The American Berkshire Association has 32 exhibitors from 11 states who have entered the upcoming National Summer Type Conference at Austin.

Tuesday, July 10, 2001

The American Berkshire Association has 32 exhibitors from 11 states who have entered the upcoming National Summer Type Conference at Austin.

The event begins Thursday at the Mower County Fairgrounds in Austin and continues through the weekend.

According to the ABA’s swine registry in West Lafayette, Ind., the entries come from Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The show and sale will feature 54 boars, 78 gilts and 15 bred gilts.

Merrill Smith, breed secretary, said the entry list is the show’s largest in several years.

"The Berkshire breed has been growing fast as a result of the Japanese market for Berkshire meat," Smith said. "Berkshire breeders are receiving a $10 to $12 per hundred weight premium for their market hogs."

The show’s schedule begins Thursday with entries being weighed and scanned in the morning.

Seminars open to the public will be held at the Holiday Inn of Austin in the afternoon. Topics include "Producing and Selling our Berkshire Products" presented by Mark and Rita Newman of Missouri; "Getting Berkshire Pork on the Menu" presented by Kelly and Nina Bensen of Iowa; and "Canadian Berkshire Alliance and Marketing Program" presented by Wayne and Lee Collingridge of Manitoba.

Steve Price, executive director of Berkshire Gold, will give an update on both the foreign and domestic meat programs.

A family fun night meal and program will be held at the Mower County Fairgrounds Thursday night.

The Berkshire breeding stock show begins 8 a.m. Friday with Dr. Jerry Hawthorne of the University of Minnesota doing the judging. The show and judging are open to the public.

On Friday night, the American Berkshire Association will hold its annual meeting and awards banquet at Holiday Inn of Austin.

The final day of the show will be the sale on Saturday, beginning 10 a.m. at the fairgrounds. Boars, gilts and bred gilts exhibited will be offered in the auction.

The sale is open to the public and Smith said commercial swine producers are invited to attend.

More than 200 visitors are expected to attend the events. Smith expressed his appreciation to the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau for its assistance as well as the Mower County Fair Board with helping with the preshow planning.

"We love to come to Austin each September for the National Barrow Show, because we are always given fine hospitality by businesses and citizens alike," Smith said. "We are fortunate to get to experience Austin’s great atmosphere again this year even though the Barrow Show will not be held this September."

"We’re looking forward to a great conference," he said.

Earlier this summer, Hormel Foods Corp. and the National Swine Registry Association announced the cancellation of this year’s National Barrow Show because of concerns for foot and mouth disease.