051001 SD Launches “Pork Center of Excellence”October 12, 2005Brookings, SD - A new Iowa-based center will focus land-grant university efforts to make United States pork production the best in the world. South Dakota State University Extension swine specialist Bob Thaler said the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence, housed at the National Swine Research and Information Center on the campus of Iowa State University, had its official beginning Sept. 1. At its first meeting, the 15-member board of directors established a statement of purpose, a vision statement and a mission statement. The statement of purpose declares that the center will meet its research, teaching and Extension goals through leadership in creating efficiencies through coordination; by identifying, attracting and directing funds to high priorities in order to accomplish more effective problem-solving; and by communicating solutions to target audiences throughout the pork industry. The vision of the Pork Center of Excellence is to advance United States pork production as the world- class standard; to fashion a new paradigm for how research is conducted and information delivered; to help society understand and value pork producers’ contributions to the economy, environment, community and to consumer health and well-being; and to foster a thriving pork production industry. The mission statement says the Pork Center of Excellence exists to add value to the pork industry by facilitating research and learning for pork producers through national collaboration. The programs of the Center of Excellence are three-fold: A Research Center of Excellence will revolve around coordination of research on focused issues. A Teaching Center of Excellence will support regional swine schools. An Extension Center of Excellence will focus on the Pork Information Gateway, a virtual center of information development, warehousing and delivery involving the entire pork Extension network nationwide. This new organization is initially supported by grants and is supported by several land-grant universities.
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