SMITHVILLE – How has science and technology impacted what farmers are doing today to grow food? How has it changed the food we eat?
Take pork for example, 30 years ago, not many people could have imagined pork would be among the leanest meats available. Students at DeKalb County High School in Smithville will find out how farmers have used agricultural science and technology to change pork on Wednesday, April 6. Phyllis Ferguson of the Tennessee Pork Producers Association will address culinary and animal science students starting at 8 a.m. and continuing through 12:20 p.m. at the high school located at 1130 Broad St.
Titled “Today’s Pork,” Ferguson’s class presentation will highlight how farmers have changed how they raise pigs to meet consumers’ demand for lean, nutritious and safe food.
Ferguson also spoke at the school in 2014 about “Modern Animal Agriculture & Pork Production.”
“Farmers have been working continuously to change how they raise pigs for the better,” she said. “They’ve been able to make great progress in animal health, food quality and protecting the environment using advancements in agricultural science and technology. For example, a USDA study found pork tenderloin is as lean as a skinless chicken breast and the American Heart Association has certified it as a heart-healthy food.
“Modern barns, a focus on nutrition and animal care mean pigs live healthier lives than ever before,” Ferguson added. “And, healthy pigs mean healthy food.”
Ferguson says there are 68,000 pork producers in the United States, and the industry generates more than a half million jobs and produces more than $21 billion in personal income each year.
