It’s been said before, and it is still worth mentioning it again: a bio-secure building is worth more than the weight inside. With the growing concern to keep African Swine Fever (ASF) from entering the United States, it is even more critical now to make sure your hog facilities are protecting your livestock investment.

A lot of livestock producers we meet tell us they are ready to build. Some say they have been for a long time. They have talked with family. They have set goals. They have reviewed personal assets. They have considered succession. They see a future in growing their operation.

Being equipped in a fire department in a fire protection district means two things: hardware and adequate training. Is your rural fire protection district or fire department firefighters properly trained to fight fires in special circumstances that include livestock?

You can never plan too much into the design of a facility to house your livestock – and especially for fire prevention. Roughly two-thirds of fatal barn fires occur from October to March, according to an October 2018 report from the Animal Welfare Institute, with 36.8% occurring in January through March.

It really is better to ask permission now rather than ask forgiveness later - especially in Illinois and Indiana where you should not stake out a new livestock structure until you have the proper permits approved and in-hand.

In the Chinese culture, don’t expect to begin a business discussion until you have developed a relationship with the others in on the deal. In the United States, according to the Better Business Bureau, business owners were asked what the most critical assets to their businesses were. The answer may be surprising.

Farmers want to take the best care of their animals that they can. That goes for pig producers as well. Jon Hoek, Director of Swine Precision Production Development at Summit Precision Production (SPP), notes that pigmanship is a philosophy, an approach to improved pork production.

Company consolidation is everywhere – whether it is in the agricultural world (think Monsanto and Bayer or Pioneer and DuPont) – or in the fast food world (think Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut) – it gives customers choices. But more importantly these companies have linked together to combine expertise, to share resources, and to maximize the services they can produce and provide.