011004 National Pork Board Selects Steven D. Murphy as New Chief Executive

The National Pork Board has selected Steven D. Murphy of Des Moines, Iowa, as its new Chief Executive Officer. Murphy had been President/Chief Operating Officer of AgWeb.com, Inc., a derivative of the Farm Journal Corporation.

"The pork checkoff has been successful in increasing consumer awareness of pork, building demand for pork, providing education programs for pork producers, and coordinating and sharing research on swine health, pork quality and safety," said Murphy. "The producers' investment in the pork checkoff has played an important role in laying the foundation for a strong pork industry. I look forward to the challenge of building on these accomplishments and examining new initiatives that continue to deliver the tools producers need. I also am excited about working side-by-side with the many producers who direct the pork checkoff program."

Murphy will manage the National Pork Board staff, which operates checkoff-funded programs on behalf of America's pork producers. The new position was created in the pork checkoff settlement agreement with USDA.

The National Pork Board CEO will implement the budget as approved by the National Pork Board and U.S. Department of Agriculture, communicate with producers, and oversee staff as they conduct checkoff-funded programs identified by producer priority systems.

Hugh Dorminy, National Pork Board President and CEO Search Committee chair, said, "Murphy will be committed to the pork industry and driven by the desire to efficiently and effectively administer the pork checkoff program priorities as established by pork producers and pork importers."

The National Pork Board members are 15 pork producers nominated by their peers in the Pork Act Delegate Body at the National Pork Industry Forum and appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. The Board is responsible for the collection, allocation and accountability for pork checkoff-funded programs of promotion, research and consumer information, as outlined by Congress in the Pork Act. Through a mandatory national pork checkoff, pork producers invest $0.45 for each $100 value of hogs sold or pork imported.

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