The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) offers three unique and interesting tour options for World Pork Expo attendees who want to experience Midwestern agriculture – and hospitality – at its finest. There is one 2-day tour, and two 1-day tours available to choose from.
The tours will take place on Monday, June 6, and Tuesday, June 7, prior to the opening of World Pork Expo on June 8. The tours were developed to provide international and domestic guests with a sampling of the diversity and importance of agriculture to Iowa, to the United States and to the world. Attendees will have multiple opportunities to interact with agri-business representatives and farm managers, as well as other tour participants.
Tour One ─ June 6-7: Midwest Agriculture Highlights ($300)
Monday, June 6
· Depart from the Airport Holiday Inn www.holiday-inn.com/dsm-airport
· Amana Colonies Farm Tour—Tour a communal farm in central Iowa that has both modern day facilities, including a methane digester, and historic aspects to their practices
· Cinnamon Ridge Farms ─ Along with 4,000 acres of corn and soybeans, this farm has wean-to-finish buildings, a beef operation and a Jersey dairy operation. See the inside of the hog building through a specially designed viewing room, allowing visitors to observe modern production without compromising the farm’s security measures.
· Rock Island Arsenal ─ Tour Locks and Dam 15 Witness how agricultural products are transported from the Midwest to the rest of the world – passports required
· Dinner ─ You will have the opportunity to interact with Midwest farmers and pork producers in a comfortable setting
Tuesday, June 7
· Breakfast ─ Enjoy a “Midwest” breakfast
· John Deere Pavilion ─ The John Deere Pavilion was created as a celebration of the past, present and future of agribusiness. It is recognized as the world’s most comprehensive agricultural exhibit. If time allows, the group also will view the John Deere combine-manufacturing plant.
· Barge View River Terminal Tour-Board an actual barge on the Mississippi and learn firsthand how barges are loaded and processed through the Mississippi River Terminal.
· Return to Des Moines
Tour Two ─ Monday, June 6: Iowa Agriculture ($125*)
· PDI ─ Perishable Distributors of Iowa (PDI, Ltd) had 2010 sales of more than $835,000,000 and a product list of more than 5,000 fresh and frozen items, making it one of the largest food distribution companies in the Midwest
· Christensen Farms ─ See how a feed mill operates for a large pork-production facility; Christensen Farms is one of the top-five pork producers in the United States
· Iowa State University Meat Lab—Tour ISU’s own meat harvesting and processing facility.
· Iowa State University (ISU) ─ Enjoy a tour of ISU’s newly remodeled College of Veterinary Medicine
Tour Three ─ Tuesday, June 7: Iowa Agri-Business ($125*)
· Swine Genetics International (SGI) http://www.swinegenetics.com/ ─ This recognized boar-reproduction company offers genetics through liquid and frozen semen
· Lunch – The Machine Shed Restaurant (http://machineshed.com/) is a popular local favorite
· Kemin Industries www.kemin.com – Tour this modern bioscience company that produces everything from pet foods to pharmaceuticals
· Pioneer Hi-Bred International http://www.pioneer.com/landing/ ─ Tour one of the world’s leading developers and suppliers of advanced plant genetics.
*$200 for both one-day tours
Tour Prices Include: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the tours, admission to all three days of World Pork Expo, a shuttle to and from the Airport Holiday Inn, World Pork Expo and Jordan Creek Mall during the show.
International Hotel: The Airport Holiday Inn will serve as the primary starting and stopping points for the tours and shuttles. For reservations, call 800.248.4013 or visit: www.holidayinn.com/dsm-airport
This tour is sponsored by the Illinois Soybean Association. To register for the tours go to www.worldpork.org or contact Bryan Humphreys at the National Pork Producers Council at 515.864.7987 (office), 515.451.0484 (cell) or humphreysb@nppc.org.