The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is a global voice in the U.S. pork industry, conducting public policy outreach on behalf of its 44 affiliated state association members and promoting opportunities for the success of pork producers across the country.

Taking over as president of the organization is Jill Appell, co-owner of Appell’s Pork Farm in Altona, Ill. A member of the NPPC board of directors for the past five years, Appell has served on numerous committees and task forces and was chairperson of the Pork Safety and Human Health and Nutrition committee. She is past president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association and served as the USDA’s state director of rural development for Illinois. Appell and her husband, Paul, run a 500-sow farrow-to-finish operation and also raise corn, soybeans and wheat.

Bryan Black of Ned Black & Sons farm in Canal Winchester, Ohio was elevated to the position of president-elect. Elected for a one-year term, Black served as vice president of the organization for the past year. Black, in partnership with his brother, runs a 300-sow farrow-to-finish operation and raises corn, soybeans, wheat and hat in central Ohio. First elected to the board in March 2003, Black is past-president of the Ohio Pork Producers Council and won the National Pork Board’s Environmental Stewardship Award for Ohio.

Don Butler, director of government relations and public affairs with Murphy-Brown LLC, the livestock production subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, Inc. was elected vice president. Butler has served in a number of national and local leadership positions, including president of the North Carolina Pork Council, board chairperson of the Animal Agriculture Alliance, member of the board of the North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation Foundation and the North Carolina Agribusiness Council. Appell, Black and Butler will serve a one-year term.

“We have excellent leadership in Jill, Bryan and Don and have added some quality, dedicated industry representatives to the board of directors,” said NPPC CEO Neil Dierks. “I know all of them will work tirelessly for America’s pork producers.”

Elected to the board for three-year terms in the producer category were Kathy Chinn, who, along with her husband, owns and operates Chinn Hog Farm, Inc., near Clarence, Mo.; R.C. Hunt, owner and manager of Andrews Hunt Farms LLC, in Wilson, N.C.; Larry Liepold, owner-operator of a 120-sow farrow-to-finish operation near Okabena, Minn.; and Randy Spronk, managing partner of Spronk Brothers III LLP and Ranger Farms LLP in Edgerton, Minn. Todd Neff, vice president of pork pricing with Tyson Fresh Meats, was elected to the board for a two-year term, representing the NPPC Packer Processor Industry Council, on which he has served for the past four years.

Todd Stickley, director of pork finishing and development with Kalmbach Swine Management in Upper Sandusky, Ohio; and Todd Wiley, co-owner and managing partner of Interstate Swine LLC, near Walker, Iowa were elected to serve for one year on the NPPC Nominating Committee, which evaluates candidates for the board of directors.

Continuing as NPPC board members are: Sam Carney, Adair, Iowa; Bob Dykhuis, Holland, Mich.; Rick Rehmeier, Augusta, Mo.; Terry Vanlaningham, Warsaw, Ind.; and Doug Wolf, Lancaster, Wis. Quentin Bottorff, with Phibro Animal Health will continue as the Allied Industry Council representative and Joy Philippi will serve on the board as the immediate past president.

For more information, visit NPPC’s website at www.nppc.org