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Ken McEwan, University of Guelph – Ridgetown Campus

Ken McEwan is a College Professor in Agricultural Economics at the Ridgetown Campus - University of Guelph and is also the Campus Research Coordinator. His primary research interest is focused on swine industry issues including industry alignment; pricing; and production economics. His current/recent research projects include an Economic Analysis of Hog Production in the Maritime Provinces, the Importance of Advertising and Promotion in Pork Consumption Levels, a Hog Price Comparison Update Between Ontario and United States, Cost of Production Benchmarks for Ontario, Manitoba and Iowa, and Farm Input Prices for Ontario and Nearby U.S. states. Ken has testified at a U.S. Congressional Hearing and more recently been an expert witness on hog marketing issues in Ontario and Quebec.

Bob Morrison, University of Minnesota

Bob Morrison is a Veterinary Professor in the University of Minnesota Swine Group. He is an avid teacher, and conducts applied research and service to the swine industry.  One of his responsibilities is program chair for the annual Leman Swine Conference. Bob is involved in a family-owned swine farm with 3000 sows in western Minnesota. He consults with small regional swine farms and large integrated systems in the US and around the world. This broad experience in conjunction with his business training gives him the ability to combine applied science with the business aspects of pork production.

Casey Neill, Pig Improvement Company

Casey Neill received his M.Sc. in Swine Nutrition from Kansas State University where he studied the lysine requirement of pigs fed Paylean in commercial research barns. He then worked for Christensen Farms (180,000 sows) in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota as Research Coordinator conducting nutrition, management and genetic trials on over 40,000 head annually. Casey is a member of the PIC technical service department and has been the PIC nutritionist for more than two years overseeing nutrition of the PIC Genetic Nucleus farms, multipliers and helping customers with nutrition and production. 

Hans Rotto, Innovative Agricultural Solutions LLC

Hans Rotto is a Private Swine Production and Veterinary Consultant in Ames, Iowa. He graduated from Iowa State University with a DVM and Masters in Veterinary Pathology that focused on PRRSV and the pathologic changes between viral strains. For the past 10 years, he has worked as a swine production veterinarian with both company owned and contract operations to provide and coordinate all veterinary and animal health resources. During his career, Hans has served as Director of Veterinary Services for both Land O’Lakes Swine Production Division and Christensen Family Farms Inc.

Stacie Sopinka, Loblaw Brands Ltd

Stacie Sopinka is the Director for Control Brand Meat and Seafood with Loblaw Brands Ltd. Stacie graduated from Queen’s University with a BA in Economics, and later pursued her passion for food by completing the chefs training program at Stratford Chefs School. Stacie developed products for Loblaws for ten years in the Dry Grocery category and launched such signature products as PC Smokin’ Stampede BBQ sauce, PC Memories Sauce, and PC Ketchup. For the past two years, Stacie has directed the control brand development within the Meat and Seafood categories. In this time, her team has developed numerous fresh meat programs including PC Certified Angus Beef, PC Tender & Tasty Beef, and PC Free From Pork, Turkey and Beef programs.

Terry Whiting, Manitoba Agriculture and Food

Terry Whiting has worked the majority of the past 20 years for governments in food safety and animal health, with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and Manitoba Agriculture at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. He has published in peer reviewed journals on humane transportation of animals, food safety, and emergency preparedness. Currently, he is the Chair of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Animal Welfare Committee, and is the provincial representative on the National Farm Animal Care initiative.

Rudolf Wiedmann, LSZ – Baden-Württemburg, Germany

Rudolf Wiedmann has spent his entire professional life improving husbandry systems for pigs. First, he invented the Kistenstall, a double-row barn with natural ventilation. In the past 10 years, he invented Pigport 1, 2 and 3, a housing system common in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Pigport is important in light of the new EU legislation that characterizes meat for the consumer in four categories depending on the level of animal welfare. At LSZ, Rudolf’s responsibilities include production and industrial engineering, economics, management, and animal health at the research station.
 

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