throughout the day. The results showed the feeling of fullness was greatest and most sustained throughout the day when the additional protein, from eggs and lean Canadian bacon, was eaten at breakfast versus lunch or dinner.

Campbell also notes that most Americans typically consume a relatively small amount of protein at breakfast, only about 15 percent of their total daily protein intake.

Additionally, consumer research by the International Food Information Council shows that 92 percent of Americans cite breakfast as the most important meal of the day, however less than half, 46 percent, eat breakfast seven days per week.

For more information, contact Ceci Snyder, CSnyder@pork.org , 515-223-3526.

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Pork Serves Up Healthy School Lunches School cooks who are hungry for nutritious menu items found a smorgasbord of new pork options at the School Nutrition Association's (SNA) convention in Philadelphia this summer.

As a national, nonprofit professional organization, SNA represents more than 55,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. SNA's annual foodservice conference, which is designed for K-12 school cooks, attracted more than 6,500 attendees from across the country this year.

Pork Checkoff staff handed out pork nutrition information and new recipes, including BBQ Pork and Apple Pita, Bubble Pizza, Pork Dippers, and Stir Fry in the Straw, featuring pork with thin, round vermicelli noodles. These recipes build on the Pork Checkoff's foodservice recipe collection developed two years ago for school foodservice, including Cuban Pork Lasagna, Pork Carnitas, Sweet-and-Sour Pork, Pork and Three-Bean Chili, Pork Taco Boats, Asian Pork Stir Fry and Texas Pork Quesadillas. The new recipes will be available online at www.porkfoodservice.com .

For more information, contact Traci Rodemeyer, TRodemeyer@pork.org , 515-223-3529.

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Exceeding the expectations of its stakeholders

While the number of applicants for the grants listed on Pork.org varies from year to year, it always helps to present your grant application as professionally as possible to increase your chances of receiving funding. Renaud offers the following tips to help your application stand out:

• Put yourself in the funder's shoes. If you were the one supplying the grant you'd like to receive, what qualifications, goals and objectives would you like to see from the applicants and their proposed projects? Remember, the person awarding the grant doesn't know anything about you or your project, so tell them what they need to know.

• Follow all instructions. Read the request for application carefully, look at all of the requirements of the grant program, and provide the information requested in the proper format.

• Don't get discouraged. While grant writing may appear to involve a lot of paperwork, the process doesn't have to be daunting. Don't be afraid to ask questions. You can contact the Pork Board for more assistance, or contact the grant provider directly.

For more information, contact Annette Renaud, ARenaud@pork.org , 515-223-2603.

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Pork Checkoff in the Spotlight

National Pork Board Names New Chief Executive Officer

The National Pork Board on Wednesday named Chris Novak, a state commodity association executive, as the organization's new chief executive officer.

Novak has served as executive director of the Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana's corn organizations. He led the merger of two soybean organizations and helped build partnerships between Indiana's soybean, corn and livestock commodity organizations. He also worked to secure passage of a new state corn checkoff.

"This is a challenging time for the U.S. pork industry because of the volatility in the markets, but also a time of great opportunity," said Steve Weaver, a pork producer from Elk Grove, Calif., and president of the National Pork Board. "That is why I and my fellow National Pork Board members are so excited to have someone with Chris Novak's experience and abilities to work with us in meeting those challenges and identifying those opportunities on behalf of all U.S. pork producers."

"This is like coming home for me," said Novak, who grew up on a diversified farm near Marion, Iowa, and who worked for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) early in his career. "I look forward to building on the grassroots tradition of serving both the producers who invest in the Pork Checkoff and those who hold a stake in the success of the U.S. pork industry.

"Pork producers have a long history of leadership in caring for their animals, nurturing the environment and meeting the needs of their communities and their customers. The board's responsible pork initiative is a great example of putting that commitment into action. I am honored to be able to return to this great segment of American agriculture and to be able to help chart its future."

Weaver said Novak will begin his National Pork Board duties Oct. 1. He replaces Steve Murphy, who announced his resignation in January and who has continued to serve while the board searched for his replacement. Murphy became the National Pork Board's first CEO in October 2002. Prior to that time, the National Pork Board's Checkoff-funded programs were handled under a contract with NPPC.

"The board and all of us in the U.S. pork industry salute Steve Murphy for his leadership at a critical time in our industry's history. He has positioned us well for the future and he has developed as fine an organization and staff as you will find in American agriculture."

Novak, who was a state FFA officer as a youth, has a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University, a law degree from the University of Iowa and an executive master's degree in business administration from Purdue University.

He began his professional career as a legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa and joined NPPC in 1990 as director of public policy. In 1992, he became NPPC's first director of environmental services.

Novak also has been executive director of the Terrene Institute, a nonprofit environmental education organization. He served as an executive of the American Soybean Association. And he was science communication manager for Syngenta, where he directed biotechnology communication activities.

For more information, contact Mike Wegner, MWegner@pork.org , 515-223-2638.

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