Pork industry creates a ‘certified swine manager’ program, curriculum

DES MOINES, Iowa — A new Certified Swine Manager program is being introduced this fall to take pork producers to the next level in professionalism.

The program will promote the industry’s ideal of continuous improvement and further the pork industry’s We Care ethical principles.

The new program will define a core body of knowledge needed to achieve standards in pork production, establish educational standards, provide resources to acquire knowledge and offer certification to validate knowledge gained and work accomplished.

The program was developed by the U.S. Pork Center of Excellence

Certification exams

To become a certified swine manager, producers will be required to pass assessments, including both a test and an on-the-job evaluation, to confirm the individual’s competence in all pork production phases.

The program will not have specific educational requirements but resources and materials will be available to help producers prepare for certification exams.

The assessments will verify employee knowledge, skills and abilities in areas including farm and personnel management, breeding and gestation, farrowing and wean-to-finish.

College curriculum

The U.S. Pork Center of Excellence, in collaboration with the pork checkoff, is leading an effort to develop a community college curriculum for pork production workers.

The Professional Swine Manager (PSM) curriculum will include classroom sessions, delivered via Internet by community college instructors experienced in pork production. Hands-on learning at a farm site and facilitated by a senior production manager will be part of the program.

The courses will qualify for credit toward an associate degree, with the first courses offered this fall.

Courses include Introduction to swine production, sow farm management, wean/finish management, employee management, facility operations, production records, and internship/work experience.

The curriculum provides the means to offer economical, reliable training to employees. It also targets community or technical college students interested in becoming involved in pork production after graduation.

For more information on the program, call 800-456-7675.